The Vinton record. [volume] (M'arthur, Vinton County, Ohio) 1866-1891, 1866-04-12

United States officers as had been
duly commissioned to be in undis-
puted exercise Of their official func-
tions; and,
WHEREAS, There now exists no
organized armed resistance of mis-
guided citizens nor others to the
authority of the United States in
the States of Georgia, South Caro-
lima, Virginia, North Carolina, Ten
nessee, Alabama, Louisiana, Ar
kansas, Missippi and Florida, and
the laws can be sustained and en-
forced therein by the proper civil
authority, State or Federal, and
the people of said States are well
and Loyalty disposed, and have CON
formed or. will conform in their
legislation to the condition of ,af.
fairs growing out of the amended
Constitution of the United States,
prohibiting slavery within the lin
its and jurisdiction of the United
States; and, -, =.
WHEREAS, In view of the before
recited premises, it. the manifest
determination of the American
people that no State, of its .owrt
will, shall have the power or right
to go out of or separate itself from
the American Union, and that
therefore each State ought to re-
main and constitute an integral
part of the United States; and, =.
WHEREAS, The people of the sew
eral before mentioned States, have,
in the manner aforesaid, given sat
isfactory evidence that they acqui-.
eSce in the important revolution of
the National Union; and,
WHEREAS, 1t is believed to be the
fundamental principle of Govern
ment, that people who have revol-
ted, and who have been overcome
and subdued, must be dealt with
so as to induce them virtually to
become friends, or else they must
be held by absolute military pow
er so as to prevent them from ever
again doing harm as enemies, which
last named policy is abhorrent to
humanity and freedom ; and
WHEREAS, The Constitution of the
United States provides for Consti-
tutional communities only as States,
and not as territories, and provides
no protectorates; and
WHEREAS, Such constructed States
must necessarily be, and by the
Constitution and laws of the Uni,
ted States are, made equals, and
placed on like footing as to po-
litical rights, immunities, dignity
and'power, with the several States
with which they are united; and.
WHEREAS, The observance Of POI
litical equality as a principle of
right and justice is well calculated
10 encourage the peope OF the States
to be and become more and more
constent and perseyering in their
renewed allegiance; and
WHEREAS, Standing armies mill,
tary occupation, martial law, mill.
tary tribunals, and suspension of
the privilege of the writ Of habeas
corpus, are in time of peace dan
gerous to public interest and in
compatible with the individual
rights of citizens, contrary to the
genius.and spirit Of oW, free insti-
tutions, and exhaustive of the Ma
tional resources, and ought not,
therefore, to be sanctioned or al
lowed, except in case of war for re-
pelling invaders or suppressing in
surrection or rebellion and
WHEREAS, The policy Of the Gov
ernment of the United States from
the beginning Of the i1surreetion
to its final suppression has been in
conformity with the principles here
in set forth and enumerated; there
fore,
l, Andrew Johnson, President of
the United States, do hereby pro-
claim and declare that the insur.
rection which heretofore existed in
the States of Georgia, South Caro-
lima, North Carolina, Virginia, Lou
isiana, Alabama, Arkansas, Missis-
sippi, and Texas and Florida, is at
an end, and henceforth to be so
regarded.
In testimony whereof, l have
hereunto set my hand and eau
sed the seal of the United
States to be affixed. Done at
the City of Washington, this
second day of April, in the
year of our Lord one thousand