Owyhee bullion. [volume] (Silver City, I.T. [Idaho]) 1866-1867, 1867-09-26
THE AMNESTY PROCLAMATION.

Whereas, In the month of july, A. D..
1861, the two Houses of Congress, with
extraordinary unanimity, solemnly dc.
clare that the war then existing was not
waged on the part of the Governmet in
any spirit Of oppression. nor for any pur.
pose Of conquest or suhjugatiun, nor for
the purpose Of overthrowing or interior
Ing with the rights or established insti-
tutions of the States but to defend and
maintain the supremacy of the Constitu.
ton, preserve to the Union with all dir.
nifty the equality Of the rights of the sew
eral States unimpaired; and that as soon
MS these objects should be accomplished
the war ouSht to cease; and, whereas,
The President Of the United States on the
Sth day of December, 1868, and the 26th
Of March, 1864, did, with the object Of
suppressiny the then existing rebellion,
Of inducing all persons TO return to their
loyalty and Of restoring the authority of
the United States, issue a Proclamation
Offering amnesty and pardon to all per.
sons who had, directly or indirectly, par,
ticipated in the the existing rebellion,
except as in those procamalions was spec
fled and reserved and whereas, the Pres
dent Of the United States id, on the
29th day Of May, A. D. 1865, issue a
further proclamation, with the same oh.
jrcis telore mentioned, aud to the cnd
that the authority Of the Government Of
the United States might be restored and
that peace. order and freedom might be
established, and the President did. by
said last mentioned proclamation, pro.
claim and declare that lie thereby grant.
ed all persons who had, directly or ind.
rccily participated in the existing rebel.
lion, except as therein excepted, amnesty
and pardon, with the restoration Of all the
rights Of property, except as to slaves, cx.
cept in certain eases whore legal proceed.
inas had been instituted, but upon con
diIivn that such persons should take aud
subscribe an oath therein prescribed,
which oath should be registered fir per.
nahcnt preservation aud whereas ia and
BY snid last mentioned proc anation of
the 20;h OF May, 1865, fourteen exten-
sive classes Of persons therein specially
described were altogether excepted and
excluded from the benefits thereof; and
whereas the President of the United
States did on the ID day of April, 1866,
issue proclamation was ut an end and
was thenccflrih to he so regarded; and
whereas there now exists no organized
armed resistance uf mi4guided citizens
or others to the authority Of the United
States IN the States Of Gcorgia, South
Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia, Tcn.
nessee, Alabama, Louisiana, Arkansas,
Mississippi, Florida and Texas. the laws
can be sustained and enforced therein bv
proper civil authority. State or Federal
and the people nf said States are well anl
loyally disposed and have clnf,rmed,
and ii permitted to do so will conlorm in
lrgislitlun Ia the conditions of atfiirs
growing out Of the amendment to the
Consltu ion prohibiting slavery within
the liults aud jurisdiction Of the United
States; and whereas the no longer ex-
lists any reasonable danger, nor is any t,
be apprJhendrd within the States which
were involved in the late rebellion, or any
unlawful resistance by the people OF said
States to the Constitution and laws of
the United States; and whereas, as large
standing armies, military occupation,
martial law, military tribunals, and the
suspension Of the privilege Of habeas cor
pus and the right Of trial by jury are in
time of peace dangerous TO the puic lib
erty and Incompatible with the individ.
ual rights ofcitzens, contrary to the gen
us aud spirit ofu free institutions and
exhaustive of the national resources, and
onght not, therefore, to be sanctioned or
allowed except in cases of actual necessi.
ty for rrpelliug invasion or supprcssing
insnrrection OF rebellion and whereas a
retallatory or vindictve policy attended
by Unnecessary di,qualifications, pains,
penalties, coniscatiUn and dsfranchise-
ment. now and always could only tend to
hinder reconciliation among the people
and national restoration, while it must