American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1867-09-14
"a PROCLAMATION.
BY the President CT the United State s

w HEREAS, III tne InOnGn Oh July,
\. d. 1862, the two Houses of Con-
gress, with extraordinary uuanimity,
solemnly declared that the war then
existing was not waged ON the part
of the Government in any spirit of
opposition nor for any PURPOSE ofcon-
quest or subjugation, nor purpose of
overthrowing or interfering with the
rights or established institutions of
the. States, but to defend and main
tain the supremacy Of the Constitu-
ton and to preserve the Union with
all the dignity, equality, and rights
of the several States unimpaired,
and that as soon as these objects
should be accomplished the war ought
to cease; and
Whereas, The President OF the
United States on the eighth day of
December, A. d. 1868, and on the
Doth day of March, 1864, did, with
the object of suppressifg the the ex-
isting rebellion and of inducing all
persons to return to their loyalty
and ofsestoring the authority of the
United States, issue a proclamation
offering amnesty and pardon to all
persons who had directly Oh indirect
ly participated in the then existing
rebellion, except as in these ptecla-
nations was specified and reserved;
and
Wkereos, The President. of the
United States did, on the Goth day of
May, A. D. 1865, issue a further proc
lamation with The same objects be-
fore mentioned to the end that the
authority of the Government of the
United States might lie restored and
order and freedom might be establish
ed, and the President did by the said
last mentioned proclamation proclaim
and declare that he thereby granted
to all persons who had directly or in
directly participated in the then eX-
listing rebellion, except as therein eX-
cepted, amnesty and pardon with
OF all rights Of property
except as to slaves, and except i'll
certain cases where legal proceedings
had been instituted, but upon condi-
ton that such persons should take
and subscribe an oath therein pre-
Scribed, which oath should be regis t,
tered for permanent preservation,
and ...... -
Whereas, In and by the said last |
proclamation of the Goth |
day of May, A. D.. 1865, fourteen
classes of persons therein specially !
described were were altogether ex-
copied, and excluded from the Dene-
fits thereof, and -.-
Whereas, The President Of the |
United States dld, on the ID day of |
April, \. D. 1866, issue proclama-
ton declaring that the instruction
was at an end, and was thencetOrth
50 10 be regarded, and
gained armed resistance of misguid
9d citizens or others to the authority
IF the United States, in the States OF
Georgia, South Carolina, Virginia,
North Carolina, Alabama, Louisiana,
Arkansas, Mississippi, Florida and
Texas. and the laws can be sustained
and enforced therein by the proper
,ivil auth ority, State or Federal, and
.he people of said States are well and
ovally disposed, and have conform
I'd, or If permitted to do so, will con-
'orm in their legislation to the condi-
ton of affairs growing out Of the
to the Constitution of
.he United States, prohibiting slave
" within the limits and Jurisdiction
If the United States; and
Whereas, There no longer exists
INV reasonable ground to apprehend
yitlnn the States, which were involv
ID in the late rebellion, any renewal
hereof, or any unlawful resistance
" the people Of said States, to the
Constitution and laws of the United
States; and |
Whereas, Large standing armies,
military occupation, martial law,
tribunals and the suspen.
,ion of the privilege of the writ of
laJeas corpus, and the right Of trial
" Jury, are i'll time of peace danger
,us to public liberty, incompatible
With the individual rights of the peo-
BE, and destructive of the national
esources, and ought not, therefore,
o be sanctioned or allowed, except
II cases of actual necessity for Iepell
ng invasion or suppressing insurrec-
ion or rebellion; and ~
Whereas, A retaliatory or vindic-
i've policy, attended by unnecessary
disqualification, pains, penalties, con-
iscation and acknowledgements, now,
IS always, could only tend to hinder
generalization among the people,
md national restoration, while it
must seriously embarrass, Obstruct
nd repress popular energies and
.ational industry and enterprise;
md
Whereas, For the. restoration of
law and order the said
asst mentioned proclamation as afore-
aid issued on the Doth day of May,
\. D. 1865, should be modified, and
hat full and and benefcient pardon
conceded thereby should be opened
md further extended to large num-
,er of the persons who, by its afore-
aid exceptions, have been hitherto
Excluded from Executive clemency:
Now, therefore, be it known, That
!, Andrew johnson, President of the
United States, do hereby proclaim,
md declare, that the full pardon
in the said proclamation of
he Goth day of May, A. d. 1866.