The Bedford gazette. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1805-current, 1868-07-10
AMNESTY PROCLAMATION BY PRESI-
DENT JOHNSON.
by the President of the United Sfates.-A
Proclamation.


BY the President of the United States.-A
Proclamation
WHEREAS, In the month of July,
AlnlO DOnlinj 1861, in accepting the
conditions of civil war, which was
brought about by insurrection and re-
bellion in several of the States which
constitute the Uuited States, the two
Houses af Congress did solemnly de-
clare that that war was not Waged on
the part Of the Government in any
spirit of oppression, nor for any puI-
pose of conquest or subjugation nor
for any purpose of overthroWing or in
terfering with the rights or established
institutions of the States, but only to
defend and maintain the supremacy of
the Constitution of the United States,
and to preserve the Union with all the
dignity, equality and rights of the sew
eral States unimpaired, and that as
soon as those objects should be accom-
plIshed, the war on the part of the
Government should cease and,
Whereas, The President of the Uni
ted States has, heretofore, in the spirit
of that declaration, and with the view
of securing for it ultimate and COM
plete effect, set forth several proclama-
tionS offering amnesty and pardon to
persons who had been or were concern
ed in the afore-named rebellion, which
prOclamations, however, were attended
with prudential reservations and ex-
ceptions then deemed necessary and
proper, and which proclamations were
respectively issued on the Sth day of
December, 1868, on the 29th day of
March, 1864, on the 29th day of May,
1865, and on the 7th day of September.
1867 ; and,
Whereas, The said lamentable civil
war has long since altogether ceased
with an acknowledgement by all the
States of the supremacy of the Federal
Constitution, and of the Government
hereunder; and there no longer exists
any reasonable ground to apprehend a
renewal of the said civil war, or any
foreign interference, or any unlawful
resistance by any portion of the people
of any Of the States to the ConStitu-
tion and laws of the United States );
and,
Whereas, 1t is desirable to reduce
the standing army, and to bring to a
speedy termination military occupa-
ton, martial law, military tribunals,
abridgement of the freedom of speech
and of the press, and suspension of the
privilege of hu6eUS corpus, and of the
right of trial by jury, such encroach-
ments upon our free institutions in
time of peace being dangerous to pub
lie liberty, incompatible with the indi-
vidual rights Of the citizen. contrary
to the genious and spirit of our Repub-
lican form of government and eXhaus-
tive of the National resources, and,
Whereas, 1t is believed that amnesty
and pardon will tend to secure a COM
plete and universal establishment and
prevalence of municipal law and order,
in conformity with the Constitution of
the United States, and to remove all
appearances and presumptions of re-
taliatory or vindiCtive policy on the
part of the Government, attended by
unnecessary disqualifcations, pains,
penalties, cOntiscatiOnS and Gisfran-
chisements, and on the contrary to
promote and procure complete frater-
nal reconciliation among the whole
people, with due submission to the
Constitution and laws; now,
Therefore, Be it known that |, An
drew johnson, President Ofthe United
States, do, by virtue of the Constitu-
ton, and in the name of the people of
the United States, hereby proclaim and
declare unconditiOnally, and without
reservation, toall and every person who
directly or indirectly participated in
the late inSurrectiOn or rebellion, eX-
cepting such person or persons as may
be under preSentment or Indictment in
any Court of the United States having
competent jurisdiction upon a charge of
treason or felony. a full pardon and
amnesty for the offence of treason a.
gainst the United States, or of adher-
ing to their enemies during the late
civil war, with restoration Of all rights
Of property, except az to slaves, and eX-
cept, also, as to any property of which
any person may have been legally di-
vested under the laws of the United
States.
In testimony whereof, | have signed
these presents with my hand, and have
caused the seal of the United States to
be hereunto affixed.
Done at the City of Washington, the
fourth day of July, in the year of our
Lord, one thousand eight hundred and
siXty-eight, and of the Independence
of the United States of America, the
(Signed) ANDREW JOHNSON.
By the President:
WILLIAM III. SEWARD,
Secretery of State.