Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1868-07-07
By tic President Of tile United States:
a PROCLAMATION.
WASHINGTON, July 4. 1868

WAsHINGToN, July 4, 1868
Whereas, In the month of July, Ammo
Domini 1861, in accepting the condition of
civil war which was brought about by insur-
rection and rebellion in several of the States
which constituted the United States, the two
Houses of Congress did solemnlY declare that
war was not waged OF the part of the Govern
ment in any spirit of oppression nor for any
| purpose OF conquest or subjugatior, nor for
any purpose of overthrowing or Interfering
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
several States unimpaired, and that so soon
as those objects should be accomplished the
war on the part Of the Government should
cease and
Whereas, The President of the United
States has heretofore, in the spirit of that
declaration, and with the view of securing
for it ultimate and complete eject, set forth
several proclamations offering amnesty pardon
to persons who had been or were concerned
in the aforenamcd rebellion, which proclama-
tioLs, however, were attended with prudential
reservations and exceptions then deemed
necessary and proper, and which proclama-
tions were respectively issued on the Sth day
of December, 1868, on the 26th day of March,
1864, on the 29th day Of May, 1868, and on
the 7th day of September, 1867 and
Whereas, The said lamentablc civil war has
long since altogether ceased, with an acknowl-
edgment by the States Of the Federal Consti-
tuition and of the Government Hereunder.
and there no longer exists any reasonable
ground to apprehend renewal of the said
civil war, or any foreign interference, or any
unlawful resistance by any portion of the peo-
pie of any of the States to the Constitution
and laws of the United States and
Whereas, It is desirable to reduce the
standing army and to bring to a speedy ter
mination military occupation, martial law.
military tribunals, abridgment Of the freedom
OF speech and of the press, and suspension of
the privilege OF the haGeds cOrpus and of the
right OF trial BY jury, in time of peace being
dangerous to public liberty, incompatible with
the individual rights of the citizen, contrary
to the genius and spirit of our republican
form of government and exhaustive of the ma
tional resources and
Whereas, It is believed that amnesty and
pardon will tend to secure complete and
universal establishment and prevalence of
municipal law and order in conformity with
the Constitution of the United States, and to
remove oil appearances or assumptions of a
retaliatory or vindictive policy on the part of
the government, attended by unnecessary dis
qualifications, pains, penalties, conGscations
and acknowledgements, and on the contrary
to promote andf procure complete fraternal
reconclliation among the whole people, with
due submission to the Constitution and Laws:
Now, therefore, be it known that ], An
drew johnson, President of the United States,
do by virtue of the Constitution and in the
name of the people of the United States,
hereby proclaim and declare uuconditio nally
and without reservation, to all and to every
person who directly or indirectly participated
in the late Instruction or rebellion, except
ing such person or persons as may be under
prescntment or indictment in any court of the
United States, having competent jurisdiction,
upon a charge of treason or any other felon Y
a full pardon and amnesty for the offence of
treason against the United States or of ad-
herring to their enemies during the late civil
war, with restoration of all rights of property
except as to slaves and except also as to any
prperty of which any person may have been
legally Invested by tho 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 af-
fixed
Done at the city of Washington the 4th
day of July. in the year of our Lord one
thousand eight hundred and sixty eight, and
OF the independence ofthe United States of
America the ninety third
:, loigned ANDREW JOHNSON.
By the President:
NM. II. SEWARD, Secretary of State.
The mail route between Shepherds
town and Boonsboro Md has been 5;soo,