Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1868-07-10
Full Amnesty.
By the President of the United States-A

U'hereas, in the month of July. A. Il 1861.
in accepting the conditions of civil war. which
was brought about by instruction and rebellion
in several Of the States which constitute the
United States, the two houses of Congress did
/ solemnly declare that the war was not wapeJ on
the part Of the government in any spirit Of op-
preston, nsr fer any purpose ofconquest Or sub
| Jugation, nor for any purpose ofoverthroHing or
interfering with the rights or established insti-
tutions 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 equity and rights of tn. sew
eral States unimpaired ; and that so soon as
these objects should be accomplished, the war oa
the part of the government should cease and
Whereas, The President Of the United States
has heretofore in spite of that declaration and
with the view of securing for it ultimate and
complete effects, set forth several proclama.ions
and offering nmncsty and pardon to persons who
had been or were concerned in the aforesail re-
bellion, which proclanatisns, however, were at
tended with prudential reservations and except
ions, then deemed necessary and proper, and
which proclamations were respectively issue,l on
the oth day of December, 1868, on the 2Gth day
of March, 1864, on the 18th day of May, 1866.
end on the 7th day of September, 1867 and
Whereas, The said lamentable civil war has
long since altogether ceased. with an acknow-
edgement by all the States of the supremacy If
the Federal Constitution and of the government
Hereunder, and there no longer exists any res,
sonable ground TO apprehend renewal of tie
said civil war, or any foreign interference, or
any unlawful resistance by any portion of tia
people of any Of the States to the Constitution
and laws of the United States and
HhereaS il is desirable IN reSlure tba s,.,.
ing army, and to bring to a speedy Termination
military occupation, martial law, military tribt
nails, abridgement of the freedom Of speech AMI
of the press, and suspension of the privilege Il
hdbeds corpus, and of the right Of trial by iurv.
such encroachments upon our free institutions
in time of peace being dangerous to public libei
ty, incompatible with the individual rights oftbs
citizen, contrary 10 the genius and spirit Of our
republican form of government and exhaustive
Of the national resources, and
Uhere is, it is believed that amnesty and par.
don Will tend to secure a complete and uniyersa
establishment and prevalence Of municipal lav
and order, in conformity with the constitution q
the Uni ted States. and to remove allappearanc.
and presumptions of a retaliatory or yindctiv.
peicy on the part Of the government, ATTENDED
by unnecessary dIsqualhcations, pains, penal
ties, contiscatisns, and disfranchisements, and
on the contrary to promote and procure compets
fraternal reconciliation among the whole people
with due submission to the constitution AM
laws.
Now, therefore, be it known. that |. An
drew johnson, President Of the United
States, do by virtue of the constitution and
III the name Of the people of the United
States, hereby proclaim and declare uncondi-
tionally, and without reservation to all and
to every person, who directly or indirectly
participated in the late insurrection or rebel
lion, excepting such person or persons as may
be under presentment or indictment in any
courts Of the United States, having compe
tent jurisdiction upon a charge of treason o.
other felony, full pardon and amnesty fr
the offence Of treason against the mite.
States, or Of adhering to their enemies durin.
the late civil war, with restoration of al
rights of property, except as to slaves, ami
except also as to any property Of which an
person may have been legally diyested und,r
the laws of the United States
In testimony whereof. | have signed the,
presents with my hand. and have caused tn,
seal Of the United States to be hereunto a.
fixed. Done at the City of Washington. th-
4th day of July. in the year of our Lord on.
thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight. an.
of the independence Of the United States ii,
ninety third
(Signed,) ANDREW JoHNsov.
By the President.
WILLIAM II. SEWARD,
Secretary Of State.