New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1868-07-04

A General Pardon Co PartIelpntOra in
the RebellIOA-A Few Exceptions
Elaborate Reasons for the Amnesty.
WASHINGTON, July 8, 1868.
The President has to-day issued the fol-
lowing proclamation of general amnesty to
the participators in the rebellion:
PROCLAMATION
By the President of the United States:
WHEREAS, In the month of July, Ammo
Domini 1861, in accepting the condition of
civil war which was brought about by in
surrection and rebellion in several of
the States which constitute the United
States, the two Houses of Congress did sol
emnly declare that the war was not Wsged
on the part of the government in any spirit
of oppression, nor for any purpose
of conquest or subjugation, 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 sevN
eral States unlmpaired, and that so soon as
these 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 effect set forth
| several proclamations offering amnesty and
pardon TO persons who had been or were
| concerned in the aforesaid rebellion, which
proclamations, however, were attended
with prudential reservations and exceptions
then deemed necessary and proper, and
which proclamatiOns were respectively
| issued on the eighth day of December, 1868,
on the twenty sixth day of March, 1864, on
the twenty-ninth day of March, 1865, and
on the seventh day of September, 1861 and
Whereas, The said lamentable civil war
has long since altogether ceased with an
acknowledgment by all the States of the
supremacyofthe federal constitution and the
government hereunder, and there no longer
exist any reasonable grounds to spprehend
a renewal of the said civil war, or any for
eign interference, or any unlawful resist
ance by any portion of the States to the
people of any of the States to the cOnstitu.
ton and laws of thej United States; aud
Whereas, 1t is desirable to reduce the
standing army and to bring to speedy term
ination military occupation, martial law,
military tribunals abridgment of the free
dom of speech and of the press, suspension
of the privilege of habeas corpus, and the
right of trial by jury, such encroaohments
upon our free institutions in times of peace
1 being dangerous to public liberty, incom.
| patible with the individual rights of the
citizen, contrary to the genius and spirit Of
| our republican form of government and ex'
haustive of the national resources; and,
Whereas, 1t is believed that amnesty and
pardon will tend to secure complete and
universal establishment and prevalence Of
municipal law aud order in conformity with
the Constitution of the United States, and
10 remove all approaches or presumptiOns
of a retaliatory or Vindictive policy on the
part of the government, attended by un
necessary disqualification, pains, penalties,
coniscations, and acknowledgements, and
on the contrary to promote and procure
complete fraternal reconciliation among tine
whole people, with due submission to the
Constitution and laws;
Now, therefore, be 1t 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 uneon,
ditionslly and without reservations, to all
and to any person who directly or indirectly
participated in the late insurrection or re
bellion, excepting such person or persons as
may be under presentment or indictment 10
any court of the United States having COM
petent jurisdiction upon charge OF treason
or other felony, full pardon ana amnesty
for the offenses of treason against the uniteo
States or of adheiing to their enemies dur.
ing the late civil war, with restoration oi
ali rights of property except as to the slaves
and except as to any property of which any
narson NAV have been legally divested uR.
Ser 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, 1868
and of the independence of the United
States of America the ninety-third year.
ANDREW JOHNSON.
By the President:
WIN. H. SEWARD, Secretary of State.