Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1868-07-04
THE EVENING STAR
GENESAL AMNESTY.

The following proclamation OF amnesty by
the President Of the United STATES is promul-
gated to-day:
BY the Pr-sideat Of the United states.
PROCLAMATION
whereas In the month of July, aano Domiui
1851, in accepting the conditioa of civil war,
which vas brought about by insarrectioa and
rebellion in several Of the S:2ses which COAST
tute the United States the TIVE houses of Goa
gress did sole-nnly declare that the war wa
not wAged on the part of the Government il
any spirit Of oppression, Rer for any parposs
Of conquest or subju CATION, nor for any pur-
pose OF overthrowing or interfering with the
rights or established institutions of the States
ea, only 10 defend and maintain the supremacy
o. the Constitution of the United Slater, aud
to preserve the Union with all the dignity,
equality, and rights Of the several Ssates un-
impaired, and that so soon as those objects
should be accomplished the war on the part
Of the Governmen. sLould cease:
And whereas the President OF the Unit i
States has heretofore, in the spirit of that dec
laration. and with the view Of securing for il
ultimate and complete effect, eel forth several
procIamations Offering amnesty and pardon 10
persons who bad been were concerned in
the aforesaid rebellion, which proelamations.
however. were attended with prudential re-
seryanons and exceptions then deemed neces-
sary and proper, and which proclamatio
were respectively issued on the sth day OF De-
cember, 1863; on the 26th day Of March, 1885,;
on the 18th day of May, 1865, and on the b
day OF September, 1867
And whereas the said lamentable civil wa :
has long since altogether ceased, with a
aeknowledgsn nent by all the States Of the su-
premaey of the Federal Constitution aud the
Government Hereunder, and there no longer
exists any reasonable ground 10 apprehend
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 Constitution and laws Of The United
States
And whereas II is desirable to reduce the
standing army, and to bring TO a speedy ter
minatiOn military occupation, martial law,
military tribunals, abridgment of frAdom of
speech and OF the pres, and suspension of
the privilege OF hdbeGs corpus aud the tight of
trial by jury-such eneroachments upon our
free institutions in times of peace being danger
Ous TO public liberty, incompatible with the
individual rights Of the citizen, contrary 10 the
genius and spirit of our republican form OF
government and exhaustive Of the naiiopa,
resources:
And whereas it is believed that amnesty and
pardon will tend to secure a complete and un /.
yersal establis hment and prevalence Of mur !.
eiral law and order, in conformity with the
Constitution Of the United Sfatc7, and to re.
move all appearances or pres umptions OF re.
tahatoTy or vIndichve policy on the part OF The
Government, astended by unnecessary ia
qualifie -t'ons, pains, penalties, osnfseations
and disiranehisements; and, on the contrary.
% promote and procure complete fraternal
recoaeiliation among the whole people with
due su admission 10 the Constitution and laws
Now. therefore, be il known that Andrew
johnson. President of the United States, do by
virtue of the Constitution and in the name Of
the people Of the United States, hereby pro.
claim and declare, unConditionally and with.
VI reServauon, to all and TO every person VINO
directly or indirectly paric. pated In the late
insursfctIcn or rebellion, excepting such per.
son or persons as may be under presentment or
indictment in any Iouri of the United States
having competent jurisdiction upon a charge
Of treaeon or other felony, fuI pardon and
amnesty for the offence of treason against the
United States, or Of adherins to their enemies
during the lite civil war, with restoration Of
all rights Of properly except as TO slaves, and
except also rs to any property OF which any
person may have been legally divested undar
the laws of the United states
In testimony whereof, have signed these
presents with my hand and have cansed the
seal Of the United States to be hereunto az
nxed. l
Done At the city Of Washington the fourth
day OF July, in the year of our Lord one thou.
sand eight hundrcd and sixty eight, and Of the
independence Of the United States of America
the ninety. third. ANpEEw JOHNSON.
BY the President:
VIZ. II. SEWARD. Secretary of State.