Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1868-07-05
PROCLAMATION,

WASHINGTON, July 3, 1863
By the President of the United statss-A
Proclamation
WHEREAS, In the month Of July,
1851, in accepting the condition of civil
war, which WIS brought ebOut by an in
surrectiOn 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
wsged on the part of the Government in
any spirit of oppression, nor for any pur-
pose of overtnr0Wing or interfering with
the rights or established institutions of
the States, but only to defend and main
tain 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 as 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 the ultimate and complete
effect as set forth in the several procla-
nations, offering amnesty and pardon
to persons who had been, OF were con-
cerned in the afOrenamed rebellion,
which proclamatiOns, however, were at
tended with prudential reservations and
exceptions then deemed necessary and
proper, and which prOclamations were
respectively issued on the Sth day of De-
cember, 1868, on the 18th day of March,
1864, on the 29Jh day of May, 1863, and
on the 9TH day of September, l86g;
And whereas, the said lamentable
civil war has long since altogether ceased,
with an acknowledgment by the States,
of the supremacy Of the Federal
Constitution and Of the Government
Hereunder, and there no longer exists
any reason or ground 10 apprehend q re-
newal Of the said civil war or any for
eign interference, or any unlawful re-
sistaDce, by any portion Of the people 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 termination the military Occupa-
tiOn-martial law, military tribunals,
the abridgment of the freedom Of speech
and of the press, the suspension OF the
privilege of habeas corpus and the right
of trial by jury-such encrOachments
upon our free institutions in times 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 govern
ment, and exhaustion Of The national
resources
And whereas, 1t is believed that am
nesty and pardon will tend to secure a
complete and universal establishment
and prevalence of municipal law and or
der, in conformity with the Constitution
of the United States, and to remove all
appearances and presumptiOns of retail
istory or vindictive policy on the part of
the Government, attended by unneces-
sary disquslifications, pains, penalties,
confiscatiOns and acknowledgements, and
on the contrary, to promote and preserve
complete fraternal Reconciliation among
the whole people, with Que submission to
the Constitution and laws,
I Now, therefore, be it known, that l,
Andrew johnson, President of the
United States, do, by virtue of the
Constitution and in the name of
/ the people of the United States, do
hereby proclaim and declare, uncOndi-
/ tionally and without reservation, to all
and to every person, who directly or in
/ directly participated in the late insurrec-
ton or rebellion, excepting such persons
I who may be under presentment or in-
dictment in any court of the United
States having competent Jurisdiction,
upon q charge Of treason or other felony,
full pardon and amnesty for the offense
Of treason against the United States, or
1 Of adhering to other enemies during the
late civil war, With restoration Of all
their rights Of property, except as to
slaves, and except, also, as to any
property OF which any person may have
been legally divested under the laws Of
the United States. In testimony whereof
/ have aligned 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-eighk and Of the independence oi
the United States the ninety-third.
BY the President:
(Signed ANDREW JOHNSON.
WILLIAh II. SEWARD, Secretary Of State,