Middletown transcript., 1868-07-11
AMNESTY PROCLAMATION.
BY the President of the United States
A PROCLAMATION.

| ny the PRESIDENT OF the United States
| A PROCLAMATION.
Whereas in the month of July, Annt
Domini 1861, in accepting the condition
OF civil war which was brought about by
insurrection and rebellion in several of the
States which constitute the United States,
the two houses of Congress did solmnly
declare that war was not waged on the
part OF the government in any spirit oi
oppression nor for any purpose of conquest
or sulbJugation, nor for any purpose. Of
overthrowing OF interfering with the rights
or established institution of the States,
but only to defend and maintain the su-
premacy 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 accomp-
lished the war. on the part of the govern
ment 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, am
nesty and pardon to persons who had been
or were concerned in the aforenamed re-
bellion, which proclamations, however,
were attended with prudential reservations
and exceptions then deemed necessary and
proper, and which proclamations were re-
spcctively issued on the Sth day of De-
cembcr, 1868; on the 26th day of March,
1864; on the. 29th day of May, 1865 /;
and on the 7th September, 1867; and
Whereas the said lamentable civil war
has long since altogether ceased, with an
acknowledgement by the States of the su
premacy of the federal constitution and of
the government Hereunder, and there no
longer exists any reasonable ground to ap-
prehend renewal of the said civil war,
or any foreign interference, or any unlaw-
full resistance, by any portion of the peo-
pie of any of the States, to the constitution
and laws of the United States ank,.
Whereas it is desirable to reduce the
standing army and to bring to speedy
termination military occupation, martial
law, military tribunals, abridgment of the
freedom of speech and of the press, and
suspension of the privilege of the ha5eas
corpus and of the right of trial by jury,
such encroachments upon our free institu-
tions in time of peace being dangerous to
public liberty, incompatible with the in
dividual rights of the citizen, contrary to
the genius and spirit of our republican
form OF government, and exhaustive of the
national resources; and
Whereas it is believed that amesty and
pardon will tend to secure complete and
universal establishment and prevalence of
law and order, in conformity |
with the constitution of the United States, |
and to remove all appearances or resump-
tions of retaliatory or vindictive policy
on the part of the government, attended
by unnecessary disqualifcations, pains,
penalties, confscations and disfranchise-
ments; and on the contrary, to promote
and procure complete fraternal reconcilia-
ton among the whole people, with due
submission to the constitution and laws:
Now, therefore, be it known, that I,
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 proclaim and de-
clare Internationally and without reserva-
lion to all and every person who directly
Or indirectly participated in the late insur-
'ection or rebellion, excepting such per-
son or persons as may be under present.
nent or indictment in any court of the
United States having competent jurisdic-
ion upon charge of treason or other fell
'ny,. full pardon and amesty for the
offence of treason against the United
states, or of adhering to their enemies
Turing the late civil war, with restoration
If all rights of property except as to
'laves, and except also. as to any property
IT which any person may have been le-
gally divested by the laws of the United
States.
In testimony whereof I have signed
hese presents with my hand, and have
'aused the seal of the United States to be
lereunto affixed.
Done at the city of Washington, the 4th
lay of July, in the year of our Lord one
thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight,
md of the independence of the United
states of America the 93d.
ANDREW JOHNSON.
By the President: