The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1868-07-10
THE EVENT OF 1853.
Andrew Johnson's Full
Amnesty and Pardon.
The Death Knell of Military DespOtism
in the South.
By the Presidon; Of the United states-A Proolarna

IN the South.
Bytho ProsidOn; Oftho United states-A ProolarnaZ.
WASHINGTON, July 3.-WHBREAs. In
the month Of July. A. D. 1861, in accept
ing the condition of civil war, which was
brought about by nsurrection and rebel
lion in several of the States which consti-
tuted the United States, the two Houses of
Congress did solemnly declare that war
was not waged on the part of the Govern
ment in any spirit of oppression, nor for
any purpose of conquest or subjugation,
nor for any purpose of overthrowing or in
terfering with the rights or established in
stitutions of the States, but to defend and
main tain the supremacy of the ConsGtu-
tion 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 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 view of securing
for it the ultimate and complete effect, set
forth several proclamations, offering am
nesty and pardon to persons who had been
or were concerned in the afforenamed re-
be!lion, which proclamations, however,
were attended with prudential reservation
and exceptions then deemed necessary and
proper, and which proclamations were res
pectively issued on the 9th day of Decem-
Der, 1850 on the Goth day of March, 1864;
on the 29th day of May, 1865. and on 7th
day of September, 1867 and,
WHERAs, The said amentable civil war
has long since altogether ceased with an
ackuowledg cement by all the States of the
supremacy of the Federal Constitution and
of the Government, therefore there no Ion
ger exists any reasonable ground to ap-
prehend renewal of the said civil war, ol
any foreign interference, or any unlawful
resistance by any portion of the people Oi
any of the STATES to the Constitution and
laws of the United States and,
WHEREAS, 1t is desirable to reduce the
standing army and to bring to speedy ter.
mination of military occupation, martial
law, military tribunals, abridgement of the
freedom of speech and the press, suspeu-
sion Of the privilege of hsbeas corpus, and
. the rights of trial by jury, and encrOach-
ment upon our free institutions in time o
peace, being dangerous to public liberty,
; incompatible with the individ ual rights o
the citizens. contrary to the genius and
spirit of our republican form of govern
; ment, and the exhaustion Of the naticna
resources ; and,
WHEREAS, It is belived that amnesty
and pardon will tend to secure a complete
and universal establishment and prevalence
Of municipal law and order, in conformity
with the Constitution of the United States
! and to remove all appearances and presump
tions of retaliatory or vindictiVe policy OF
the part of the Government, attended b.
5 unnecessary disqualification, pains, penal
t ties, confseations and Embellishments
and on the contrary to promote and pro
cure complete fraternal reconciliatio
among the whole people, with due submis
sion to the Constitution and laws.
u Now, therefore be it known, that l, An
drew johnson, President of the United
States, do, by virtue of the Constitution
!. and in the name of the people of the Uni
= ted States, hereby proclaim and declare
unconditional and without reservation, t.
all and to every person who, directly o
. indirectly, participated in the late insur
Y recton or rebellion, excepting such person
h as may, under presentiment or indictmen
in any court of the United States haviD
:, competent jurisdiction upon charge
treason OF other felony, a full pardon an
amnesty for the Ofense of treason agains
C. the United Ststes, or of adheriug to he
enemies during the late war, with a restt
ration of all rights of property except as
slaves, and except also as to any ProPert
of which any person may have been legal
diVested under the laws of the Unite
States. In testimony whereof have sigE
ed these presents with my hand, and oau'
ed the seal of the United States to be her
unto affixed.
On Done at the City of Washington, the a
day of July, in the year of our Lord, OF
thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight
the Independence of the United States
America, the ninety third.
TSigned.l ANDREW JOHNSON.
WILLIAM H. SEWARD, Sec'Y of State.
- - A.. Ill. IL J.bt. -. -,