The Athens post. [volume] (Athens, Tenn.) 1848-1917, 1868-07-10
Pardon and AMI
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WASHINGTON, July 3.--Whercas, in the
month fully, ammo domini 1861, i'm ac-
cepting the civil war which was brought
about by instruction and rebellion on
several of the States which constitute
the United States; Congress did solemn
ly declare that war was not waged on
the part of the government in any spirit
of oppression, nor for any purpose of
conquest or subjugation, nor for any
purpose of ovcrthrowing or Interfering
with the rights or established institu-
tons of the States, but only to defend
and maintain the supremacy of the Con-
stitution 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 the OBJ
jects 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 procla-
nations offering amnesty and pardon to
the persons who had been or were con-
ceived in the afore-named rebellion,
which proclamations, however, were at
tended with prudential reservation and
exceptions, then deemed nescessary and
proper, and which proclamations were
respectively issued on the Sth day of De-
cember, 1860, OH the 26th day of March,
1864, on the 26th day of May, 1865, and
on the 7th day Of September, 1867 and
whereas, the said lamentable civil war
has long since ceased, with an acknoNl-
edgment by all the States of the SUI
premacy of tho Federal Constitution
and of the government hereunder and
that there no longer exists any reason
able ground to apprehend renewal of
the said civil war, or any foreign inter-
ference, 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, it is
desirable TO reduce the standing army,
and TO bring to a speedy termination
military occupation, martial law, militia
ry tribunals, abridgcment of the free
dom of speech and Of the press, suspen-
sion of the privilege of habeas corpus,
and the rights of trial by jury, such en-
croachments upon our free institutions
in time of peace being dangerous to
public liberty, incompatable 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 amnesty and pardon
will tend to secure complete and uni
versal establishment and prevalence of
municipal law and order in conformity
wifi In 90 t1,a IL
States, and to remove all appearances
and Prescriptions of retaliatory or vim
dictive policy on the part of the govern
ment, attended by unnecessary disqual-
ification, pains, penalties, confiscations
and acknowledgements, and on the con-
trary to promote and procure complete
fraternal reconciliation among the whole
people, with due submission to the
Constitution and laws. 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,
hereby proclaim and declare, uncondi-
tiOnally and without reservation, to all
and every person who directly or indi-
rectly participated in the late insurrec-
ton or rebellion, excepting such per-
sons as may be under presentiment oil
indictment in any court Of the United
States having competent jurisdiction,
upon charge of treason or felony, q
full pardon and amnesty for the offence
Of treason against the United States
or of adhering to other enemies during
the late civil war with restoration OF all
rights of property, except as to slaves
and except also as to any property Of
which any person may have been legally
Invested under 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 a
the city of Washington on the 4th day
of July, in the year of our Lord, one
thousand eight hundred and sixty eight
of the Independence ofthe United State.
of America, the ninetythird.
(Signed) ANDREW JOHNSON,
BY the President.
WILLIAM Ii. SEWARD, Sec'y, of State
Financial Items.