The Hickman courier., 1868-07-11
THE AMNESTY.
Proclamation BY the PresiaenT
uScoNplrIoNAL PARDON AND AMNESTY
NAsu1serox. July 8. 1865.
WHEREAs. n ths month Of Jals, aa,

WHEREAs. in the month Of Jaly, aa-
ino-domine 1861, in accepting the civil
| war which was brought about by insur-
rection and rebellion in several of tLe
States which constitute the United States;
Congress did s6emnly declare that war
was not waged on the part Of the gov
ernneut IN any spirit Of OPPRESSION, nor
/ for any purpose of conquest or subjuga
ton. nor any purpose Of oyerthroWing or
with the rights or establish
Ell institutions of the States, but only to
defend snd maintain the supremacy Of
+ the Constitution Of the United States,
aud to preserve the Union with al the
dignity, equality and rights OF the sever
al States uninpaired, and that as soon rs
the objects should be accomplished, the
war ou the parto of the government should
cease; and whereas, the President OF the
United States has heretofore, ia the spir-
! it of that declaration, and with the view
of securing for il ultimate and complete
effect, set forth several proclamations Of
! fcrng amnesty and pardon TO the persons
wlly, fsssl- b~sa- yeeFe-es+~ rr1s-s
tons, however, were attended with pru-
dental reservation and exceptions, then
deemed necessary aud proper, and which
proclamations were respectively issued
on the sth day of December, 1850, GU
the 2Gth day of March, 1864, on the
| 29,h day of May, 1865, aud on the eth
/ day, OF September, 1867 and y hereas,
the said lamentSble civil war has long
since ceased, with an Acknowledgement
! BY all the States of the supremacy OF the
Federal Constitution and of the govern
ment hereunder and that there no lon
ger exists any reasonable ground TO ap-
prehend renewal OF the said civil war,
or any foreign interference. or anv I'M
! lawful resistance by any portion of the
people OF any Of the States to the Con
stitutioa aud lsgs OF the United States
and. whereas it IL desira Die to reduce the
standing army, and 10 bring 20 speedy
termination military occupation. martial
| law, military tribunal abridecment of
the freedom Of speech and Of the press.
suspension OF the privilege Of hahcas
corpus, and OF the lights Of trial be u
~, such encroachments upon our free
Institutions in time OF peace being dan
gerous to public liberty incompatible with
the individual rights of the citizen. con
trary to the genius and spirit of our re
publican form Of government, and ex J.
haustion Of the national resources; aud
whereas, it is believed that amnesty and
pardon viii teud to secure a complete
and universal establishment and preva-
lenee of munieipsl law and order IN con
tormity with the Constitution of the
United States, aud TO remove all appear-
anee and presumptieus of fetaliatory or
indicative policy or the part Of the
government, attended by unnecessary
disqualification, pains, penalties, confis-
cations and tiistrauchisements, and on
the contrary to promote and procure &
complete traternal reconcihricn among
the whole people, with due submission to
the Constitution anl laws. Now there
fore be il known. that,
|, Andrew johnson, President Of the
United States, do by virtue of the Con
sfitution and In the name Of the people
OF the United States, hereby proclaim
and declare, Internationally and without
reservation, to all and every person who
directly or Indirectly participated in the
late insurrection or rebellion, excepting
such persons as may be under present
ment or indictment in any court OF the
United States having competent juri.
diction, upon charge OF treason or fel-
ony, full pardon and amnesty for the
offense of treason against the United
States. or of adhering to her enemies
during the late civil war with restoration
of all rights Of property except as TO
slaves, and except also as to any proper
ty of which any person may have been
legally divested 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 at 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 of the United
States of America the ninety second
/ (Signed) ANDREW JOHNSON,
! BY the President.
/ WiLLIAx II. SEWARD, Sec'ty Of State