The Evansville journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ind.) 1866-1870, 1869-02-18
OFFICIAL.
LatUs Passed BIZ the Second Session Of
the F0rtieth Congress.
[PUBLIc-No. 81

ammo Domini one thousand eight nun
bred and sixty one, the two Houses
of Congress, with extraordinary una
nimity, solemnly declared that the
war then existing was not waged on
the mart of the Government In any
shirt of oppression, or for any pur-
nose of conquest or subjugatiou, nor
purpose of overthroWing or interior
ing with the rights or established in
stitutions of the States, but to defend
and maintain the supremacy OF the
Constitution, and to preserve the
Union with all the dignity, equality
and rights of the several States unim-
paired, and that as soon as these Cd
iects should be accomplished the war
ought to cease;
And whereas the President of the
United States, on the eighth day OF
December, ammo Domini one thou
sand eight hundred and sixtythree
and on the twenty-sixth day OF
March, ammo Domino one thousand
eight hundred and sixty-four, did,
with the objects ofsuppressiDgt the then
existing rebellion, of inducing all
persons to return to their loyalty, and
ofrestoring the authority ofthe United
States, issue proclamations Offering am
nesty and pardon to all persons who
had directly or Indirectly participated
In the then existing rebellion, except
as in those proclamations was speci
fed and reserved:
And whereas the President of the
United States did, on the twenty
ninth day Of May, ammo Domini one
thousand eight hundred and sixty
FIVE, issue further proclamation with
the same objects before mentioned.
and to the end that the authority OF
the Government of the United States
might be restored, and that peace,
order. and freedom might be estab-
lished, and the President did, by the
said last mentioned proclamation
proclaim and declare that he thereby
granted to all persons who had di
rectly or indirectly participated In
the then existing rebellion, except as
therein excepted, amnesty and par.
don. with restoration of all rights OF
property, except as to slaves, and ex-
cent in certain cases where legal pro
ceedings had been instituted, but
upon condition that such persons
should take and subscribe an oath
therein prescribed, which oath should
he registered for permanent preserva
ton;
Aud whereas in and by the said
last mentioned proclamation Of the
twenty ninth day of May, ammo Dom.
mi one thousand eight hundred and
sixty-fve, fourteen extensive classes
of persons, therein specially describ-
cd, were altogether excepted and ex-
cluded from the benefits thereof;
And whereas the President OF the
United States did, on the second day
of April, ammo Domini one thousand
eight hundred and sixty-six, issue q
PROCLAMATION declaring that the insur-
rection was at an end, and was thence
forth to be so regarded;
And whereas there now exists no
organized armed resistance of mis-
guided citizens or others to the au.
thority of the United States in the
States OF Georgia, South Carolina,
Virginia, North Carolina, Tennessee
Alabama, Louisiana, Arkansas, Mis-
sissippi, Florida and Texas, and the
therein by the proper civil au-
pie of said States are well and loyalty
uAcDOHCuy anu nANC OAS -
permitted to do so, will conform In
their legislation to the condition OF
affairs growing out of the amendment
to the Constitution of the United
States prohibiting slavery within the
limits and jurisdiction Of the United
States;
And wheraes there no longer exists
any reasonable ground to apprehend,
within the States which were involved
in the late rebellion, any renewal
thereof, or any unlawful resistance
by the people of said States to the
Constitution aud laws of the United
States:
And whereas large standing armies,
military occupation, martial law, mil
itary tribunals, and the suspension of
the privilege of the writ of habeas
corpus and the right of trial by jury,
are, in time of peace, dangerous to
public liberty, incompatible with the
Individual righs of the citizen, con-
trary to the genius and spirit of our
free institutions, and exhaustive of
the national resources, and ought not,
therefore, to be sanctioned or allow
ed, except in cases of actual necessity
for repelling invasion or suppressing
instruction or rebellion;
Aud whereas a retaliatory or vim
dictive policy. attended by uDneees-
sary disqualifications, pains, penalties,
confscations, and acknowledgements
now, as always, could only tend to
hinder reconciliation among the PEG.
pie and national restoration, while il
must seriously embarrass, obs,ruct.
and repress popular energies and ma
tional industry and enterprise;
And whereas for these reasons. it
is now deemed essential to the public
welfare, and to the more perfect res
tOration of constitutional law and
order, that the said last mentioned
proclamation, SO as aforesaid issued
on the twenty ninth day of May, ammo
Domie; one thousand eight hundred
and sixty-fve, should be modified.
and that the full and benefcent par
don conceded thereby should be
opened and further extended to q
large number of the persons who, by
its aforesaid exceptions, have been
hitherto excluded from executive
clemency:
Now, therefore, be it known that I,
Andrew johnson, President of the
United States, do hereby proclaim
and declare that the full pardon de.
scribed in the said proclamation of
the twenty ninth day of May, anno
Domini one thousand eight hundred
and sixty-ive, shall heneeforth be
opened and extended to all persons,
who. directly or indirectly, partici-
pated IN the late rebellion, with the
restoration of all privileges, immuni.
ties, and rights; of property, except
rs to property with regard to slaves.
and except In cases of legal proceed
lngs under the laws of the United
States; but upon this condition, new