Year: 1862

The following is the recent Proclamation of Lin
coln declaring the "contrabands" of rebel owners
free after the 1st of January next 1t does we'll to
stand by the side of his many other ridiculous and
unconstitutional acts but of course will not alarm
or disappoint any one. Every movement OF the
tyrant only makes the fact more clear, that the
chief design of his party in the prosecution of this
war, is the destruction of slavery. The proclama-
ton must certainly open the eyes of the conserva-
tives of the North and the blinded people of the
border States.


PRESIDENT UNITED sTATES-A PROCLAMATION.
WASHINGTON Sept. o. lS62.- j, Abraham Lincoln,
President the United States of America and Comman-
Chief of the army and navy thereof do hereby pro-
claim and declare that hereafter heretofore the war will
be prosecuted for the of practically restoring the
constitutional relation between the United States and the
people thereof in which States that relation is or may be-
suspended disturbed that it is my purpose upon the
next meeting of Congress- to again the adop
tion Of practical measure rendering pecunary aid the
free acceptance or rejection of The slave States socaed
the people whereof not then be in rebellion against the
United States and which States may then have voluntarily
adopted thereafter may voluntarily adopt the immediate
or gradual adjustment of slavery within their respective
mits and that the efforts to colonize persons of African
descent with their the continent elsewhere
with the previously obtained consent of the governments
existing there will be continued that the first day Of
January IN the year Of LOrd thousand eght hun
d,ed and SIXTY three al persons held sLaues tCn any
State any designated part of State tk people tchereOf
shall then be rebellion against the United STATES saR be
thence O1GUGTd and oreUs and the executive govern
of the United States including the military and naval
authority thereof will recognize and maintain the freedom
of such persons and will do repress such
persons any of hem any efforts they may make for
their actual freedOm that the executive WILL the first
day of January aforesaid by proclamation designate the
States and parts of States if any, in which the people
thereof respectively shall then be rebellion against the
United States; aud the fact that any State or the people
thereof shall that day be in good faith represented in
the Congress of the United States by members chosen
thereto at elections wherein majority of the qualified
voters Of such State shall have participated shall in the
absence of strong countervalng testimony be deemed
evidence that such State and the people thereof
have not been in rebellion against the United States


And do hereby enjon upon and order all persons en-
gagged IN the military and naval service of the United States
TO observe, obey and enforce within their respective
spheres of service the act and sections above reced


And the Executive will in due time recommend that all
citizens of the United States who shall have renamed loyal
thereto throughout the rebellion shall upon the restoration
of the constitutional relation between the United States
and their respective States and people, if the relation shall
have been suspended dSIurbed be compensated for all
losses by acts of the United States including the loss of
slaves.


In witness whereof have hereunto set my hand and
caused the seal of the United States to be affixed


ABRAHAM LINCOLN.
Done at the City of Washington this twenty day
of September in the year of Lord thousand eight
hundred and sxtytwo and of the independence OF the
United States the eightyseventh. By the President:


WILLIAM Ii. SEWARD,


Secretary of State.