Year: 1865

| a PROCLAMATION BY THE PRESIDENT
| WASHINGTON, Monday May %, 1865
/ Whereas Thefourth Section of the fourth
Il Article of the Constitution of the United
i States, declares that the United States shall


guarantee to every State in the Union a


Republican form of Government, and shall
protect each of them against invasion and
| domestic violence; and


/ WheredS, The President of the United
States is by the Constitution made Comman-
! der-ln- Chief of the Army and Navy. as well
as chief executive officer of the United
| States, and is bound by solemn oath faith


fully to execute the Office of President of the
| United States, and to take care that the
/ laws be faithfully executed and


Whereas, The Rebellion, which has been


waged by portion of the people of the
| United States against the properly constitu-
/ ted authorities of the Government thereof,
| in the most violent and revolving form, but
/ whose organized and armed forces have been


almost entirely overcome, has in its revolu-
tionary progress, deprived the people OF
| the State of North Carolina of all civil gov
| ernment; and


Whereas, 1t became enecessary and proper
| to carry out and enforce the obligations OF
the United States to the people Of North
| Carolina in securing them in the enjoyment
| OF a Republican form of Government;
| Now, therefore, in obedience to the high
! and solemn duties imposed upon me by the
| Constitution of the United States. and for
| the purpose of enabling the loyal people of
said State to organize State government.
whereby justice may be established. domes-
tic tranquility insured, and Loyal Citizens
| protected in all their rights of Life Liberty
and Property /, ANDREW JOHNSON,
| President of the United States and Com
mander-in-Chief Of the Army and Navy of
| United States, do hereby appoint William
| w. Holden, Provisional Governor Of the
State OF North Carolina, whose duty it shall
be at the earliest practicable period to pre-
scribe such rules and regulations as may be
| necessary and proper for convening a Con
vention, composed Of delegates to be chosen
by that portion of the penple Of said State
who are loyal to the United States, and no
others, for the purpose Of altering or amen
ding the Constitution thereof, and with au-
thorlty to exercise within the limits of said
State all the powers necessary and proper TO
enable such loyal people of the State Of
North Carolina to restore said State to its
constitutional relations to the Federal Gov
ernment, and TO present such a republican
form OF State government as will entitle the
State to the guarantee of the United States
therefor, and its peopleto protection by the
United States against invasion. insursction
and domestic violence Provided, that IN
any election that may be hereafter held for
choosing delegates to any State Convention
as aforesaid, no person shall be qualified as
an elector, or shall be eligible as a member
of such Convention, unless he shall have
previously taken and subscribed the oath of
amnesty as set forth in the President $
Proclamation, May 20, 1865, and is voter
qualified as prescribed by the Constitution
and laws of the State of North Carolina in
force Immediately before the 10th day of
May, A. ID. 1861, the date of the so-called
Ordnance of Secession; and the said Con-
vention, when convened or the Legislature
that may be thereafter assembled, viii pre-
scribe the qualification of electors and the
eligibility of persons to hold office under the
Constitution and laws of the State-a pow
er the people of the several States compos-
ing the Federal Union have rightfully exer-
cised from the origin of the Government to
the present time. And | do hereby direct


First That the military Commander of
the Department, and all officers and persons
in the military and naval service, aid and as
sist tie said Provisional Governor In carry
ing into effect this Proclamation, and they
are enioined to abstain from in any way him
dering, impeding or discouraging the loyal
people from the organization of a State
Government as herein authorized


Second That the Secretary of State pro-
eeed to put in force all laws of the United
States, the administration whereof belongs
to the State Department, applicable to the
geographical limits aforesaid.


Third That the Secretary of the Treasu-
ry proceed to nominate for appointment As
SCISSORS of Taxes, and Collectors of Custom
and Internal Revenue, and such other Off
GERS of the Treasury Department, as are au-
thorizcd by law, and put in execution the
revenue laws of the United States within
the geographical limits aforesaid.


In making the appointments, the prefer
ence shall be given to qualified loyal persons
residing within the districts where their res
pective duties are to be performed. But if
suitable residents of the district shall not
be found, then persons residing in other
States or districts shall be appointed.


Fourth That the Postmaster General
proceed to establish post routes, and put into
execution the postal laws of the United
States within the said State giving the loyal
residents the preference Of appointment
But If suitable residents arenot found, then
appoint agents from other States.


Fifth. That the District Judge for the
judicial District in which North Carolina is
included proceed to hold Courts within said
State, in accordance with the provisions of
the act of Congress-


The Attorney General viii instruct the
proper officers to libel and bring to iudg-
ment confscation and sale property subject
to confiscation, and enforce the administra-
ton of justice within said State in all mat
tiers within the cognizance and jurisdiction of
the Federal Courts.


Seth That the Secretary of the Navy
take possession of all public property belong
ing to the Navy Department within sand ge-
ographical limits, and put in operation all
acts of Congress in relation to naval affairs
having application to said State.


Seuenth That the Secretary Of the lnte-
rior put IN force the laws relating to the In
terror Department applicable TO the geo
graphical limits aforesaid.


In testimony whereof, | have hereunto
set my hand and caused the seal of the Uni
ted States to be affixed.


Done at the City of Washington this twen-
- ty-ninth day of May, in the year of our
L. s Lord one thousand eight hundred and
--~- sixty five, and of the independence of