fore summoned to assemble at their respective chambers at twelve o'clock noon, on Thursday, the fourth day of July next, then and there to consider and determine such measures as, in their wisdom, the public safety and interest may seem to demand. In witness, etc. By the President: Abraham Lincoln. William H. Seward, Secretary of State. Proclamation of Blockade in South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Florida, Mississippi, Louisiana, and Texas. APRIL 19, 1861. Whereas an insurrection against the government of the United States has broken out in the States of South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Florida, Mississippi, Louisiana, and Texas, and the laws of the United States for the collection of the revenue cannot be effectually executed therein conformably to that provision of the Constitution which requires duties to be uniform throughout the United States: And whereas a combination of persons engaged in such insurrection have threatened to grant pretended letters of marque to authorize the bearers thereof to commit assaults on the lives, vessels, and property of good citizens of the country lawfully engaged in commerce on the high seas, and in waters of the United States:* *On April 17, 1861, Jefferson Davis had issued a proclamation inviting application for letters of marque and reprisal, permitting And whereas an executive proclamation has been already issued requiring the persons engaged in these disorderly proceedings to desist therefrom, calling out a militia force for the purpose of repressing the same, and convening Congress in extraordinary session to deliberate and determine thereon: Now, therefore, I, Abraham Lincoln, President of the United States, with a view to the same purposes before mentioned, and to the protection of the public peace, and the lives and property of quiet and orderly citizens pursuing their lawful occupations, until Congress shall have assembled and deliberated on the said unlawful proceedings, or until the same shall have ceased, have further deemed it advisable to set on foot a blockade of the ports within the States aforesaid, in pursuance of the laws of the United States, and of the law of nations in such case provided. For this purpose a competent force will be posted so as to prevent entrance and exit of vessels from the ports aforesaid. If, therefore, with a view to violate such blockade, a vessel shall approach or shall attempt to leave either of the said ports, she will be duly warned by the commander of one of the blockading vessels, who will indorse on her register the fact and date of such warning, and if the same vessel shall again attempt to enter or leave the blockaded port, she will be captured and sent to the nearest convenient port, for such proceedings against her and her cargo, as prize, as may be deemed advisable. And I hereby proclaim and declare that if depredations on commerce of the United States "under the seal of these Confederate States." any person, under the pretended authority of the said States, or under any other pretense, shall molest a vessel of the United States, or the persons or cargo on board of her, such person will be held amenable to the laws of the United States for the prevention and punishment of piracy. In witness, etc. By the President: Abraham Lincoln. William H. Seward, Secretary of State. On April 27, 1861, President Lincoln made a supplementary proclamation_extending the blockade to the ports of VIRGINIA and NORTH CAROLINA, Virginia having passed an ordinance of secession on April 17, 1861, and Governor Ellis of North Carolina having on April 22, 1861, seized Fayetteville arsenal, and, on April 24, 1861, placed his military force at the disposal of the Confederacy. The blockade was raised by proclamation at Beaufort, N. C., Port Royal, S. C., and New Orleans, La., May 12, 1862; at Alexandria, Va., September 24, 1863; at Brownsville, Texas, February 18, 1864; at Norfolk, Va., Fernandina and Pensacola, Fla., November 19, 1864. It was reimposed on Brownsville, Texas, April 11, 1865. Proclamation Calling for 42,034 Volunteers, and an Increase in Regular Army and Navy Forces. MAY 3, 1861. Whereas existing exigencies demand immediate and adequate measures for the protection of the National Constitution and the preservation of the National Union by the suppression of the insurrectionary combinations now existing in several States for opposing the laws of the Union and obstructing the execution thereof, to which end a military force, in addition to that called forth by my proclamation of the fifteenth day of April in the present year, appears to be indispensably necessary: Now, therefore, I, Abraham Lincoln, President of the United States and Commander-inChief of the Army and Navy thereof, and of the Militia of the several States when called into actual service, do hereby call into the service of the United States forty-two thousand and thirty-four volunteers, to serve for the period of three years unless sooner discharged, and to be mustered into service as infantry and cavalry. The proportions of each arm and the details of enrollment and organization will be made known through the Department of War. And I also direct that the regular army of the United States be increased by the addition of eight regiments of infantry, one regiment of cavalry, and one regiment of artillery, making altogether a maximum aggregate increase of twenty-two thousand seven hundred and fourteen officers and enlisted men, the details of which increase will also be made known through the Department of War. And I further direct the enlistment for not less than one nor more than three years, of eighteen thousand seamen, in addition to the present force, for the naval service of the United States. The details of the enlistment and organization will be made known through the Department of the Navy. The call for volunteers hereby made, and the direction for the increase in the regular army, and for the enlistment of seamen, hereby given, together with the plan of organization adopted for the volunteers and for the regular forces hereby authorized, will be submitted to Congress as soon as assembled. In the mean time I earnestly invoke the cooperation of all good citizens in the measures hereby adopted for the effectual suppression of unlawful violence, for the impartial enforcement of constitutional laws, and for the speediest possible restoration of peace and order, and, with these, of happiness and prosperity, throughout the country. In testimony, etc. By the President: Abraham Lincoln. William H. Seward, Secretary of State. Proclamation Concerning the Florida Keys. On May 10, 1861, President Lincoln issued a PROCLAMATION SUSPENDING THE WRIT OF HABEAS CORPUS ON THE FLORIDA KEYS, and authorizing the commander of the United States forces there "to remove from the vicinity of the United States fortresses all dangerous or suspected persons." Memoranda of Military Policy Suggested by the Bull Run Defeat. JULY 23, AND 27, 1861. (July 23, 1861.) 1. Let the plan for making the blockade effective be pushed forward with all possible despatch. 2. Let the volunteer forces at Fort Monroe |