to the authority of the United States in the States of Georgia, South Carolina, Virginia, North Carolina, Tennessee, Alabama, Louisiana, Arkansas, Mississippi, and Florida, and the laws can be sustained and enforced therein by the proper civil authority, State or Federal, and the people of the said States are well and loyally disposed, and have conformed or will conform in their legislation to the condition of affairs grow proclamation of August 16, one thousand eight hundred and sixty-one were revoked, and the inhabitants of the States of Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Tennessee, Alabama, Louisiana, Texas, Arkansas, Mississippi, Florida, and Virginia, (except the forty-eight counties of Virginia designated as West Virginia, and the ports of New Orleans, Key West, Port Royal, and Beaufort, in South Carolina,) were declared to be still in a state of insurrection against the United States.ing out of the amendment to the Constitution of And whereas the House of Representatives, on the 22d day of July, one thousand eight hun dred and sixty-one, adopted a resolution in the words following, namely: the United States, prohibiting slavery within the limits and jurisdiction of the United States: And whereas, in view of the before recited premises, it is the manifest determination of the American people that no State, of its own will, has the right or the power to go out of, or separate itself from, or be separated from the American Union, and that therefore each State ought to remain and constitute an integral part of the United States; And whereas the people of the several beforementioned States have, in the manner aforesaid, given satisfactory evidence that they acquiesce in this sovereign and important resolution of "Resolved by the House of Representatives of the Congress of the United States, That the present deplorable civil war has been forced upon the country by the disunionists of the southern States, now in revolt against the constitutional Government, and in arms around the capital; that in this national emergency Congress, banishing all feelings of mere passion or resentment, will recollect only its duty to the whole country; that this war is not waged on our part in any spirit of oppression, nor for any purpose of con-national unity; quest or subjugation, nor purpose of overthrowing or interfering with the rights or established institutions of those 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 unimpaired; that as soon as these objects are accomplished, the war ought to cease." And whereas the Senate of the United States, on the 25th day of July, one thousand eight hundred and sixty-one, adopted a resolution in the words following, to wit: And whereas it is believed to be a fundamental principle of government that people who have revolted, and who have been overcome and subdued, must either be dealt with so as to induce them voluntarily to become friends, or else they must be held by absolute military power, or devastated, so as to prevent them from ever again doing harm as enemies, which last-named policy is abhorrent to humanity and freedom; And whereas the Constitution of the United States provides for constituent communities only as States and not as Territories, dependencies, provinces, or protectorates; And whereas such constituent States must necessarily be and by the Constitution and laws of the United States are made equals and placed upon a like footing as to political rights, immunities, dignity, and power, with the several States with which they are united; Resolved, That the present deplorable civil war has been forced upon the country by the disunionists of the southern States, now in revolt against the constitutional Government, and in arms around the capital; that in this national emergency Congress, banishing all feeling of mere passion or resentment, will recollect only its duty to the whole country; that this war is And whereas the observance of political equalnot prosecuted on our part in any spirit of op-ity as a principle of right and justice is well calpression nor for any purpose of conquest or sub-culated to encourage the people of the aforesaid jugation, nor purpose of overthrowing or inter-States to be and become more and more constant fering with the rights or established institutions of those States, but to defend and maintain the supremacy of the Constitution and all laws made in pursuance thereof, and to preserve the Union with all the dignity, equality, and rights of the several States unimpaired; that as soon as these objects are accomplished, the war ought to cease." And whereas these resolutions, though not joint or concurrent in form, are substantially identical, and as such may be regarded as having expressed the sense of Congress upon the subject to which they relate; And whereas, by my proclamation of the thirteenth day of June last, the insurrection in the State of Tennessee was declared to have been suppressed, the authority of the United States therein to be undisputed, and such United States officers as had been duly commissioned to be in the undisputed exercise of their official functions; And whereas there now exists no organized armed resistance of misguided citizens or others and persevering in their renewed allegiance; And whereas standing armies, military occupation, martial law, military tribunals, and the suspension of the privilege of the writ of habeas corpus are, in time of peace, dangerous to public liberty, incompatible with the individual rights of the citizen, contrary to the genius and spirit of our free institutions, and exhaustive of the national resources, and ought not, therefore, to be sanctioned or allowed, except in cases of actual necessity, for repelling invasion or suppressing insurrection or rebellion; And whereas the policy of the Government of the United States, from the beginning of the insurrection to its overthrow and final suppression, has been in conformity with the principles herein set forth and enumerated: Now, therefore, I, Andrew Johnson, President of the United States, do hereby proclaim and declare that the insurrection which heretofore existed in the States of Georgia, South Carolina, Virginia, North Carolina, Tennessee, Whereas some military commanders are embarrassed by doubts as to the operation of tho proclamation of the President, dated the 2d day of April, 1866, upon trials by military courtsmartial and military offenses, to remove such doubts, it is ordered by the President that EXECUTIVE MANSION, April 7, 1866. It is eminently right and proper that the Government of the United States should give earnest and substantial evidence of its just ap-in preciation of the services of the patriotic men who, when the life of the nation was imperiled, entered the army and navy to preserve the integrity of the Union, defend the Government, and maintain and perpetuate unimpaired its free institutions. It is therefore directed: First. That in appointments to office in the several executive departments of the General Government and the various branches of the public service connected with said departments, preference shall be given to such meritorious and honorably discharged soldiers and sailors, particularly those who have been disabled by wounds received or diseases contracted in the line of duty, as may possess the proper qualifi TO GOVERNOR WORTH, OF NORTH CAROLINA. WASHINGTON, D. C., April 27, 1866. To Gov. WORTH: I am directed by the President to inform you that by his proclamation of April 2, 1866, it was not intended to interfere with military commissions at that time or previously organized, or trials then pending before such commissions, unless by special instructions the accused were to be turned over the civil authorities. General Ruger has been instructed to proceed with the trial to which you refer; but before the execution of any senteuce rendered by aid commission, to report all the proceedings to the War Department for examination and revision. There has been an order this day prepared, and which will soon be issued, which will relieve and settle all embarrassment growing ost of a misconstruction of the proclamation, of which I Edmund CoOPER, Acting Private Secretary to the President. will send you a copy. 2 Hereafter, whenever offenses committed by civilians are to be tried where civil tribunals are existence which can try them, their cases are not authorized to be, and will not be, brought before military courts-martial or commissions, but will be committed to the proper civil authorities. This order is not applicable to camp followers, as provided for under the 60th Article of War, or to contractors and others specified in section 16, act of July 17, 1862, and sections 1 and 2, act of March 2, 1863. Persons and of fenses cognizable by the Rules and Articles of War, and by the acts of Congress above cited, will continue to be tried and punished by military tribunals as prescribed by the Rules and Articles of War and acts of Congress, hereinafter cited, to wit: Sixtieth of the Rules and Articles of War. All sutlers and retainers to the camp, and all persons whatsoever serving with the armies of the United States in the field, though not enlisted soldiers, are to be subject to orders according to the rules and discipline of war. By order of the Secretary of War: * * E. D. TOWNSEND, Assistant Adjutant General. Against the Fenian Invasion of Canada, June 6, 1866. Whereas it has become known to me that certain evil-disposed persons have, within the territory and jurisdiction of the United States, begun and set on foot, and have provided and prepared, and are still engaged in providing and preparing, means for a railitary expedition and enterprise, which expedition and enterprise is to be carried on from the territory and jurisdiction of the United States against colonies, districts, and people of British North America, within the dominions of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, with which said colonies, districts, and people, and kingdom the United States are at peace; And whereas the proceedings aforesaid constitute a high misdemeanor, forbidden by the laws of the United States, as well as by the law of nations: the carrying on of the unlawful expedition Now, therefore, for the purpose of preventing and enterprise aforesaid, from the territory and jurisdiction of the United States, and to maintain the public peace, as well as the nationa honor, and enforce obedience and respect to the. laws of the United States, I, Andrew Johnson, President of the United States, do admonish and warn all good citizens of the United States against taking part in or in any wise aiding, countenancing, or abetting said unlawful proceedings, and I do exhort all judges, magistrates, marshals, and officers in the service of the United States, to employ all their awful authority and power to prevent and defeat the aforesaid unlawful proceedings, and to arrest and bring to justice all persons who may be engaged therein.* WILLIAM H. SEWARD, Secretary of State. *Circular to the District Attorneys and Marshals of the United States. ATTORNEY GENERAL'S OFFICE, WASHINGTON, D. C., June And, pursuant to the act of Congress in such case made and provided, I do furthermore authorize and empower Major General George G. Meade, commander of the Military Division of the Atlantic, to employ the land and naval 5.1666.--By direction of the President you are hereby in tructed to cause the arrest of all prominent, leading, or forces of the United States and the militia conspicuous persons called Fenians, whom you may have thereof, to arrest and prevent the setting on probable cause to believe have been or may be guilty of foot and carrying on the expedition and enter-violations of the neutrality laws of the United States. prise aforesaid. JAMES SPEED, Allorney General. III. ACTION OF THE CONVENTIONS AND LEGISLATURES OF THE LATELY INSURRECTIONARY STATES. May 29-William W. Holden appointed Provisional Governor. June 12-Provisional Governor Holden issued his proclamation announcing his purpose to order an election for a convention, and to appoint justices of the peace to administer the oath of allegiance and conduct the election, &c. vided they are not included in any of the fourteen excluded classes of the President's amnesty proclamation; and, provided further, that they are citizens of the State in accordance with the terms prescribed in the preceding paragraph. 44 'No person will be allowed to vote who do not exhibit to the inspectors a copy of the amnesty oath, as contained in the President's proclamation of May 29, 1865, signed by himself and certified by at least two justices of the peace.' The convention to meet October 2. September 29-The colored people of the State met in convention in Raleigh, and petitioned for legislation to secure compensation icr labor, and enable them to educate their children, and askJuly President Johnson ordered the cot-ing protection for the family relation, and for ton of the State to be restored to her, and the the repeal of oppressive laws making unjust disproceeds of all that had been sold to be paid to criminations on account of race or color. her agents. August 8-Provisional Governor Holden fixed Thursday, September 21, for the election of a convention. Voters' qualifications are thus prescribed: "No person will be allowed to vote who is not a voter qualified as prescribed by the constitution and laws of the State in force immediately before the 20th day of May, 1861, except that the payment of poll tax shall not be required. October 2-Convention met. October 7-The secession ordinance declared "null and void." October 9-An ordinance passed, declaring slavery forever prohibited within the State. October 10-Ordinance passed, providing for an election for Governor, members of the Legislature, and seven members of Congress November 9, the Provisional Governor to give the certificates. Each member of the Legislature, and All paroled soldiers of the army and navy of each voter to be qualified according to the now Je pretended Confederate States, or of this State, existing constitution of the State ": Provided, and all paroled officers of the army and navy of That no one shall be eligible to a seat, or be cathe pretended Confederate States, or of this State, pable of voting, who, being free in all respects, under and including the rank of colonel, if of the shall not, before May 29, 1865, have taken Presiarmy, and under and including the rank of lieu-dent Lincoln's amnesty oath, or have taken Presitenant, if of the navy, will be allowed to vote, pro-dent Johnson's cach, and who shall not in either case be of the excepted classes. All per- | sons who have preferred petitions for pardon s..all be deemed to have been pardoned if the fact of being pardoned shall be announced by the Governor, although the pardon may not have been received. The payment of a public tax shall not be required as a qualification of the voter in the elections in November next. October 12-Convention tabled a proposition to prohibit the payment of the war debt created by the State in aid of the rebellion. October 16-Ordinance passed, dividing the October 17-Resolution adopted, requesting gram: EXECUTIVE OFFICE, Governor, by a vote of 32,529 to 25,009 for December 15-Governor Worth qualified. 1866, May 21-The Convention re-assembled. A motion to adjourn sine die was tabled, 61 to 30. MISSISSIPPI. 1865, May 10-Governor Clark called an extra session of the Legislature for the 18th, to order a State Convention. May 21-Major General Canby telegraphed as follows to Major General Warren, commanding the department: "By direction of the President, you will not recognize any officer of the Confederate or State government, within the limits of your command, as authorized to exer cise in any manner whatever the functions of WASHINGTON, D. C., October 18, 1865. their late offices. You will prevent, by force if W. W. HOLDEN, Provisional Governor: necessary, any attempt of any of the legislatures Every dollar of the debt created to aid the of the States in insurrection to assemble for rebellion against the United States should be re-bers or other persons who may attempt to exerlegislative purposes, and will imprison any mempuliated finally and forever. The great mass of cise these functions in opposition to your orders." the people should not be taxed to pay a debt to June 13-William L. Sharkey appointed Proaid in carrying on a rebellion which they in visional Governor. fact, if left to themselves, were opposed to. those who have given their means for the obligations of the State look to that power they Let tried to establish in violation of law, constitution, and will of the people. They must meet their fate. It is their misfortune, and cannot be mation appointing local officers, and fixing an July 1-Prov. Gov. Sharkey issued a procisclection for a Convention-August 7th-voters to have these qualifications: Voters for delegates to this convention must tution and laws as they existed prior to the 9th Possess the qualifications required by the constiday of January, 1861, and must also produce a certificate that they have taken, before a com recognized by the people of any State professing themselves loyal to the government of the United States and in the Union. I repeat that the loyal people of North Carolina should be exonerated from the payment of every dollar of in-petent officer, the amnesty oath prescribed by debtedness created to aid in carrying on the the proclamation of the 29th of May, 1865, which certificate shall be attached to or accompanied rebellion. I trust and hope that the people of North Carolina will wash their hands of every-ble as a member of this convention who has not by a copy of the oath, and no one will be eligithing that partakes in the slightest degree of also taken this oath." the rebellion, which has been so recently crushed by the strong arm of the Government in carrying out the obligations imposed by the Constitution of the Union. ANDREW JOHNSON, President of the United States. October 19-Ordinance passed, that no officer of this State who may have taken an oath of office to support the constitution of the Confederate States, shall be capable of holding under the State any office of trust or profit which he held when he took such oath, until he may be appointed or re-elected to the same; and all the offices lately held by such persons are hereby declared vacant. October 19-Convention-yeas 84, nays 12passed an ordinance prohibiting the assumption of the State debt created in aid of the rebellion. An amendment to refer this question to a vote of the people, lost. November 9-Election of State officers and Representatives in Congress. Same day, ordinances repealing secession ordinance and antislavery ordinance, submitted to popular vote, and approved. November 13-Legislature met. December 1-The Legislature ratified, with six dissenting voices, the anti-slavery amendment. December 9-Jonathan Worth declared elected August 14-Convention met. August 15-President Johnson sent this telo gram: EXECUTIVE OFFICE, WASHINGTON, D. C., August 15, 1865. Governor W. L. SHARKEY, Jackson, Miss.: I am gratified to see that you have organized your Convention without difficulty. I hope that without delay your Convention will amend your State constitution, abolishing slavery and denying to all future legislatures the power to legislate that there is property in man; also that they will adopt the amendment to the Constitution of the United States abolishing slavery. If you could extend the elective franchise to all persons of color who can read the Constitution of the United States in English and write their names, and to all persons of color who own real estato valued at not less than two hundred and fifty dollars, and pay taxes thereon, you would completely disarm the adversary and set an example the other States will follow. This you can do with perfect safety, and you thus place the southern States, in reference to free persons of color, upon the same basis with the free States. I hope and trust your convention will do this, and, as a consequence, the radicals, who are wild upon negro franchise, will be completely foiled in their attempt to keep the southern States from renewing their relations to the Union by | pensions, and have forfeited the same by taking not accepting their senators and representatives.* a part in the late war against the United States, ANDREW JOHNSON, President of the U. S. shall be exempt from poll tax. August 21-Ordinance passed that "the institution of slavery having been destroyed in the State of Mississippi," neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, &c., shall hereafter exist in the Stato. August 21-An election ordered for first Monday in October for State and county officers, and Representatives in Congress in the several congressional districts as they were fixed by the legislature in 1857. August 22-Secession ordinance declared null and void. October 7-The colored citizens of Mississippi met in convention, and protested against the reactionary policy prevailing, and expressing the fear that the Legislature will pass such proscriptive laws as will drive the freedmen from the State, or practically re-enslave them. October 16-Legislature met. October 17-Benjamin G. Humphreys inaugurated Governor. November 20-Governor Humphreys sent a message recommending that negroes be permitted to sue and be sued, and give testimony, and that the freedmen be encouraged to engage in pursuits of industry, and that a militia bill be passed, "to protect our people against insurrection, or any possible combination of vicious white men and negroes." November 24-Bill passed "reserving twenty per cent. of the revenue of the State as a fund for the relief of destitute disabled Confederate and State soldiers, and their widows, and for the support and education of indigent children of deceased or disabled Confederate or State soldiers, to be distributed annually," &c. November 27-The joint committee reported against ratifying the anti-slavery amendment, for reasons given; and the Legislature adopted GEORGIA. 1865, May 3-Gov. Joseph E. Brown issued a proclamation calling an extra meeting of the Legislature for 22d. May 14-Maj. Gen. Gillmore issued an order annulling this proclamation, and directing the persons interested not to heed it. June 17-James Johnson appointed Provisional Governor. July 13--Prov. Gov. Johnson issued a proclamation fixing the first Wednesday in October for an election for delegates to a Convention— these to be the qualifications of voters: That no person at such election shall be qualified as an elector, or shall be eligible as a member of such convention, unless he shall have previously thereto taken and subscribed to the oath of amnesty, as set forth in the President's proclamation of May 29, A. D. 1865, and is a voter qualified as prescribed by the constitution and laws of the State of Georgia, in force immediately before the 19th of January, A. D. 1861, the date of the so-called ordinance of secession." October 7-Names of members elect requiring pardons sent to the President, and pardons re turned, as in each of the other States. October 25-Convention met. October 30-Secession ordinance repealed; ordinance passed dividing the State into seven congressional districts. November 4-Slavery declared abolished, "the Government of the United States having, as a war measure, proclaimed all slaves held or owned in this State emancipated from slavery, and having carried that proclamation into full prac tical effect." "Provided, That acquiescence in the action of the Government of the United States is not intended to operate as a relinquishment, or waiver, or estoppel, of such claim for compenNovember 29-The Legislature adopted a sation of loss sustained by reason of the emanmemorial to the Congress of the United States, cipation of his slaves, as any citizen of Georgia asking for the repeal of the "test oath." No- may hereafter make upon the justice and magvember 22, one for the pardon of Jacob Thomp-nanimity of that Government." son. November 8, one for the pardon of Jefferson Davis. it. December 1-The name of Jones county changed to Davis. December 5-Bill passed, taxing each male, inhabitant of the State, between 21 and 60, $1, and authorizing any person having in his or her employ any one subject to the tax, to pay it and charge it to the person for whom paid. All oth; cers and enlisted men who have herefore received *As bearing upon this point, this letter from the late President Lincoln, on a similar occasion, has value: EXECUTIVE MANSION, WASHINGTON, Murch 13, 1864. Hon MICHAEL HAHN: MY DEAR SIR: I congratulate you on having fixed your name in history as the first free State Governor of Louisiana. Now you are about to have a convention, which, among other things, will probably define the elective franchise. I Truly yours, November 8-The State debt of Georgia, incurred in aid of the rebellion, declared null and void-yeas 133, nays 117. Pending this proposition these telegrams were sent : MILLEDGEVILLE, GA., October 27, 1865. His Excellency ANDREW JOHNSON, President of the United States: We need some aid to repeal the war debt. Send me word on the subject. What should the Convention do? J. JOHNSON, Provisional Governor of Georgia. EXECUTIVE OFFICE, WASHINGTON, D. C., October 28, 1865. JAMES JOHNSON, Provisional Governor : Your despatch has been received. The people of Georgia should not hesitate one single moment in repudiating every single dollar of debt created for the purpose of aiding the rebellion against the Government of the United States. It will not do to levy and collect taxes from a State and people that are loyal and in the Union, to pay à debt that was created to aid in an effort to take |