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Whereas some military commanders are embarrassed by doubts as to the operation of the 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 Hereafter, whenever offenses committed by Government of the United States should give civilians are to be tried where civil tribunals are earnest and substantial evidence of its just ap-in existence which can try them, their cases are preciation of the services of the patriotic men not authorized to be, and will not be, brought who, when the life of the nation was imperiled, before military courts-martial or commissions, entered the army and navy to preserve the but will be committed to the proper civil authorntegrity of the Union, defend the Government, ities. This order is not applicable to camp foland maintain and perpetuate unimpaired its lowers, as provided for under the 60th Article of ree institutions. It is therefore directed: 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 offenses 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:

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 qualifications.

Second. That in all promotions in said departments and the several branches of the public service connected therewith, such persons shall have preference, when equally eligible and

* The following official telegraphic correspondence shows the scope of the proclamation, in the opinion of the President:

Maj. Gen. O. O. HOWARD:

AUGUSTA, GA., April 7, 1866.

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.

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Does the President's recent proclamation remove martial Against the Fenian Invasion of Canada, June

law in this State? If so, Gen. Brannan does not feel authorized to arrest parties who have committed outrages on

6, 1866.

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Whereas it has become known to me that cerfreed people or Union refugees. Please answer by telegraph. tain evil-disposed persons have, within the ter

[Answer.]

DAVIS TILLSON,
Brig. Gen. of Vols.

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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 sentence rendered by

said 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 out of a misconstruction of the proclamation, of which EDWARD COOPER, Acting Private Secretary to the President.

will send you a copy.

I

ritory 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 military 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 national honor, and enforce obedience and respect to the

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In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set hand, and caused the seal of the United Sta to be affixed.

Done at the city of Washington the sixth of June, in the year of our Lord [SEAL.] thousand eight hundred and si six, and of the Independence of United States the ninetieth.

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 pro-
ceedings, 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 un-
lawful proceedings, and to arrest and bring to By the President:
justice all persons who may be engaged therein.*

ANDREW JOHNSON

WILLIAM H. SEWARD, Secretary of Sta

*Circular to the District Attorneys and Marshals of United States.

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, forces of the United States and the militia thereof, to arrest and prevent the setting on foot and carrying on the expedition and enterprise aforesaid.

ATTORNEY GENERAL'S OFFICE, WASHINGTON, D. C., J

1866.--By direction of the President you are here structed to cause the arrest of all prominent, leading conspicuous persons called Fenians, whom you may probable cause to believe have been or may be guilt violations of the neutrality laws of the United States.

JAMES SPEED,

Attorney Gene

III.

ACTION OF THE CONVENTIONS AND LEGISLATURES ( THE LATELY INSURRECTIONARY STATES.

NORTH CAROLINA.

1865, April 27-Gen. Schofield announced the cessation of hostilities within that State.

April 28-Gen. Schofield issued an order that, under the emancipation proclamation, all persons heretofore held as slaves are now free, and that it is the duty of the army to maintain their freedom.

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.

July-President Johnson ordered the cotton of the State to be restored to her, and the proceeds of all that had been sold to be paid to 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.

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vided they are not included in any of the fourt excluded classes of the President's amnesty clamation; and, provided further, that they citizens of the State in accordance with the ter prescribed in the preceding paragraph.

"No person will be allowed to vote who d not exhibit to the inspectors a copy of the a nesty oath, as contained in the President's clamation of May 29, 1865, signed by him and certified by at least two justices of the pea

The convention to meet October 2.

September 29-The colored people of the St met in convention in Raleigh, and petitioned legislation to secure compensation for labor, enable them to educate their children, and a ing protection for the family relation, and the repeal of oppressive laws making unjust criminations on account of race or color.

October 2-Convention met.

October 7-The secession ordinance decla "null and void."

October 9-An ordinance passed, declar slavery forever prohibited within the State.

October 10-Ordinance passed, providing an election for Governor, members of the Le lature, and seven members of Congress Novem 9, the Provisional Governor to give the cert cates. Each member of the Legislature, & All paroled soldiers of the army and navy of each voter to be qualified "according to the the pretended Confederate States, or of this State, existing constitution of the State: Provid and all paroled officers of the army and navy of That no one shall be eligible to a seat, or be the pretended Confederate States, or of this State, pable of voting, who, being free in all respet under and including the rank of colonel, if of the shall not, before May 29, 1865, have taken Pr army, and under and including the rank of lieu-dent Lincoln's amnesty oath, or have taken Pr tenant, if of the navy, will be allowed to vote, pro-dent Johnson's oath, and who shall not

ither case be of the excepted classes. All per- |
ons who have preferred petitions for pardon
hall be deemed to have been pardoned if the fact
f being pardoned shall be announced by the
Governor, although the pardon may not have
een received. The payment of a public tax
hall not be required as a qualification of the
voter in the elections in November next.

October 12-Convention tabled a proposition o prohibit the payment of the war debt created by the State in aid of the rebellion.

October 16-Ordinance passed, dividing the
State into seven congressional districts.
October 17-Resolution adopted, requesting
Congress to repeal the "test-oath."
October 18-President Johnson sent this tele-
gram:
EXECUTIVE OFFICE,

Governor, by a vote of 32,529 to 25,809 for
Prov. Gov. Holden.

December 15-Governor Worth qualified. 1866, May 24-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.

cise these functions in opposition to your orders." June 13-William L. Sharkey appointed Provisional Governor.

mation appointing local officers, and fixing an July 1-Prov. Gov. Sharkey issued a proclaelection for a Convention-August 7th-voters to have these qualifications:

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 exercise 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 mempudiated finally and forever. The great mass of the people should not be taxed to pay a debt to aid in carrying on a rebellion which they in fact, if left to themselves, were opposed to. Let those who have given their means for the obligations of the State look to that power they tried to establish in violation of law, constitution, and will of the people. They must meet "Voters for delegates to this convention must their fate. It is their misfortune, and cannot be recognized by the people of any State professing tution and laws as they existed prior to the 9th possess the qualifications required by the constithemselves loyal to the government of the United States and in the Union. I repeat that the day of January, 1861, and must also produce a certificate that they have taken, before a comloyal 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 by a copy of the oath, and no one will be eligiNorth Carolina will wash their hands of every-ble as a member of this convention who has not thing 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 tele

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 estate 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

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from renewing their relations to the Union by | pensions, and have forfeited the same by taki not accepting their senators and representatives.* a part in the late war against the United Stat 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 State.

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 it.

GEORGIA.

1865, May 3-Gov. Joseph E. Brown issue proclamation calling an extra meeting of t Legislature for 22d.

May 14-Maj. Gen. Gillmore issued an or annulling this proclamation, and directing t persons interested not to heed it.

June 17-James Johnson appointed P visional Governor.

July 13-Prov. Gov. Johnson issued a pr lamation fixing the first Wednesday in Octol for an election for delegates to a Convention these to be the qualifications of voters :

"That no person at such election shall qualified as an elector, or shall be eligible as member of such convention, unless he shall ha previously thereto taken and subscribed to t oath of amnesty, as set forth in the Presiden proclamation of May 29, A. D. 1865, and is voter qualified as prescribed by the constituti and laws of the State of Georgia, in force imm diately before the 19th of January, A. D. 18 the date of the so-called ordinance of secession

October 7-Names of members elect requiri pardons sent to the President, and pardons ! turned, as in each of the other States.

October 25-Convention met.

October 30-Secession ordinance repealed; c dinance passed dividing the State into seven co gressional districts.

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November 4-Slavery declared abolished, "t Government of the United States having, as war measure, proclaimed all slaves held or own in this State emancipated from slavery, a having carried that proclamation into full tical effect." "Provided, That acquiescence int action of the Government of the United Stat is not intended to operate as a relinquishmer or waiver, or estoppel, of such claim for compe November 29-The Legislature adopted a sation of loss sustained by reason of the ema memorial to the Congress of the United States, cipation of his slaves, as any citizen of Georg asking for the repeal of the "test oath." No- may hereafter make upon the justice and mă vember 22, one for the pardon of Jacob Thomp-nanimity of that Government." son. November 8, one for the pardon of Jefferson Davis.

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 officers 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, March 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 is
barely suggest, for your private consideration, whether
some of the colored people may not be let in, as, for instance,
the very intelligent, and especially those who have fought
gallantly in our ranks. They would probably help, in some
trying time to come, to keep the jewel of liberty in the
family of freedom. But this is only a suggestion, not to
the public, but to you alone.
A. LINCOLN.

other things, will probably define the elective franchise.

Truly yours,

November 8-The State debt of Georgi incurred in aid of the rebellion, declared nu and void-yeas 133, nays 117. Pending th proposition these telegrams were sent :

MILLEDGEVILLE, GA., October 27, 186
His Excellency ANDREW JOHNSON,

President of the United States:
We need some aid to repeal the war det
Send me word on the subject. What should t
Convention do?
J. JOHNSON,
Provisional Governor of Georgi

EXECUTIVE OFFICE, WASHINGTON, D. C., October 28, 186 JAMES JOHNSON, Provisional Governor : The peop of Georgia should not hesitate one single momer Your despatch has been received. in repudiating every single dollar of debt create for the purpose of aiding the rebellion again the Government of the United States. It wi not do to levy and collect taxes from a State an people that are loyal and in the Union, to pa a debt that was created to aid in an effort to tak

September 12-Convention met.

m out, and thereby subvert the Constitution | cers hereinafter appointed for that purpose in the United States. I do not believe the great the county where he offers to vote; and any ss of the people of the State of Georgia, when person offering to vote in violation of these rules tuninfluenced, will ever submit to the pay-or the laws of Alabama on the 11th of January, nt of a debt which was the main cause of 1861, will be punished. nging on their past and present suffering, the ult of the rebellion. Those who vested their pital in the creation of this debt must meet ir fate, and take it as one of the inevitable ults of the rebellion, though it may seem hard them. It should at once be made known at me and abroad, that no debt contracted for purpose of dissolving the Union of the States or ever will be paid by taxes levied on the ople for such purpose,

ANDREW JOHNSON,
President of the United States.

n. W. H. SEWARD:
We are pressed on the war debt. What should
Convention do?
J. JOHNSON,
Provisional Governor of Georgia.
MILLEDGEVILLE, October 27, 1865.

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November 8-Convention adjourned.
November 15-Election held for State officers
d Representatives in Congress.
December 4-Legislature met.

December 5-Legislature ratified the anti-sla-
ry amendment.

1866, January-A convention of colored peras at Augusta advocated a proposition to give ose who could write and read well, and posssed a certain property qualification, the right suffrage.

March 10-Bill passed legislature, authorizing extra tax, the amount to be fixed by the grand ries, but not to exceed two per cent. upon the ate tax, for the benefit of indigent soldiers, and e indigent families of deceased soldiers of the nfederate and State troops. Artificial arms nd legs to be furnished disabled soldiers.

ALABAMA.

1865, June 21-Lewis E. Parsons appointed rovisional Governor.

July 20-Provisional Governor Parsons issued proclamation, fixing August 31 for an election a Convention, under these restrictions: "But person can vote in said election, or be a candate for election, who is not a legal voter as e law was on that day; and if he is excepd from the benefit of annesty, under the resident's proclamation of the 29th May, 1865, must have obtained a pardon.

September 18-Election for State officers fixed for first Monday in November-the Provisional Governor authorized to order an election for Representatives in Congress..

September 20-Slavery abolished, "as the institution of slavery has been destroyed in the State of Alabama." Secession ordinance declared" null and void." Rebel State debt repudiated, 60 to 19.

September 30-Convention adjourned.
November 20-Legislature met.

December 2-Anti-slavery amendment ratified in this form:

1st. That the foregoing amendment to the Constitution of the United States be, and the same is hereby, ratified, to all intents and purposes, as part of the Constitution of the United States.

2d. That this amendment to the Constitution of the United States is adopted by the Legislature of Alabama with the understanding that it does not confer upon Congress the power to legislate upon the political status of freedmen in this State.

3d. That the governor of the State be, and he is hereby, requested to forward to the President of the United States an authenticated copy of the foregoing preamble and resolutions.

December 5-The President sent this response: His Excellency L. E. PARSONS,

Provisional Governor:

The President congratulates you and the country upon the acceptance of the congressional amendment of the Constitution of the United States by the State of Alabama, which. vote, being the twenty-seventh, fills up the complement of two-thirds, and gives the amendment finishing effect as a part of the organic law of the land. WILLIAM H. SEWARD. WASHINGTON, December 5, 1865." 1866, January 8—The Legislature re-assemGov. R. M. Patton vetoed three bills. He

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vetoed the bill to regulate contracts with freedmen, because no special law is necessary. He adds:

"Information from various parts of the State shows that negroes are everywhere making contracts for the present year upon terms that are entirely satisfactory to the employers. They are also entering faithfully upon the discharge of the obligations contracted. There is every prospect that the engagement formed will be observed with perfect good faith. I therefore think that special laws for regulating contracts between whites and freedmen would accomplish no good, and might result in much harm."

Governor Patton has also vetoed the bill "to extend the criminal laws of the State, applicable to free persons of color, to freedmen, free negroes and mulattoes." He says:

"Every person must vote in the county of his sidence, and, before he is allowed to do so, must "The bill proposes to apply to the freedmen a ke and subscribe the oath of amnesty pre- system of laws enacted for the government of ribed in the President's proclamation of the free negroes residing in a community where th of May, 1865, before some one of the offi-slavery existed. I have carefully examined the

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