Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 13.djvu/788

 760 APPENDIX. Done at the city of Washington, the twenty-ninth day of May, in the [L. 8.] year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and sixty-five, and of the Independence of the United States the eightyminth. ANDRENV JOHNSON. By the President: XVILLIAM H. Smwum, Secreiary of State. No. 38. May 29, 1865. BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: A PROCLAMATION. Preamble. WHEREAS the fourth section of the fourth article of the Constitution 01 me United 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 whereas the President of the United States is by the constitution made commander-in-chief of the army and navy, as well as chief civil exeeutive ofdcer of the United States, and is bound by solemn oath faithfully to execute the ofnce of President of the United States, and  take care that the laws be faithfully executed; and whereas the rebellion, which has been waged by a portion of the people of the United States against the properly constituted authorities of the government thereof} in the most violent and revolting form, but whose organized and armed forces have now been almost entirely overpome, has, in its revolutionary progress, deprived the people of the State of North Carolina of all civil government; and whereas it becomes necessary 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 : l Pmvisioml Now, therefore, in obedience to the high and solemn duties imposed upon me goyemor ap- by the Constitution of the United States, and for the purpose of enabling the g<>1¤l1€¤*,Y· period, to prescribe such rules and regulations as may be necessary and proper for convening a convention, composed of delegates to be chosen by that portion of the people of said state who are loyal to the United States and no others {br the purpose of altering or amending the constitution thereof; and with authority to exercise, within the limits o said state, all the powers necessary and proper to enable sueh loyal people of the State of North Carolina to restore said state to 1ts constitutional relations to the federal government, 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 people to protection by the United States against invasion insurrection and domestic vio1ence· Qualmcmms Provided that, in any election that may he hereafter. field for choosing delegate; mr glgctgygh and to any state convention as aforesaid, no person shall be qualified as an elector, for membership or shfzll be eligble as a. member of such convention, unless he shall have pre- ° °°¤V‘¢¤ 10¤· vious y taken and subscribed the oath of amnesty as set forth in the Presidenfs Proclamation of May 29, A. D. 1865, and is a voter qualified as prescribed by the constitution and laws of the State of North Carolina in force immediately before the 20th day of May, A. D. 1861, the date of the so called ordinance of Convention, secession ; and the said convention, when convened, or the legislature that may gishlzlggiiggz be thereafter assembled, will prescribe the qualification of electors, and the ' > ‘ eligibility of persons to hold oizlice under the constitution and laws of the state,- a ower the eo le of the several states com osinv the Federal Union have rigllitfnlly exerpcisgd from the origin of the govexgnmeht to the present time. And I do hereby direct — Al: thF3;ép¤¤‘f— First. That themilicary commander of the department, and all officers and mm S0 ° persons m the military and naval service aid and assist the said provisional United States. . . . ’ . . . government to governor m earrying into effect thne Proelamatnon, and they are enjoined to nid the pmvis- abstain from, ll] wry way, hindering, nmpedmg, or discouraging the loyal people ional governor. from the organzzamou ol an state government as herein authorized.
 * “° m * be established domestic tranquillity insured, and loyal citizens protected in all