Collected Works of Abraham Lincoln. Volume 7 [Nov. 5, 1863-Sept. 12, 1864].

Proclamation Concerning Reconstruction1Jump to section

July 8, 1864

By the President of the United States.

A Proclamation.

Whereas, at the late Session, Congress passed a Bill,2Jump to section ``To guarantee to certain States, whose governments have been usurped or overthrown, a republican form of Government,'' a copy of which is hereunto annexed:

And whereas, the3Jump to section said Bill was presented to the President of the United States,4Jump to section for his approval, less than one hour before the sine die adjournment of said Session, and was not signed by him:

And whereas, the5Jump to section said Bill contains, among other things, a plan for restoring the States in rebellion to their proper practical relation in the Union, which plan expresses the sense of Congress upon that subject, and which plan it is now thought fit to lay before the people for their consideration:

Now,6Jump to section therefore, I, Abraham Lincoln, President of the United States, do proclaim, declare, and make known, that, while I am, (as I was in December last, when by proclamation I propounded a plan for restoration) unprepared, by a formal approval of this Bill, to be inflexibly committed to any single plan of restoration; and, while I am also unprepared to declare,7Jump to section that the free-state constitutions and governments, already adopted and installed in Arkansas and Louisiana, shall be set aside and held for nought, thereby repelling and discouraging the loyal citizens who have set up the same, as to further effort; or to declare a constitutional competency in Congress to abolish slavery in States, but am at the same time sincerely hoping and expecting that8Jump to section a constitutional amendment, abolishing slavery throughout the nation, may be adopted, nevertheless, I9Jump to section am fully satisfied with the system for restoration contained in the Bill, as one very proper plan for the loyal people of any State choosing to adopt it; and that I am, and at all times shall be, prepared to give the Executive aid and assistance to any such people, so soon as the military resistance to the United States

shall have been suppressed in any such State, and the people thereof shall have sufficiently returned to their obedience to the Constitution and the laws of the United States,---in which cases, military Governors will be appointed, with directions to proceed according to the Bill.10Jump to section

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the Seal of the United States to be affixed.

[L.S.]

Done at the City of Washington this eighth day of July, in the year of Our Lord, one thousand eight hundred and sixtyfour, and of the Independence of the United States the eighty-ninth. ABRAHAM LINCOLN.

By the President:

WILLIAM H. SEWARD, Secretary of State.

Annotation

[1]   DS, DNA FS RG 11, Proclamations; ADf, NAuE. Lincoln's autograph draft shows numerous revisions in the handwriting of Edward Bates, as indicated in the succeeding notes.

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[2]   Lincoln's draft reads: ``as follows, towit (Insert it here),'' changed by Bates to ``a copy of which is hereunto annexed.''

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[3]   Bates inserted ``the.''

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[4]   Bates inserted ``of the United States.''

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[5]   Bates inserted ``the.''

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[6]   Bates inserted ``Now.''

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[7]   Bates crossed out ``or'' and inserted ``and while I am also unprepared.''

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[8]   Bates crossed out ``still hoping'' and inserted ``am at the same time sincerely hoping and expecting that.''

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[9]   Lincoln had written ``I, nevertheless''; Bates revised to ``nevertheless I.''

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[10]   The autograph draft originally concluded with an additional phrase: ``it having been impossible, for want of time, even had the Bill been approved, to nominate Provisional Governors to, and have them confirmed by, the Senate, before it's adjournment.'' This was revised by Bates to read: ``for had the bill been approved by the President, it would have been impossible, for want of time, to nominate Provisional Governors to, and have them confirmed by, the Senate, before it's adjournment.'' The official copy of the proclamation omitted the phrase entirely.

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