By the President of the United States of America:
Whereas on the 22nd day of September, A.D. 1862, a proclamationwas issued by the President of the United States, containing,among other things, the following, to wit:
"That on the 1st day of January, A.D. 1863, all persons held asslaves within any State or designated part of a State the peoplewhereof shall then be in rebellion against the United States shallbe then, thenceforward, and forever free; and the executivegovernment of the United States, including the military and navalauthority thereof, will recognize and maintain the freedom of suchpersons and will do no act or acts to repress such persons, or anyof them, in any efforts they may make for their actual freedom.
"That the executive will on the 1st day of January aforesaid,by proclamation, designate the States and parts of States, if any,in which the people thereof, respectively, shall then be inrebellion against the United States; and the fact that any Stateor the people thereof shall on that day be in good faithrepresented in the Congress of the United States by memberschosen thereto at elections wherein a majority of the qualifiedvoters of such States shall have participated shall, in theabsence of strong countervailing testimony, be deemed conclusiveevidence that such State and the people thereof are not thenin rebellion against the United States."
Now, therefore, I, Abraham Lincoln, President of the UnitedStates, by virtue of the power in me vested as Commander-In-Chiefof the Army and Navy of the United States in time of actual armedrebellion against the authority and government of the United States,and as a fit and necessary war measure for supressing saidrebellion, do, on this 1st day of January, A.D. 1863, and inaccordance with my purpose so to do, publicly proclaimed for thefull period of one hundred days from the first day above mentioned,order and designate as the States and parts of States wherein thepeople thereof, respectively, are this day in rebellion againstthe United States the following, to wit:
Arkansas, Texas, Louisiana (except the parishes of St. Bernard,Palquemines, Jefferson, St. John, St. Charles, St. James, Ascension,Assumption, Terrebone, Lafourche, St. Mary, St. Martin, and Orleans,including the city of New Orleans), Mississippi, Alabama, Florida,Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, and Virginia (except theforty-eight counties designated as West Virginia, and also thecounties of Berkeley, Accomac, Morthhampton, Elizabeth City, York,Princess Anne, and Norfolk, including the cities of Norfolk andPortsmouth), and which excepted parts are for the present leftprecisely as if this proclamation were not issued.
And by virtue of the power and for the purpose aforesaid, I doorder and declare that all persons held as slaves within saiddesignated States and parts of States are, and henceforward shallbe, free; and that the Executive Government of the United States,including the military and naval authorities thereof, willrecognize and maintain the freedom of said persons.
And I hereby enjoin upon the people so declared to be free toabstain from all violence, unless in necessary self-defence; andI recommend to them that, in all case when allowed, they laborfaithfully for reasonable wages.
And I further declare and make known that such persons ofsuitable condition will be received into the armed service ofthe United States to garrison forts, positions, stations, andother places, and to man vessels of all sorts in said service.
And upon this act, sincer