ereas
the congressional declaration for limited and conditional pardon accords
with well established judicial exposition of the pardoning power; and
whereas, with reference to said rebellion, the President of the United
States has issued several proclamations with provisions in regard to the
liberation of slaves; and whereas it is now desired by some persons
heretofore engaged in said rebellion to resume their allegiance to the
United States, and to reinaugurate loyal State governments within and
for their respective States: Therefore,

"I, ABRAHAM LINCOLN, President of the United States, do proclaim,
declare, and make known to all persons who have, directly or by
implication, participated in the existing rebellion, except as
hereinafter excepted, that a full pardon is hereby granted to them and
each of them, with restoration of all rights of property, except as to
slaves, and in property cases where rights of third parties shall have
intervened, and upon the condition that every such person shall take and
subscribe an oath, and thenceforward keep and maintain such oath
inviolate; and which oath shall be registered for permanent
preservation, and shall be of the tenor and effect following, to wit:

"I, --------, do solemnly swear, in presence of Almighty God, that I will
henceforth faithfully support, protect, and defend the Constitution of
the United States, and the union of the States thereunder; and that I
will in like manner, abide by and faithfully support all acts of
Congress passed during the existing rebellion with reference to slaves,
so long and so far as not repealed, modified, or held void by Congress,
or by decision of the Supreme Court; and that I will, in like manner,
abide by and faithfully support all proclamations of the President made
during the existing rebellion having reference to slaves, so long and so
far as not modified or declared void by decision of the Supreme Court.
So help me God."

The persons excepted from the benefits of the foregoing provisions are,
all who are, or shall have been, civil or diplomatic officers or agents
of the so-called confederate government; all who have left judicial
stations under the United States to aid the rebellion; all who are, or
shall have been, military or naval officers of said so-called
confederate government, above the rank of colonel in the army, or of
lieutenant in the navy; all who left seats in the United States Congress
to aid the rebellion; all w