UNITED STATES. 



7'.).-) 



And by virtue of the power, and for the purpose 

 aforesaid, I do order and declare that all persons held 

 as slaves within said designated States and parts of 

 States are and henceforward shall be free; and that 

 the Executive Government of the United States, in- 

 cludino- the military and naval authorities thereof, will 

 recognize and maintain the freedom of said persons. 



And I hereby enjoin upon the people so declared to 

 be free to absta'in from all violence, unless in necessary 

 self-defence; and I recommend to them that, in all 

 cases when allowed, they labor faithfully for reasona- 

 ble wages. 



And I further declare and make known that such 

 pei-sons of suitable condition will be received into the 

 armed service of the United States to garrison forts, 

 positions, stations, and other places, and to man ves- 

 sels of all sorts in said service. 



And upon this act, sincerely believed to be an act of 

 justice, warranted by the Constitution upon military 

 necessity, I invoke the considerate judgment of man- 

 kind, and the gracious favor of Almighty God. 



Thus the consummation of the original anti- 

 slavery views was verbally reached. But it 

 was attended with disunion, war, and blood. 



The consequences of such a measure ou the 

 part of the Government depend to a certain 

 extent upon its future action. It satisfied for 

 thfc moment the extreme anti-slavery friends of 

 the Administration. They, however, insisted 

 that the military action of the Government 

 should be made strictly to conform to this 

 proclamation. How far they were successful 

 the events of the year 1863 will demonstrate. 



It is natural to suppose that the military op- 

 erations of the Government could not escape 

 the effects of this gradual change of policy, 

 which was taking place in the Administration 

 during 1862, especially as the Cabinet con- 

 tained members who were desirous of seeing 

 this change made. The singular inconsisten- 

 cy was presented of removing a commanding 

 general of the army for certain consequences 

 alleged to flow from his actions, while those 

 consequences were declared in a degree to 

 have created the " military necessity " which 

 justified the Government in adopting the fa- 

 vorite measure of its political friends. For 

 the military campaigns of 1862, see AKMY OP- 

 ERATION'S. The effort, however, was made by 

 the Government to secure an approval of its 

 measures not only from the officers of the ar- 

 my and navy, but from all the people, by des- 

 ignating dissentients as >v disloyal " and subject- 

 ing the boldest to a sudden and secret arrest 

 and imprisonment. (See HABEAS CORPUS.) The 

 dissentients were thereby cut off from exert- 

 ing any influence whatever in favor of their 

 peculiar views except by that last implement 

 of constitutional liberty, the secret ballot. 

 The year closed with the friends of the Ad- 

 ministration worsted at the polls at almost 

 every election. 



It is designed in this article to notice only 

 the political action of the Government during 

 the year. Whatever relates to its finances or 

 foreign relations, which were conducted with 

 much success, or to its immense army and 

 great navy, or to its conduct of the war with 

 the seceded States, will be found elsewhere 



under appropriate titles. S<> likewise th. 

 merce of the country and the di-vcl"pme: 

 the respective States. The legislation of Con- 

 gress will be found elsewhere. 



The appropriations made by Congress at the 

 session closing in the summer of 1862, were 

 summarily as follows : 



Legislative, executive, and miscellaneous.. $13,' 



Support of army for 1802 



Support of navy for l-r,2 



Diplomatic and" consular 1,_ 



Army for 1862 and 1*03 



Navy for 1862 and 1^63 4^,7 



Indian Department 2, '. 



Post Office Department 14,7 



Military Academy 



Fortifications . . . ." 7,036,000 



Invalid and other pensions I, - 



Treaty with Hanover 44,497 



Total $391. 



The act passed at the same session for the 

 collection of taxes in the seceded States, was 

 expected to give the United States the com- 

 plete title to all property of its enemies in those 

 States which could be seized and held. It pro- 

 vided that in all States where obstruction was 

 made to the collection of the taxes by reason of 

 the war, they become chargeable upon all 

 lands within the same, which" may thereby be 

 forfeited to the United States, and a summary 

 sale of the same " in fee simple, free and dis- 

 charged from all prior liens, incumbrances, 

 right, title, and claim whatsoever." 



Another act was passed, bestowing pensions 

 upon invalid soldiers and the relatives of those 

 who died : 



Every soldier discharged for wounds received 

 in service, or sickness contracted after the d?.y 

 of his enlistment, is entitled to an Invalid Pen- 

 sion. 



A full pension for a soldier is $8 per month 

 from the day of his discharge, if he applies for 

 it within one year from the date of his dis- 

 charge. If he is not fully disabled, he is not 

 entitled to a full pension, but to that portion 

 of a pension corresponding with his disability. 

 If he is but one fourth disabled, he is entitled 

 to that portion of a pension. Pensions are 

 based on the soldier's degree of disability at 

 the time he makes his application. 



Pensions are payable each year, on the fourth 

 of March and the fourth of September. 



"Widows of officers, soldiers, or seamen, dy- 

 ing of wounds received or of disease contract- 

 ed in the military or naval service, are entitled 

 to pensions, to date from the day of the sol- 

 dier's death; also children, under 16 years of 

 age, of such deceased person, if there is no 

 widow surviving, or from the tune of the wid- 

 ow's re-marriage. 



Mothers of officers, soldiers, or seamen, de- 

 ceased as aforesaid, providing the latter have 

 left neither widow nor children under 16 years 

 of age, and providing, also, that the mother 

 was dependent, wholly or in part, on the de- 

 ceased for support. The mother's dependence 

 must be clearly established. 



