NORTH CAROLINA. 



625 



tho military authorities until May 29th, when 

 President Johnson issued a proclamation ap- 

 pointing William "W. Holden Provisional Gov- 

 ernor. This proclamation is similar to the 

 one issued in the case of Alabama. (See ALA- 

 BAMA.) 



On June 12th Governor Holden issued a proc- 

 lamation announcing his appointment, and stat- 

 ing that a convention would be held as early 

 as practicable, the object before it, and the sub- 

 sequent election of State and local officers, etc. 

 He. then urged the people with cheerfulness 

 and confidence to resume their accustomed 

 pursuits; invited all who had been refugees to 

 return, assuring them of protection and encour- 

 agement in their exertions to improve their con- 

 dition, and instructed the colored population in 

 the duties proper to their new condition. 



The acquiescence of the people in their altered 

 position proceeded peacefully and rapidly, and 

 on August 8th Provisional Governor Holden 

 issued a proclamation for the election of dele- 

 gates to a State Constitutional Convention. 

 The persons who might be voters, the man- 

 ner of election, etc., were ordered as follows : 



In pursuance of power vested in me by Andrew 

 Johnson, President of the United States, by his 

 proclamation of May 29, 1865, appointing a Provi- 

 sional Governor of North Carolina, under the fourth 

 article of the Constitution of the United States, 

 which guarantees to every State in the Union a re- 

 publican form of government ; and in order to enable 

 the loyal people of said State to organize a State 

 government, whereby justice may be established, do- 

 mestic tranquillity restored, and loyal citizens pro- 

 tected in all their rights of life, liberty, and prop- 

 erty ; and in order, also, that said State may be 

 reduced to its constitutional relations to the Federal 

 Government, by presenting such a republican form 

 of government as will entitle the State to the guaran- 

 ty of the United States therefor, and its people to 

 protection by the United States against invasion, in- 

 aurrection, and domestic violence, I, William W. Hol- 

 den, Provisional Governor, as aforesaid, do hereby 

 proclaim that an election will be held in said State on 

 Thursday, the 21st day of September, 1865, for a 

 convention, to be composed of one hundred and 

 twenty delegates. 



The clerks and sheriffs of the respective counties 

 will proceed at once to assemble the justices of the 

 peace, a majority of whom will select from their num- 

 ber not less than six nor more than eighteen justices, 

 men of intelligence, discretion, firmness, and ap- 

 proved loyalty, whose duty it shall be to administer 

 to those who may be entitled to receive it, the oath 

 contained in the President's amnesty proclamation 

 of May 29, 1855, under such instructions as may be 

 prescribed in the proclamation. The justices shall, 

 at the same time, appoint inspectors of the elections 

 :U the various precincts in their respective counties, 

 in accordance with the law in relation thereto chap- 

 ter 52 Revised Code of North Carolina. The elec- 

 tions for members of the convention shall be con- 

 ducted in the same manner as elections for members 

 of the House of Commons, in accordance with the 

 provisions of chapter 52 Revised Code, so far as said 

 provisions maybe applicable; and the officers ap- 

 pointed to hold said elections, and to make returns 

 thereof, shall be liable to the same penalties for 

 failure to act or for neglect of duty as are prescribed 

 in chapter 52 Revised Code. 



No person will be allowed to vote who is not a 

 voter qualified as prescribed by the Constitution and 

 laws of the State in force immediately before the 20th 

 VOL. v. 40 A 



day of May, 1861, except that the payment of poll 

 tax shall not be required. 



All paroled soldiers of the army and navy of the 

 pretended Confederate States, or of this State, and 

 all paroled officers of the army and navy of the pre- 

 tended Confederate States, or of this State, under 

 and including the rank of colonel if of the army, and 

 under and including the rank of lieutenant if of the 

 navy, will be allowed to vote, provided they are not 

 included in any of the fourteen excluded classes of 

 the President's amnesty proclamation ; and provided, 

 further, that they are citizens of the State in accord- 

 ance with the terms prescribed in the preceding 

 paragraph. 



No person will be allowed to vote who does not 

 exhibit to the inspectors a copy of the amnesty oath, 

 as contained in the President s proclamation of May 

 29, 1865, signed by himself and certified by at least 

 two justices of the peace. 



The sheriff of the respective counties shall furnish, 

 as soon as practicable, certificates of election to those 

 persons who may have received the highest number of 

 votes as members of the convention ; and the sheriffs 

 shall also immediately send to the office of the Sec- 

 retary of State, Raleigh, a statement of the vote in 

 their respective counties for the members aforesaid, 

 and also a statement of said vote, sealed up, directed 

 to the President of the convention, Raleigh, to be 

 laid before the convention. 



The members of the convention thus chosen will 

 assemble in the city of Raleigh, on Mondav, the 2d 

 day of October, 1865. 



The attention of justices appointed to administer 

 the amnesty oath is especially directed to the four- 

 teen excluded classes of the President's amnesty 

 proclamation of May 29, 1865. 



Under the first exception are included all persons 

 who have been civil or diplomatic officers or agents 

 of the pretended Confederate Government, either 

 within or without tlie territoral limits of the United 

 States. 



Under the seventh exception are included all offi- 

 cers, agents, or private citizens who have been ab- 

 sent from the United States for the purpose of aiding 

 the rebellion. 



Under the thirteenth exception are included all 

 who, during the rebellion, have held any office or 

 agency under the State or pretended Confederate 

 Government, or have in any way voluntarily joined 

 in the rebellion, as, for example, for entering or 

 marching with armed forces hostile to the United 

 States ; by sending or furnishing money, provisions, 

 or arms to persons engaged in the rebellion, save in 

 cases where money or provisions were furnished 

 from the promptings of charity or humanity ; by act- 

 ing with assemblages of persons, whether organized 

 or unorganized, hostile to the United States ; or in 

 any other way giving voluntary aid, assistance, or 

 encouragement to the rebellion, and whose taxable 

 property on the 29th day of May, 1865, exceeded in 

 value the sum of twenty thousand dollars. 



The other exceptions are so plain as not to require 

 explanation. 



No certificate will be granted by the justices to any 

 person who is included in any of the excluded classes, 

 unless on exhibition by the party of his pardon for 

 his offence from the President. 



The justices appointed to administer the amnesty 

 oath and to furnish certificates o the same, which 

 shall be evidence of loyalty, are especially instructed 

 to be vigilant and faithful. While it will not be their 

 duty to attempt to pry into the hearts and con- 

 sciences of men, they will, nevertheless, admonish 

 those who may apply to take the oath, that it must 

 be taken and subscribed to in good faith, with an 

 honest intention on their part to keep it, without 

 secret purpose or mental reservation upon any occa- 

 sion or at any time to commit any act in violation of 

 said oath ; and they will warn them that if the oath 

 is not thus taken and kept, the pardon offered them 



