>>Then John Welsey in the Toombs guard, but took the oath of allegiance to the US Government. Wonder why he did this??? > >Why Andrew would be in the entire war from June 1861 to March 1865, then sign the oath?<< Jackie, even now, all naturalized citizens are required to take an Oath of Allegiance to the United States. The South had withdrawn from the Union and formed its own government. When the war was over, citizens of the Southern states were required to register and sign the oath as a form of pardon: "I solemnly swear that I have carefully read the Amnesty Proclamation issued by Andrew Johnson, president of the United States of America, on May 27th, 1865, and that I am not excepted from the benefits of that Proclamation by any one of the fourteen exceptions therein made. I further swear that I will make true answers to all questions that may be put to me touching my rights to take the benefit of that Proclamation." The following was the Amnesty Proclamation signed by President Lincoln. I was not successful in finding the actual proclamation of President Andrew Johnson, but would assume that it was the same: From: http://www.civil-liberties.com/books/colony37.html >Proclamation of Amnesty and Reconstruction > >BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: > >A PROCLAMATION. > >"Whereas, in and by the Constitution of the United States, it is provided >that the President "shall have power to grant reprieves and pardons for >offenses against the United States, except in cases of impeachment;" and > >"Whereas a rebellion now exists whereby the loyal State governments of >several States have for a long time been subverted, and many persons have >committed and are now guilty of treason against the United States; and >Whereas, with reference to said rebellion and treason, laws have been >enacted by Congress declaring forfeitures and confiscation of property and >liberation of slaves, all upon terms and conditions therein stated, and also >declaring that the President was thereby authorized at any time thereafter, >by proclamation, to extend to persons who may have participated in the >existing rebellion, in any State or part thereof, pardon and amnesty, with >such exceptions and at such times and on such conditions as he may deem >expedient for the public welfare;" and > >"Whereas 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 said 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 who resigned >commissions in the army or navy of the United States, and afterwards aided >the rebellion; and all who have engaged in any way in treating colored >persons or white persons, in charge of such, otherwise than lawfully as >prisoners of war, and which persons may have been found in the United States >service, as soldiers, seamen, or in any other capacity." > >"And I do further proclaim, declare, and make known, that whenever, in any >of the States of Arkansas, Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Tennessee, >Alabama, Georgia, Florida, South Carolina, and North Carolina, a number of >persons, not less than one-tenth in number of the votes cast in such State >at the Presidential election of the year of our Lord one thousand eight >hundred and sixty, each having taken the oath aforesaid and not having since >violated it, and being a qualified voter by the election law of the State >existing immediately before the so-called act of secession, and excluding >all others, shall re-establish a State government which shall be republican, >and in no wise contravening said oath, such shall be recognized as the true >government of the State, and the State shall receive thereunder the benefits >of the constitutional provision which declares that "The United States shall >guaranty to every State in this union a republican form of government, and >shall protect each of them against invasion; and, on application of the >legislature, or the executive, (when the legislature cannot be convened,) >against domestic violence." > >"And I do further proclaim, declare, and make known that any provision which >may be adopted by such State government in relation to the freed people of >such State, which shall recognize and declare their permanent freedom, >provide for their education, and which may yet be consistent, as a temporary >arrangement, with their present condition as a laboring, landless, and >homeless class, will not be objected to by the national Executive. And it is >suggested as not improper, that, in constructing a loyal State government in >any State, the name of the State, the boundary, the subdivisions, the >constitution, and the general code of laws, as before the rebellion, be >maintained, subject only to the modifications made necessary by the >conditions hereinbefore stated, and such others, if any, not contravening >said conditions, and which may be deemed expedient by those framing the new State government." > >"To avoid misunderstanding, it may be proper to say that this proclamation, >so far as it relates to State governments, has no reference to States >wherein loyal State governments have all the while been maintained. And for >the same reason, it may be proper to further say that whether members sent >to Congress from any State shall be admitted to seats, constitutionally >rests exclusively with the respective Houses, and not to any extent with the >Executive. And still further, that this proclamation is intended to present >the people of the States wherein the national authority has been suspended, >and loyal State governments have been subverted, a mode in and by which the >national authority and loyal State governments may be re-established within >said States, or in any of them; and, while the mode presented is the best >the Executive can suggest with his present impressions, it must not be >understood that no other possible mode would be acceptable." > >"Given under my hand at the city, of Washington, the 8th. day of December, >A.D. one thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, and of the independence of >the United States of America the eighty-eighth." > >ABRAHAM LINCOLN > >By the President: > >WILLIAM H. SEWARD, Secretary of State

Hi Ann, thanks for the information. Jackie ----- Original Message ----- From: Ann Hartman <[email protected]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Monday, April 16, 2001 11:37 AM Subject: [GABULLOC] Re: Amnesty Proclamation & Oath of Allegiance > >>Then John Welsey in the Toombs guard, but took the oath of allegiance to > the US Government. Wonder why he did this??? > > > >Why Andrew would be in the entire war from June 1861 to March 1865, then > sign the oath?<< > > Jackie, even now, all naturalized citizens are required to take an Oath of > Allegiance to the United States. The South had withdrawn from the Union and > formed its own government. When the war was over, citizens of the Southern > states were required to register and sign the oath as a form of pardon: > > "I solemnly swear that I have carefully read the Amnesty Proclamation issued > by Andrew Johnson, president of the United States of America, on May 27th, > 1865, and that I am not excepted from the benefits of that Proclamation by > any one of the fourteen exceptions therein made. I further swear that I will > make true answers to all questions that may be put to me touching my rights > to take the benefit of that Proclamation." > > The following was the Amnesty Proclamation signed by President Lincoln. I > was not successful in finding the actual proclamation of President Andrew > Johnson, but would assume that it was the same: > > From: http://www.civil-liberties.com/books/colony37.html > > >Proclamation of Amnesty and Reconstruction > > > >BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: > > > >A PROCLAMATION. > > > >"Whereas, in and by the Constitution of the United States, it is provided > >that the President "shall have power to grant reprieves and pardons for > >offenses against the United States, except in cases of impeachment;" and > > > >"Whereas a rebellion now exists whereby the loyal State governments of > >several States have for a long time been subverted, and many persons have > >committed and are now guilty of treason against the United States; and > >Whereas, with reference to said rebellion and treason, laws have been > >enacted by Congress declaring forfeitures and confiscation of property and > >liberation of slaves, all upon terms and conditions therein stated, and > also >declaring that the President was thereby authorized at any time > thereafter, >by proclamation, to extend to persons who may have participated > in the >existing rebellion, in any State or part thereof, pardon and > amnesty, with >such exceptions and at such times and on such conditions as > he may deem >expedient for the public welfare;" and > > > >"Whereas 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 said 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 who resigned > >commissions in the army or navy of the United States, and afterwards aided > >the rebellion; and all who have engaged in any way in treating colored > >persons or white persons, in charge of such, otherwise than lawfully as > >prisoners of war, and which persons may have been found in the United > States >service, as soldiers, seamen, or in any other capacity." > > > >"And I do further proclaim, declare, and make known, that whenever, in any > >of the States of Arkansas, Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Tennessee, > >Alabama, Georgia, Florida, South Carolina, and North Carolina, a number of > >persons, not less than one-tenth in number of the votes cast in such State > >at the Presidential election of the year of our Lord one thousand eight > >hundred and sixty, each having taken the oath aforesaid and not having > since >violated it, and being a qualified voter by the election law of the State > >existing immediately before the so-called act of secession, and excluding > >all others, shall re-establish a State government which shall be > republican, >and in no wise contravening said oath, such shall be recognized > as the true >government of the State, and the State shall receive thereunder > the benefits >of the constitutional provision which declares that "The > United States shall >guaranty to every State in this union a republican form > of government, and >shall protect each of them against invasion; and, on > application of the > >legislature, or the executive, (when the legislature cannot be convened,) > >against domestic violence." > > > >"And I do further proclaim, declare, and make known that any provision > which >may be adopted by such State government in relation to the freed > people of >such State, which shall recognize and declare their permanent > freedom, >provide for their education, and which may yet be consistent, as a > temporary >arrangement, with their present condition as a laboring, > landless, and >homeless class, will not be objected to by the national > Executive. And it is >suggested as not improper, that, in constructing a > loyal State government in >any State, the name of the State, the boundary, > the subdivisions, the > >constitution, and the general code of laws, as before the rebellion, be > >maintained, subject only to the modifications made necessary by the > >conditions hereinbefore stated, and such others, if any, not contravening > >said conditions, and which may be deemed expedient by those framing the new > State government." > > > >"To avoid misunderstanding, it may be proper to say that this proclamation, > >so far as it relates to State governments, has no reference to States > >wherein loyal State governments have all the while been maintained. And for > >the same reason, it may be proper to further say that whether members sent > >to Congress from any State shall be admitted to seats, constitutionally > >rests exclusively with the respective Houses, and not to any extent with > the >Executive. And still further, that this proclamation is intended to > present >the people of the States wherein the national authority has been > suspended, >and loyal State governments have been subverted, a mode in and > by which the >national authority and loyal State governments may be > re-established within >said States, or in any of them; and, while the mode > presented is the best >the Executive can suggest with his present > impressions, it must not be >understood that no other possible mode would be > acceptable." > > > >"Given under my hand at the city, of Washington, the 8th. day of December, > >A.D. one thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, and of the independence of > >the United States of America the eighty-eighth." > > > >ABRAHAM LINCOLN > > > >By the President: > > > >WILLIAM H. SEWARD, Secretary of State > > > > ============================== > Shop Ancestry - Everything you need to Discover, Preserve & Celebrate > your heritage! > http://shop.myfamily.com/ancestrycatalog > >