Abraham Lincoln Amnesty Proclamation and Signed Pardon of December 8, 1863.

Rare autograph Oath of December 8 endorsement signed and entirely in the hand of the 16th President of the United States, Abraham Lincoln with an exceedingly rare contemporary printing of Lincoln’s Amnesty Proclamation which includes the wording of the oath itself and a rare carte-de-visite of Lincoln [Providence, RI: Salisbury, Bro. & Co., n.d.]. One page, the endorsement is signed and inscribed by Lincoln, “Let these men take the oath of Dec. 8, 1863 & be discharged – A. Lincoln Dec. 30, 1863.” One page, disbound, the contemporary printing of the Amnesty Proclamation consists of 6 pages printed by order of the Secretary of War: E.D. Townsend [Washington, D.C.: War Department, Adjutant General’s Office, February 18, 1864]. Lincoln issued the Proclamation of Amnesty and Reconstruction in his annual message to Congress on December 8, 1863. In the message, Lincoln declared that he would offer a pardon to any man who would swear, without coercion, his allegiance to the Union. This provided, then, a general pardon to soldiers in the Rebellion, and to those, too, who deserted the Union cause. All Southerners except for high-ranking Confederate army officers and government officials could be granted a full pardon by taking the oath and Lincoln guaranteed Southerners that he would protect their private property, though not their slaves. The oath read, in part, “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support all acts of congress passed during the existing rebellion with reference to slaves, so long and so far as not repealed, modified, or held void by Congress, or by decision of the Supreme Court; and that I will, in like manner, abide by and faithfully support all proclamations of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.” Double matted and framed. The entire piece measures 17 inches by 19 inches. The autograph pardon is in very good condition. The carte-de-visite is in fine condition. The contemporary printing of the Amnesty Pardon is in fine condition and is exceedingly rare, with only one other copy appearing at auction over the course of the past century. An exceptional grouping of Lincolnalia.