within the United States under the obligations imposed by the aforesaid act of Congress:

Now, therefore, to avoid all misapprehensions concerning the liability of persons concerned to perform the service required by such enactment, and to give it full effect, I do hereby order and proclaim that no plea of alienage will be received or allowed to exempt from the obligations imposed by the aforesaid act of Congress any person of foreign birth who shall have declared on oath his intention to become a citizen of the United States under the laws thereof, and who shall be found within the United States at any time during the continuance of the present insurrection and rebellion, at or after the expiration of the period of sixty-five days from the date of this proclamation; nor shall any such plea of alienage be allowed in favor of any such person who has so, as aforesaid, declared his intention to become a citizen of the Untied States, and shall have exercised at any time the right of suffrage or any other political franchise within the United States, under the laws thereof, or under the laws of any of the several States.

In witness hereof I have hereunto set my hand and caused the seal of the United States to be affixed.

Done at the city of Washington this eighth day of May, in the year of our Lord eighteen hundred and sixty-three, and of the Independence of the United States the eighty-seventh.

[L. S.]

ABRAHAM LINCOLN.

By the President:

WILLIAM H. SEWARD,

Secretary of War.

HARTFORD, CONN., May 8, 1863.

Colonel JAMES B. FRY,

Provost-Marshal-General U. S. Army:

COLONEL: I have the inform you that yesterday morning I had a highly satisfactory interview with His Excellency Governor Buckingham, in which he took especial care to pledge me for himself and his State officers every possible assistance in the performance of the duty assigned me in this State.

His Excellency regretted to observe that a loyal newspaper, together with many patriotic and well-meaning persons throughout the State, had given out the impression that Connecticut had more than filled her quota, and would not therefore be subject to draft until certain other States had furnished their arrears.

Doubtless gradual steps will be taken to dispel this error in order that a draft may be anticipated at any time.

It is much better that the public mind should be prepared for the discharge of an imperative duty than to be suddenly overtaken with what it conceive to be an injustice.

In my conversation with His Excellency I remarked that from my observation with His Excellency I remarked that from my observation thus far I judged there would be no difficulty in completing the draft for this State when ordered. He replied that he hoped not, but if there was to be resistance at all, "it might as well be here as anywhere."

I mention this to show you the temper of Governor Buckingham's mind in regard to supporting the Government "without if or and."

I am, colonel, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

D. D. PERKINS,

Acting Assistant Provost-Marshal-General.