Whereas by an act of Congress entitled "An act to admit the States of
North Carolina, South Carolina, Louisiana, Georgia, Alabama, and Florida
to representation in Congress," passed the 25th day of June, 1868,
it is declared that it is made the duty of the President, within ten
days after receiving official information of the ratification by the
legislature of either of said States of a proposed amendment to the
Constitution known as article fourteen, to issue a proclamation
announcing that fact; and
Whereas on the 18th day of July, 1868, a letter was received by the
President, which letter, being addressed to the President, bears date of
July 15, 1868, and was transmitted by and under the name of R.K. Scott,
who therein writes himself governor of South Carolina, in which letter
was inclosed and received at the same time by the President a paper
purporting to be a resolution of the senate and house of representatives
of the general assembly of the State of South Carolina ratifying the
said proposed amendment, and also purporting to have passed the two said
houses, respectively, on the 7th and 9th of July, 1868, and to have been
approved by the said R.K. Scott, as governor of said State, on the 15th
of July, 1868, which circumstances are attested by the signatures of
D.T. Corbin, as president _pro tempore_ of the senate, and of F.J.
Moses, jr., as speaker of the house of representatives of said State,
and of the said R.K. Scott, as governor:
Now, therefore, be it known that I, Andrew Johnson, President of the
United States of America, in compliance with and execution of the act of
Congress aforesaid, do issue this my proclamation, announcing the fact
of the ratification of the said amendment by the legislature of the
State of South Carolina in the manner hereinbefore set forth.
In testimony whereof I have signed these presents with my hand and have
caused the seal of the United States to be hereto affixed.
[SEAL.]
Done at the city of Washington, this 18th day of July, A.D. 1868, and
of the Independence of the United States of America the ninety-third.