7¤><> Arrnumx. [L. s.] of our Lord one thousand eight hundred a.nd_sixty~four, and of the Independence of the United States the eighty-ninth. ABRAHAM LINCOLN. By the President: WILLIAM H. SEWARD, Secretary of State. No. 23. "Nov. 19, 1864. BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: A PROCLAMATION. Preamble. WHEREAS by my proclamation of the nineteenth of April, one thousand eight Vol. p. 1258. hundred and sixty-one, it was declared that the ports of certain states, including those of Norfolk, in the State of `Virginia, [and] Fernandina and Pensacola, in the State of Florida, were, for reasons therein set forth, intended to be placed under blockade; and whereas the said ports were subsequently blockaded accordingly, but having, for some time past, been in the military possession of the United States, it is deemed advisable that they should be opened to domestic and foreign commerce: Blockade of Now, therefore, he it known that I, ABRAHAM LINCOLN, President of the N°'f°1kiF”¤*m· United States, pursuant to the authority in me vested by the fifth section of the gllgkglg Eiusa" act of congress approved on the 18th of July, 1861, entitled “An act further to Cem that &c_ provide for the collection of duties on imports, and for other purposes," do hereby i declare that the blockade of the said ports of Norfolk, Fernaudina, and Pensacola shall so far cease and determine, from and after the first day of December next, that commercial intercourse with those ports, except as to persons, things, and information contraband of war, may, from that time, be carried on, subject to the laws of the United States, to the limitations, and in pursuance of the regulations which may be prescribed by the Secretary of the Treasury, and to such military and naval regulations as are now in force, or may hereafter be found necessary. In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand, and caused the seal of the United States to be affixed. Done at the city of Washington this nineteenth day of November, in the [L. s.] year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and sixty-four, and of the Independence of the United States the eighty-ninth. ABRAHAM LINCOLN. By the President: WILLIAM H. SEWAED, Secretary of State. No. 24. Dec 19, 1864. BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: A PROCLAMATION. Preamble- WHEREAS by the act approved July 4, 1864, entitled “An act further to 1864, ch. 237. regulate and provide for the enrolling and calling out the national forces, and Amei P- 379- for other purposes," it is provided that the President of the United States may, “ at his discretion, at any time hereafter, call for any number of men, as volunteers, for the respective terms of one, two, and three years, for military service," and “ that in case the quota, or any part thereof; of any town, township, ward of a city, precinct, or election district, or of any county not so subdivided, shall not be filled within the space of fifty days after such call, then the President shall immediately order a draft for one year to till such quota, or any part thereof} which may be unhlled ; " And whereas by the credits allowed in accordance with the act of Congress, on the call for five hundred thousand men, made July 18th, 1864, the number of men to be obtained under that call was reduced to two hundred and eighty
