all judges, magistrates, marshals,
and officers in the service of the United States to employ all their
lawful authority and power to prevent and defeat the aforesaid unlawful
proceedings and to arrest and bring to justice all persons who may be
engaged therein.

And, pursuant to the act of Congress in such case made and provided,
I do furthermore authorize and empower Major-General George G. Meade,
commander of the Military Division of the Atlantic, to employ the land
and naval forces of the United States and the militia thereof to arrest
and prevent the setting on foot and carrying on the expedition and
enterprise aforesaid.

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

[SEAL.]

Done at the city of Washington, this 6th day of June, A.D. 1866, and of
the Independence of the United States the ninetieth.

ANDREW JOHNSON.

By the President:
WILLIAM H. SEWARD,
_Secretary of State_.

BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.

A PROCLAMATION.

Whereas a war is existing in the Republic of Mexico, aggravated by
foreign military intervention; and

Whereas the United States, in accordance with their settled habits and
policy, are a neutral power in regard to the war which thus afflicts the
Republic of Mexico; and

Whereas it has become known that one of the belligerents in the said
war, namely, the Prince Maximilian, who asserts himself to be Emperor in
Mexico, has issued a decree in regard to the port of Matamoras and other
Mexican ports which are in the occupation and possession of another of
the said belligerents, namely, the United States of Mexico, which decree
is in the following words:

The port of Matamoras and all those of the northern frontier which have
withdrawn from their obedience to the Government are closed to foreign
and coasting traffic during such time as the empire of the law shall not
be therein reinstated.

ART. 2. Merchandise proceeding from the said ports, on arriving at any
other where the excise of the Empire is collected, shall pay the duties
on importation, introduction, and consumption, and, on satisfactory
proof of contravention, shall be irremissibly confiscated. Our minister
of the treasury is charged with the punctual execution of this decree.

Given at Mexico, the 9th of July, 1866.

And whereas the decree thus recited, by declaring a belligerent blockade
unsupported by comp