en blockaded; but as the blockade of the same ports may now be
safely relaxed with advantage to the interests of commerce:

Now, therefore, be it known that I, Abraham Lincoln, President of the
United States, pursuant to the authority in me vested by the fifth
section of the act of Congress approved on the 13th of July last,
entitled "An act further to provide for the collection of duties on
imports, and for other purposes," do hereby declare that the blockade of
the said ports of Beaufort, Port Royal, and New Orleans shall so far
cease and determine, from and after the 1st day of June 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 and to the limitations and in
pursuance of the regulations which are prescribed by the Secretary of
the Treasury in his order of this date, which is appended to this
proclamation.

In witness 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 12th day of May, A.D. 1862, and of
the Independence of the United States the eighty-sixth.

ABRAHAM LINCOLN.

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

REGULATIONS RELATING TO TRADE WITH PORTS OPENED BY PROCLAMATION.

Treasury Department, _May 12, 1862_.

1. To vessels clearing from foreign ports and destined to ports opened
by the proclamation of the President of the United States of this date,
namely, Beaufort, in North Carolina; Port Royal, in South Carolina, and
New Orleans, in Louisiana, licenses will be granted by consuls of the
United States upon satisfactory evidence that the vessels so licensed
will convey no persons, property, or information contraband of war
either to or from the said ports, which licenses shall be exhibited to
the collector of the port to which said vessels may be respectively
bound immediately on arrival, and, if required, to any officer in charge
of the blockade; and on leaving either of said ports every vessel will
be required to have a clearance from the collector of the customs,
according to law, showing no violation of the conditions of the license.
Any violation of said conditions will involve the forfeiture and
condemnation of the vessel and cargo and the exclusion of all parties
concerned from any further privilege of entering the United States
duri