Port
Royal, in the State of South Carolina, and New Orleans, in the State of
Louisiana, were, for reasons therein set forth, intended to be placed
under blockade; and whereas the said ports of Beaufort, Port Royal, and
New Orleans have since been 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 first 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.

Done at the city of Washington, this twelfth day of May, in the year of
our Lord one thousand eight hundred and sixty-two, and of the independence
of the United States the eighty-sixth.

A. LINCOLN.

By the President: WILLIAM H. SEWARD, Secretary of State.

THE PAPERS AND WRITINGS OF ABRAHAM LINCOLN

VOLUME SIX

CONSTITUTIONAL EDITION

By Abraham Lincoln

Edited by Arthur Brooks Lapsley

THE WRITINGS OF A. LINCOLN, Volume Six, 1862-1863

1862

RECOMMENDATION OF NAVAL OFFICERS

MESSAGE TO CONGRESS.

WASHINGTON, D.C., May 14, 1862.

TO SENATE AND HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES:

The third section of the "Act further to promote the efficiency of the
Navy," approved 21st of December, 1861, provides:

"That the President of the United States by and with the advice and
consent of the Senate, shall have the authority to detail from the retired
list of the navy for the command of squadrons and single ships such
officers as he may believe that the good of the service requires to be
thus placed in command; and such officers may, if upon the recommendation
of the President of the Un