communications. What next? If possible, I would be very glad of another
movement early enough to give us some benefit from the fact of the enemy's
communication being broken; but neither for this reason nor any other do
I wish anything done in desperation or rashness. An early movement would
also help to supersede the bad moral effect of there certain, which is
said to be considerably injurious. Have you already in your mind a plan
wholly or partially formed? If you have, prosecute it without interference
from me. If you have not, please inform me, so that I, incompetent as I
may be, can try and assist in the formation of some plan for the army.

Yours as ever,

A. LINCOLN.

DRAFTING OF ALIENS

PROCLAMATION CONCERNING ALIENS,

MAY 8, 1863.

BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA:

A Proclamation

Whereas the Congress of the United States, at its last session, enacted a
law entitled "An act for enrolling and calling out the national forces and
for other purposes," which was approved on the 3d day of March last; and

Whereas it is recited in the said act that there now exists in the United
States an insurrection and rebellion against the authority thereof, and
it is, under the Constitution of the United States, the duty of the
government to suppress insurrection and rebellion, to guarantee to
each State a republican form of government, and to preserve the public
tranquillity; and

Whereas for these high purposes a military force is indispensable, to
raise and support which all persons Ought willingly to contribute; and

Whereas no service can be more praiseworthy and honorable than that which
is rendered for the maintenance of the Constitution and the Union, and the
consequent preservation of free government; and

Whereas, for the reasons thus recited, it was enacted by the said statute
that all able-bodied male citizens of the United States, and persons of
foreign birth who shall have declared on oath their intention to become
citizens under and in pursuance of the laws thereof, between the ages of
twenty and forty-five years (with certain exceptions not necessary to be
here mentioned), are declared to constitute the national forces, and shall
be liable to perform military duty in the service of the United States
when called out by the President for that purpose; and

Whereas it is claimed by and in behalf of persons of foreign birth within
the ages specified in said act, who have heretof