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 November 11, 2025 Kentucky Department for Libraries and Archives Office of the Governor, Thomas E. Bramlette: Governor's Official Correspondence File, Proclamations, 1863-1865 KYR-0001-001-0010 BR1-369

Frankfort, Franklin County, Kentucky Frankfort, Franklin County, Kentucky 1865-07-19 Proclamation/Legislation English Version 1 of page "2": Changes to page transcript. Version 1 of page "1": Changes to page transcript. Version 0 of page "2": Empty transcript -- probably initial upload of page facsimile. Version 0 of page "1": Empty transcript -- probably initial upload of page facsimile.
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PROCLAMATION.

Commonwealth of Kentucky, EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT. Frankfort, Ky., July 19th, 1865. To the Officers of Elections:

The purity of the elective franchise can only be preserved by a faithful enforcement of the laws governing the same. For their enforcement the officers will be held responsible.

Every free white male citizen, 21 years of age, who has resided in Kentucky two years, and whose residence has been in the district where he offers to vote for 60 days next preceding the election; and each white male citizen who, not having two years residence in the State, but has resided one year in the county, and sixty days in the precinct where he offers to vote, next preceding the election, is entitled to vote; provided he has not expatriated himself and lost the elective franchise by coming within the provisions of the following act:

CHAPTER 509. AN ACT to amend chapter 15 of the Revised Statutes, entitled "Citizens, Expatriation, and Aliens."

§ 1. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Kentucky, That any citizen of this State who shall enter into the service of the so-called Confederate States, in either a civil or military capacity, or into the service of the so-called Provisional Government of Kentucky, in either a civil or military capacity, or having heretofore entered such service of either the Confederate States or Provisional Government, shall continue in such service after this act takes effect, or shall take up or continue in arms against the military forces of the United States or the State of Kentucky, or shall give voluntary aid and assistance to those in arms against said forces, shall be deemed to have expatriated himself, and shall no longer be a citizen of Kentucky; nor shall he again be a citizen, except by permission of the Legislature, by a general or special statute.

§ 2. That whenever a person attempts, or is called on, to exercise any of the constitutional or legal rights and privileges belonging only to citizens of Kentucky, he may be required to negative, on oath, the expatriation provided in the first section of this act; and upon his failure or refusal to do so, shall not be permitted to exercise any such right or privilege.

§ 3. This act to be of force in thirty days from and after its passage.

All persons challenged as coming within the provisions of this law, should be required to take the following oath, prescribed by my predecessor, and which is in conformity with the law:

OATH.

"You do solemnly swear that you have not, since the 10th day of April, 1862, been in the service of the so-called 'Confederate States,' or in the 'Provisional Government of Kentucky,' in either a civil or militarycapacity, and that you have not given, directly or indirectly, VOLUNTARY AID AND ASSISTANCE TO THOSE IN ARMS AGAINST THE GOVERNMENT OF THE UNITED STATES OR THE STATE OF KENTUCKY, or those who were intending to join the armed forces of the so-called 'Confederate States,'and that you will bear true and faithful allegiance to said Governments of the United States and State of Kentucky, so help you GOD."

Absence from the place of residence in the service of the country, or from any other cause, where no intention existed to change the residence, will not exclude from voting, if present at the election precinct where his residence is, on the day of election.

Absence without any purpose of changing the residence, keeps the residence of such person in his voting precinct.

Loyal men throughout the State are requested to report to the Governor any disregard of the expatriation law, either upon the part of officers or citizens; giving the names of the offenders -- that they may be proceeded against for such violation. The officer who shall fail to discharge his duty, as prescribed by law, or the citizen who, not being entitled to vote, shall do so in violation of law, should be promptly reported, that the proper steps may be taken for his punishment. These plain words are spoken, that none may act upon the supposition that they will be permitted, with impunity, to disregard the laws made to guard and protect the purity of the elective franchise, or override the lawfully established sovereignty of the people.

The military authorities will assist the civil officers in the enforcement of these instructions, if any attempt be made to violate them, upon application to the officer nearest in command.

THOS. E. BRAMLETTE, Governor.

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Proclamation Elections issued 19th July 1865