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From the Baltimore South.] Know all men by these presents, that I, John A. Dix (no relation to the rebel "Dix-ie,") knowing the feeling excited in the breasts of our brave Union army by the combination of colors, known as red, white and red, are by no means agreeable, do hereby, by virtue of the authority vested in me, by his majesty, Abraham the First, require and command all police officers of the city of Baltimore, in the pay of his majesty's government, to suppress and cause to disappear all substances, whether in the heavens above, or in the earth beneath, or in the waters under the earth, bearing the said combination of rebel colors. All babies, having red and white stockings on, will be sent to Fort Lafayette. All houses built of red brick and white mortar, must be removed, or painted red, white and blue, in alternate stripes. All watermelons must be painted blue on the rind; and all mint candy and barber's poles so colored are forbidden. All red and white cows are required to change their spots or take the oath of allegiance. Red and white variegated flowers must be altered to include blue. All white persons having red hair and moustaches or whiskers, are hereby warned to have one or the other dyed blue. No sunrises or sunsets which exhibit such combinations will be permitted, on the pain of suppression. Persons are forbidden to drink red and white wines alternately. His majesty is, however, graciously pleased to make an exception in favor of red noses, these last being greatly in vogue among the Federal officers, and additional luster having been recently been shed upon such noses, by one of my former predecessors in this command. Done at the Baltimore Bastile [sic], this, 4th day of September, the first year of Abraham's glorious and peaceful reign. [Signed]
(MEMPHIS DAILY APPEAL [MEMPHIS, TN], September 19, 1861, p. 2, c. 5)
Sounds very much like an editorial invention, Bobbie. Does the proclamation appear anywhere else?
ole
__________________ I never knew a man who wished to be himself a slave. Consider if you know any good thing that no man desires for himself. A. Lincoln
Concur with you Ole. I wouldn't be surprised if that proclamation was widely circulated. In those days, newspapers frequently copied articles or editorials verbatim from other papers. Learned that in Vincennes and saw evidence of it myself when I came across the same article on the War of 1812 several times.
Ole and Gary,
I haven't seen this note nowhere else. Indeed, it seems to be an invention, nevertheless I find it quite amusing.
I don't really know much about John Dix- maybe he used to announce some odd proclamations and as a result some southern newspapers made fun of him?
That's likely it, Bobbie: a spoof. General Dix would likely have been a Lieutenant in Wyoming if he had actually referred to the Commander in Chief as Abraham the First.
And it was funny. Never saw it before. Thanks for posting it.
ole
__________________ I never knew a man who wished to be himself a slave. Consider if you know any good thing that no man desires for himself. A. Lincoln
John A Dix in the thread, I think was the one who served a Treasury Sec. for Buchanan and later a union Gen. He was given the command of the Dept of the East by Sept. of 1861.
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An Insolent Proclamation from Gen. Dix 
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