I have a Certificate of Release of Prisoner of War dated June 17, 1865.  Part of the printed certification is carefully ruled out.  Does anyone know the significance of the deletion?

I hereby Certify, That       (name)      Prisoner of War, having this day taken the Oath of Allegiance to the United States, as prescribed by the President in his proclamation of December 8th, 1863, is in conformity with instructions from the War Department, hereby released and discharged.

The bolded words are the words ruled out.  (My e-mail program won't let me rule them out.)


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