Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1865-02-02


The ouIminationl Of the snti-slavery
sentiment of The country in the resolution
passed on Tuesday to abolish slavery by
an amendment Of the Constitution, offers
good occasion to review, briefly the prog
ress of Freedom during the past four years
The rebellion began with slavery secured
in the slave states, and with disposition
on the part Of the people to guarantee
its existence there forever, if so be that
civil war might be sveried. But in vain.
The rebellion was insugurated and the
powerful pressure of circumstances has
gradually pushed slavery to the wall un-
I'll it has, at length, received the mortal
thrust. When slavery legislation ended
in rebellion, Anti-Slavery legislation be-
gan with the magnificent uprising of the
North. The following sre its steps:
L To prevent the rebels from using
their slaves as soldiers or employing them
in the erection of Notifications or working
them in any navy yard, dock, armory,
ship or iatrenchment, or in any military or
naval service whatever against the United
States, it was enscted, afIer long and
violent discussion, that such slaves should
be made free. The vote stood so to 4S. It
received the approval of the President on
the 9th Of August, 1861, and became law.
This was thought by many dangerous
step.
II. The next legislation was an enact
nnent disnnissing from the service all oficers
guilty of surrendering tugitives who fed
to our lines. The slsve-lords, with an.
audacity and impudenee entirely their
own, would make their way through Union
camps in pursuit Of their slaves, and fre-
quently fugitives would be returned. Hence
the necessity of legislation preventing it
The bill was discussed for several months,
but finally psssed and was approved by the
President on the l3thof March, 1862. The
bill was not at first satisfactory. Many
officers in high stations managed to evade
it. Hooker, McCook, Buell. and Hslleck
all received their share of condemnation
from such men as Sumner and Wade.
Further amendments to the bill we're not
made however. The bill passed over and
was not taken up again.
III. The next step was to abolish slave
~ in the District of Columbia. In 1901,
it was enacted that the laws of Virginia
and Maryland should continue in force
over the District of Columbia. Thus was
the national capital dishonered. The dom
ination of the slave States was too power
ful to enable men who felt the disgrace TO
remove the stain. Mr.. Wilson, of Massa-
chusetts introduced bill, December 10th,
1851, for the abolition of Slavery in the
national capital, which was debated with
much bitterness by the Pro-slsvery Sena-
tors, but finally passed on the third of April,
1852. On the tenth of April, 1862, the
House resolved itself into the Committee
of tho Whole and discussed the subject.
The bill was passed in a few days by vote
of 80 TO 3s, and was approved by the Pres
idsnt on the 10th of April, 1862, thus be-
coming law. By this bill 5000 slaves
were Immediately freed, slavery made i'm
possible in the national capital, and all
black laws repealed. There was great ex-
ultation among the bondmen in Washing
ton, and the nation rejoiced over the great
deliverance thus granted. AT least the
capital was forever freed from the pollution
Of slavery.
". A series of minor ensetments then
followed, all of which were evidences that
new era had dawned upon the nation.
Laws and ordinances in the District Of
Columbia which pressed with merciless
rigor on colored people, were abrogated,
and It was ordained that they should be
tried for the same offences, in the same
manner, and subject to the same punish
ments as white men. Congress also en-
acted that they should be allowed to testify
in the courts of the District In the cspi-
tai oolored people had been taxed to sup
port schools which their children were not
allowed to attend. Congress repealed the
unjust law and provided for the education
of colored children. The railways char
tsred by Congress were also forbidden to
exclude colored people from the cars.
V. The next important anti.slavery
measure, was the passage of the joint resO-
luton, recommended by special message
to Congress, that the United States ought
3 to cooperate with any State in the gradual
abolition of slavery, giving compensation
for 'inconvenisDces, public and private,
produced by such change of system" The
joint resolution was passed and received the
approval of the President on the 10th of
April 1862.
VI. Immediately upon these measures
followed the important one to make Free
dom national and Slavery sectional. A
bill was introduced in tho House
Of Representatives on the oath of March,
1852, preventing involuntary service, in
sll territories now existing or hereafter to
be acquired and, in all places obtained
"for the erection of forts, magazines,
dockyards, srsensls and other useful build
ingsi 8rd, in all vessels on the high seas
4th, in sll places where the National Coy
eminent is made supreme or has exclusive
jurisdiction or power The bill passed on
the 18th Of May 1862, in the House, by
vote of 50 to so, the democrats stubbornly
oOntending all the way. 1t passed in the
Senate on the eth of June and was ap-
proved by the President on the 18th of
June, 1862. This was great stop. The
great object Of the Republican party was