The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1871-08-07
Record of the Repubiie"" Party In "e'
I..Irot Liberty and Equal Rights.
New National Ira,

n L.
RIGHTS to all men, without regard to race or
color. will be matter of useful information
to our readers at this time, and aid them in
coming TO a just and correct decision as to the
party they can The most safely trust heleaf-
ter.
The first blow at the "Diyine" institution
OF slavery vas bill, which became a law in
august: 1861, confiscatng all property and |
setting free all slaves used in aid OF the re- /
belliol |
January %, 1862, ailaw was passed prohib- |
iting the use of the jas of this District for
the imprisonment OF fugitive slaves.
The great measure emancipatiDg the three
thousand slaves of this District passed both
Houses of Congress aud was signed by the
President in April, 1862
On the 18th of March, 1862, a bill became
/ law forb dding and Furnishing the return OF
fugitive slaves, coming into our lines, by ma
val and military officers
March +, of the same year, the PRESIDENT
| had recommended the passage OF JOINT res0-
| luton proposing a cooperation between the
| General Government aud the slave States for
| the general abolition OF slavery, on the prln-
| ciple of compensation to the owners. Dur
| ing the month bill covering this suggestion
| passed both Houses, and was signed by the
| President April 10.
| The bill abolishing the long existing, Odious
| distinctions in this District against the col
| ored people, such as taxing them for the edu-
| cation of white children and denying them
all benefit of the tax, became law in May,
| 1862.
June 10Th, 1862 ne President signed bill,
which had passed both. Houses, prohibiting
| slavery forever in all the Territories OF the
| United States.
June, 1862; a law was enacted establishing
| diplomatic relations with the republics of Ii
IBERIA and Hayli.
In July, of the same year, a law was passed
comforting upon colored persons the right to
| testify in courts OF justace; also, prohibiting
the interstate coast slave trade.
In July 1862, a bill became law enamel
pating slaves coming within our lines whose
| masters mare N rebellion and all slaves found
| in places captured by our troops.
July 7, 1862, President Lincoln approved a
| bill Furnishing the infamous practice of using
the American flag for the protection of YES
| sells engaged in the slave trade, in open de-
| fiance, as had grown 10 be the practice, of a
| plain constitutional provision. Under the
provisions of this act one Gordon, captured
while engaged in the slave trade, was tried
| convicted, and executed.
July H., 1862, law was enacted author
| ling the enlistment aud military organiza-
| ton of colored men.
| September %, 1862, President Lincoln is
sued a proclamation declaring that on the 1st
of January ensuing he should issue another
| prOclaiming all persons free in such States as
might be named. And on that day the inn
mortal declaration all staoes forerer free in
Arkansas Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Ala
bama, FiA5da, North and South Carolina, and
| Virginia was issued.
March, 1868, a law was enacted incorporat-
ing an institution for the education of colored
youths, to be located in this District, from
which has grown up the Howard University.
A law was enacted in February, 1864, en-
rolling all colOred men, whether slaves or not
into the national forces, allowing loyal tmas-
| tiers bounty of $500 for their sIaves-after-
wards reduced to 500 bounty. But this was
wholly repealed in 1867.
On the 18th of June, 1854, a bill became a
law placing colored soldiers on footing of
| equality in all respects with white soldiers.
June %, 1854. a bill was signed repeating
the infamous Democratic fugitive-slave law.
In 1854 law was passed allowing colored
men to contract for carrying the mails.
The year1beforet the act was passed prohib-
itlng all distinctions on account of race or
color in the public conveyances of this Dis
trict.
The law creating the Freedmen's Bureau
was pas sed early in the year 1865.
January 81 1865, the famous thirteenth
l
previously been approved by the Senate, pass
ed the House OF Representatives, forever abol-
isbing slavery in the United STATES.
| During this year acts were passed repeal
ing the various measures enacted by the
Southern States under Johnson's rule, de-
signed to re-establsh slavery in another form
authorizing the disgxaceful apprenticeship
system, the law in regard to vagrancy, and
authorizing the whipping of negroes.
l. The same year law was passed ahOliShino
the system OF peonage slavery in New Mexi-
CO.
In December, 1865, a resolution passed both
HOUSES OF Congress appointing the joint Com
mittee on Reconstruction, to whom was re-
ferred the credentials of all persons claiming
seats from JOhhson's reconstructed Stats
and all measures in regard to reconstruction
February rs, 1856, an act was passed de
| claring that none of the rebel States were en-
titled to representation i'm Congress until
Congress shall have declared such tight.
In April, 1866, the civil rights bill, which
johnson had vetoed, became law by receiv-
ing the necessary two-thirds majority.
June Ii, 1866, the fourteenth amendment
was passed, making all persons born OR natu-
rallzed I'D the United States, citizens, prohb
ting the States from passing any law which
shall abridoe the annuitieS or privileges OF
such citizens, defining who shall be Senators
or Representatives, protecting the civil rigNs
of all citizens, declaring that the validity OF
the public debt shall never be questioned, and
prohibiting the United States and the several
States from ever assuming or paying the rebel
debt, and rendering it illegal and void.
In December, 1869, Congress passed over
Johnson's veto an act establishing universal
suffrage in this District
In January, 1867, a bill was passed declar-
| ing that within no Territory of the United
States should suffrage be denied on account
OF race, color or former condition.
| In February, 1867, the fifteenth amendment
securing to colorad men the right of suffrage,
| aud forever prohibiting its withdrawal, passed
both branches of Congress.
| In March, 1862 a law was passed striking
the word phite from all the ordinances of
this District, destroying all discrimination
against colored men in such laws or ordi-
| nanceS. ~ ..spt. .s.
In May, 1870, the bill known as the enforce
ment act became a law, its object being to
| protect colored men in all the rights TO which
| other citizens are entitled.
In April, 1871, Congress passed what is
known as the Ku-Klux act, giving the Presi-
dent power to protect the loyal people of the
south against organized bands of assassins,
ana rendering the people of acounty or city
under certain conditions, responsible for the
damages done therein by these outlaws.
| oucb, briefly, are the leading measures
adopted by Republican Congress, and sane
TONED and sustained by the Republican par-
W, Tor securing to the colored people of the
nation the boon of liberty and the right of
equal American citizenship.
AS "companion-piece" to this long list of
acts IN the interest of justice and humanity,
we ought, perhaps, to publish the record Of
tne Demacratic party in behalf of slavery,
wrong and outrage