Tama County Republican. (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1867-1872, 1871-08-10
Record Of the Republican Party
In Behalf Of Liberty and
Equal Rights.

LYudI hlSut
A brief recapitulation of the vari
GUS measures enacted by the Repuh
lican party, during its ten years O
power, in behalf of the cause Of lib
erty and equal political and civi
rights to all men, without regard t,
race or color, will be matter OF use
full information to our readers at thi
time, and aid them in coming to
just and correct decision as to tn,
party they can the most safely trus
hereafter.
The first blow at the "Divine" IN
stitution of slavery was a bill, whlcl
became law in August, 1861, con
fiscating all property and setting fre,
all slaves used in aid OF the rebellion
January 25, 1862, law was pass
cd PROHIBITING the use OF the jails o
this District for the Imprisonment O
fugitive slaves.
The great measure cmancipatlns
the three thousand slaves OF thi.
District passed both Houses of Con
gress and was signed by the Presi
dent in April, 1862.
On the 18th OF March, 1862, I il
became law forbidding and punish
ing the return of fugitive slaves
coming into our lines, by naval and
military officers.
March 6, of the same year, the
President had recommended the pas.
sage of a joint resolution proposing
a co operation between the General
Government and the slave States for
the general abolition of slavery, on
the principle Of compensation to the
owners. During the month bill
covering this suggestion passed both
Houses, and was signed by the Pres
ident April 10.
The bill abolishing the long-exist-
ing, odlous distinctions in this Dis
trict against the colored people, such
as taxing them for the education OF
white children and denying them all
benefit from the tax, became a law
in May, 1862.
June 10Th, 1862. the President
signed a bill, which had passed both
Houses, prohibiting slavery forever
in all the Territories of the United
States.
June, 1862, law was enacted cs
diplomatic relations with
the republics OF Liberia and Hayti.
In July, of the same year, a law
was passed conierring upon colered
persons the right'to testify in courts
Of justice; also, prohibiting the inter-
State coastwise slave trade.
In July, 1862, bill became law
emancipating slaves coming within
our Zines whose masters were in re.
bellion and all slaves found in places
by our troops.
July I, 1862, President Lincoln
approved a bill Furnishing the inta.
nous practice Of using the American
flag for the protection Of vessels en-
ga sed in the slave trade. in open de-
lance, as had grown to be the prac-
lice, Of a plain constitutional provi-
sion. Under the provisions Of this
act one Gordon, captured while en-
gagged in the slave trade, was tried,
convicted, and executed.
July II, 1862, law was enacted
the enlistment and mill.
.ary organization OF colorcd men.
September %, 1862, President
issued proclamation de.
,laring that on the 1st of January
ensuing he should issue another pro-
claiming all persons free in such
States as might be named, Aud on
hat day the immortal declaration de-
,laring all slaves forever tree in Ar
kansas, Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi,
Alabama, Florida, North and South
Corollna, and Virginia was Issued.
March, 1868, law was enacted in
an institution tor the ed
acation of colored youths, to be To-
Gated in this District, from which has
grown up the Howard University.
A law was enacted in February,
1864, enrolling all colored men,
whether slaves or not, into the ma
lional forces, allowing loyal masters
! bounty Of $500 for their slaves
reduced to 800 bounty.
But this was wholly repealed in
1867.
On the 18th OF June, 1864, a bill
became a law placing colored SOL
iiers on footing of equality in all
respects with white soldiers.
June %, 1864, a bill was signed
the infamous Democratic
law.
In 1864 law was passed allowing
colored men to contract for carrying
The mails.
The year before the act was passed
prohibiting all distinctions on ac-
count OF race or color in the public
OF this District.
The law creating the Freedmen's
Bureau was passed early in the year
1865.
January q, 1865, the famous thir-
.eenth amendment to the Constitu-
ion, which had previously been ap-
proved by tho Senate, passed the
House OF Representatives, forever
slavery in the United
States.
During this year acts were passed
the various measures en-
acted by the Southern States under
Johnson's rule, designed to re-estab
ish slavery in another torn, author
zing the disglacetul apprenticeship
system, the law IN regard 10 vagran-
~, and authorizing the whipping Of
negroes.
The same year a law was passed
abolishing the system of peonage
slavery in New Mexico.
In December, 1865, resolution
passed both Houses of Congress ap.
pointing the joint Committee on Re
construction, to whom was referred