Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1880-05-19
How the Slaves Were Freed.

How the Slaves Were Freed.
1t is surprising how large number of
persons there are who are uniformed
as to how the freedom of the slaves was
brought about. It is probably not too
much to assert that not one in fifty can
tell whether the Government ever paid
for the liberation of any of them or not.
Slavery in the Northern and Eastern
States was abolished by the people long
before the war, and at the outbreak of
the Rebellion was confined south of the
Mason and Dixon line. Although a
great deal was said concerning the abo-
litlon OF slavery during the early stages
OF the Rebellion, the first positive step
taken was the introduction of bill in
the Senate by Henry Wilson, of Massa-
chusetts, for the abolition of slavery in
the District of Columbia, and the pay
ment to the masters from the treasury
OF an average compensation of $500 each
for the slaves thus mentioned. This bill
passed both houses, and on the 18th of
April, 1862, was signed by President
Lincoln. Some of the curiosities of the
slaveholding system were brought to
light in the execution of this law; for
example While it had long been usual
for white men to sell their parti-colored
children, there was no known precedent
OF a Like occurrence among the blacks,
but United States Treasurer Spinner was
waited upon by negro of the District
who had been liberated, but had bought
and paid for his slave-wife The negro
not only required payment for her, but
also for their half-dozen children-all his
legal and salable chattels-and the claim
could not be disallowed. and was paid
In March, 1862, Mr.. Arnold, of Hi
nois, introduced bill into Congress,
which finally passed in modified form
and became law on June 10. This bill
forbade slavery in any and all the Terri
tories in the United States.
About this time the President pro-
posed to Congress that the United States
cooperate with the States in the adop-
ton of plan for the gradual abolition
of slavery, by paying them for the in
convenience, both public and private,
produced by such change of system.
Bills to this effect were offered during
the session of Congress, but owing to
the hostility of the Democrats and Bor-
der State members they all failed. At
the next session, Dec. 10, 1862, Mr..
Henderson, IN the Senate, and Mr..
NOEL, in the House, submitted bills pro-
viding compensation, at the rate of $500
per slave, for the emancipation of slaves
in Missouri alone. Each encountered a
bitter opposition from the Democrats
and Border State members. Mr.. Noell's
derson's bill provided only for a very
gradual emancipation, while the former
provided for an Immediate. Over these
two, gradual and immediate emanci-
patton, many hot contest was fought,
the Democrats opposing both, but in
Ginning the scale toward the former, and
in this shape it was passed by vote of
% to Is. On reaching the House it was
referred to select committee, which was
only enabled to perfect it on the last day
of the session, March 3, 1868. The House
refused, yeas So, nays 81, to suspend the
| rules in favor of it's immediate consider
alton, which required a two-thirds vote.
And thus persisted the last effort to COM
| pensate the loyal States for the emanci-
patton of their slaves, the Democrats
and Border State members resisting it in
every shape, and to the extent of their
power. On June 1, 1868, in accordance
to his previous declaration, President
Lincoln liberated, as a war measure, the
slaves of all the States or parts of States
then in rebellion against the United
States.
The measure which finally resulted in
the total abolition of slavery in the Unit
ed States was first introduced into the
Senate by Mr.. Henderson Jan. II, 1864.
It was referred to the Committee on Ju-
| dietary, and in another form was report
ed back favorably, and was adopted in
that branch by the strong vote of 38 to
g. But it failed in the House, June Is,
by the vote of IS to 66, substantially, :"
as Horace Greeley says, though not
absolutely, through party division. :"
In his next message the President urged
the House to concur with the Senate in
adopting resolution for an amendment
to the constitution, and, this they did
Jan. 81, 1865, and by the subsequent
ratification of N ore than two-thirds the
States, this amendment became part
Of the organic law.--Chicago Inter