The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1880-08-11
How the Slaves were Freed.


! 1t is surprising how large a num-
Der of persons there are who are un-
Informed as to how the freedom of
the slaves was brought about. 1t Is
probably not too much to assert that
not one in fifty can tell whether the
government ever paid for the liberia
ton of any of them or not. Slavery
in the Northern and I...s-prn States
was abolished by the people long be-
fore the war, and at the outbreak of
the rebellion was confined south of
Mason and Dixon's line Although
great deal was said concerning the
abolition of slavery during the early
stages of the rebellion, the first pos
tive step taken was the introduction
of bill in the Senate by Henry
| Wilson, of Massachusetts, which
provided for the abolition of slavery
in the District of Columbia, and the
payment to the masters from the
treasury of an average compensation
of three hundred dollars each for
the slaves thus Manumitted. This
bill passed both Houses, and on the
18th of April, 1862, was signed by
President Lincoln. Some of the curl
osities of the slaveholding system
were brought to light i'll the eXecu-
ton 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 Il
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 ior his wife.
The negro not only required pay
ment for her, but also for their half
dozen children-all his legal and
saleable chattles-and the claim
could not be disallowed, and it was
paid.
In March, 1862, Mr.. Arnold, of IL
linois, introduced a bill into Con-
gress, which finally passed in a mod
flied form, and became a law on
June 19. This bill forbade slavery
in any and all the Territories in the
United States.
About this time the President
proposed to Congress that the United
States cooperate with the States in
the adoption of a plan for the grad
ual abolition Of slavery by paying
for the inconvenience, both public
and private, produced by such
change of system Bills to this et-
feet were offered during the session
OF Congress, but owing to the hostil-
itv Of the Democrats and Border
State members, they all failed. At
! the next session, Dee -, 1862, Mr..
Henderson, in the Senate, and Mr.
NOEL, in the House, submitted bills
providing compensation at the rate
of $500 per slave, for the emancipa-
ton Of slaves in Missouri alone
Each encountered bitter opposition
from the Democrats and Border
State members. Mr.. Nocll's bill fin
ally passed the House. Mr.. Hen
derson's bill provided for a very
gradual emancipation, while the for
imer provided for an immediate
Over these two, gradual and imme-
diatc emancipation, many hot con
test was fought, the Democrats OPP
posing both, but inclining the scale
toward the former. and III this shape
It was passed by a vote Of 33 to Is.
On reaching tbs House it was refer
red to select committe which was
only enabled TO perfect it on the last
day of the session, March 3, 1863.
The House rctused-yeds 63, nays
57-to suspend the rules in favor of
It's immediate consideration, which
required two-thirds vote. And
thus perished the last effort to COM
pensatc the loyal States for the
emancipation of their slaves, the
| Democratic and Border State mem
bers resisting it in every shape, and
to the extent Of their power. On
June /, 1868, in accordance with the
previous declaration, President Lin
coin liberated, as 4 war measure, the
slaves of all the States then III rebel
( lion against the United States.
The measure which finally result
/ ed in the total abolition OF slavery
in the United States was first intro
duced into the Senate by Mr.. Hen
derson. Jan. II, 1864. 1t was refer
red to the Committee on Judiciary,
! and in another form was reported
back favorably, and was adopted by
the strong vote of IS to six But it
failed in the House, June -, by the
vote Of % to Sc, substantially" rs
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 a resolution for
an amendment to the constitution
and this they did, January 81, 1863,
and by the subsequent ratification
of more than two-thirds of the
States this amendments became q
part OF the organic law.