The Hocking sentinel. [volume] (Logan, Ohio) 1871-1906, 1885-05-28
EMANCIPATION DAY.
CELEBRATING FREEDOMS DAWN -FOa
THE coLoRED RACE,

CELEBRATING FREEDOMS DAWN -Foa
THE coLoRED RACE,
When Three Thousand BLACKS were Set
story Of How the. government
Purchased Their Sianum;ssion.
WASHINGTON. The twenty third
anniversary OF tine sign.ng by President Lin
coin of the act emencipatirg the slaves of
Tie District of Columbia is observed as a
gala day among the co,ored people here.
Some OF them recognize it as the anniver-
sary OF their personal emancipation from
slavery, while all of them honor the day as
TINT On which the first note Of freedom for
the race was sounded.
Twenty three years ago was signed the act
Of congress which authorized the purchase
and manumiss ssion of all the 5000 in the Dis
trict of Columbia. There are some among
the hundred Thousand taking part in the cel-
ebration to whom this act personally applied,
who were made free by it. They are the
only ones whose freedom was purchased di-
rect by the government, though the millions
Of money and the saes of blood poured ont
before the end of the great struggle which
followed were much more than would have
been required TO follow the same method in
al cases Every rar as this date the event
is celebrated by th- coiored people. Twenty
three years is long time, and to many The
history of the events being celebrated is
so1newhat indistinct. 1t is interesting to re-
cGn it.
For thirty years prior to the wnr, by petit
lions and motions the anti slavery sentiment
Of the country had been appealing to con-
gress to wipe out the stain Of slavery from
the national capital. At times it seems as if
the anti-slavery movement had crystali1ed
into purposes to effect this much, at least,
and the fierce parliamentary battles which
ensued during these years, over the right of
petition. were for the most part provoked by
the petitions praying for the abolition of
slavery in the district. On the 10th of De-
cember, 1862, Mr.. Henry Wilson introduced
= bill Eberating all persons of African
descent held to service in the District of Co
lumbia, and prohibiting slavery or involun-
tary servitude in the district except as pun
khmenf for. crime The bill also provided
Tor a commission to appraise the value of the
Aaves liberated, but limited their allowance
VI sAkc Oe5dt5 " di dfAOuuL e4udA W S0CV /
Per slave. One million of dollars was appro-
priated to meet the expenses under this act !
A provision was also inserted appropriating
elOO, 600 to colonizing such of the slaves as
desired to enigrate to Hayh or Liberia,
1t an expense not to exceed 800 for each
person emigRting. The debate on this bill
was long and animated.
The bill passed the senate April s, 1862,
and when taken up in the house the next
week gave rise to brief debate. It was
passed, and received the signature of Presi-
dent Lincoln on April 16, 1862. The act pro-
vided for the appointment of three commits
ioners, who were to hear and determine the |
claims Of shareholders for compensation. In
pursuance of this act President Lincoln ap-
pointed Mr.. Daniel r. Goodloe, a citizen Of |
the district, and still a resident, as tine repre-
sentative Of the ''black republicans" as the |
president subsequently remarked He also |
appointed Hon. Samuel +. Vinton, an ex-
member of congress from Ohio. who repre-
sented tine old whig party. On May II, a |
few days after his appointment, Mr.. Vinton |
suddenly died, and DR.. John n. Brodhead, |
who was then and subsequently, second comp |
trpller OF the treasury, was appointed In his
llkce. Col. James G. Berret, a representa- |
tive democrat, was appointed as the third |
member OF the commission, but declined, I
and Hon Horatio King, who was postmaster |
general under President Buchanan, was APP |
pointed.
Mr.. VIM. R. Woodward, who was then as |
now me1nber Of the district bar, was ap- |
pointed clerk. and the district marshal |
appointed Joseph F. Kelley as his deputy to
act with the commission and execute process.
Henry Olive was the messenger. The slave
holders were required to present their petit
tions setting forth the names, ages and esti-
mated value of the Slaves with the nature of
the title by which they were held. They
were required to swear to the petitions and
to take and subscribe what is known as the
s,iron-clad oath" of allegiance and non-par-
tcipation in the rebellion; but these oatlls
were not to be received by the commission
ers as conclusive proof of the facts sworn to.
They were required to invite AMI receive tes-
6mony in regard to the loyalty of ths claim
ants, the validity OF their titles, aal to ths
va.ue Of the slaves The commission en-
ploycd an expert, Mr.. B. N. Campbell, of l
Baltimore, who had been an extensive dealer
In slaves It was agreed that he should fix the
value Of slaves on the basis Of prices that pre-
vailed prior to 1860, and as the rate per cap
ita had been fixed by law not to exceed $500
In the aggregate, only the relative value was
determined.
By ftis plan the aprreoats vaIue Of fta |
2 no slaves y,assed en lv the comm;ss;,n |
reached 60 nm nm which however wac
scoled +, "a SO rer cent IF fine es.imated
v.IDa in 1seo Hence q ,l.ve valned Inv fine
e~,,ort =. =, foo brouoht uudar tha act sass
The meeting of .he conmission were held in
t,s ROOM, Of ts,a c;tv b..j n,w tnou,, nc tbs
ola cv;,,,;,,., r.1,,rt ro,,,,, Thora tho rl,;n,-
80 ....--,;.t, tl,o;. ,,.,,,,.. - ss",-.e
t,.,o ,-.s .lw.vS an ;nterest.l er,o,,, ~
-. H. C.,,,,,,,,u .s-.,,,;,,ssa -,
.i.,,a ,,r;t,, ,.s.ro,,c, =. o,re ho.,th os,,,,o
-, r.. n. ,.,o,,,, s,,,,s.;,,,oS -, tto,.. -
80, - IL ~ s.,;-.t .a 49,.
81. T. ..S,sS;s,.s - - :. 80;
Soe.. - ss.'..s Lea,ts. - oa,. -. ....-
s,s - s.,aa,,,;,,as. Tho ,a1:t
.,s.,,,,,s,,a,. =. t1,a Co.. West
s-.-.o. VS,,,..- - .,,.-,,, ,;,e., 80.
<,s ~,,;,.,s - 90, s11 = TIa h;,.h
- ..;l s., a,-, =. =, s-ss a,,d e.
slaves were deemed valueless. and nothing
manned in session abosis nine months, AMI I
they dlsburSed $yl4, Va. 10, including the pay