The San Francisco call., 1896-06-19


was not issued until September q, 1852.
That was practi-
cally a notice to the 1he fFoetdDsdeaofS
States bearing arms OF
against the Govern Emancipation.
ment of the United
States that their slaves would be lost
10 them if these States failed to re-
turn to the Union. The second proc
lamation was issued January 1, 1863,
in which all persons held as slaves in the
designated States were declared to be free,
and the Government of the United States
was pledged to preserve their freedom.
The next step in this direction was the
passage in the House and Senate of the
thirteenth amendment to the constitution
prohibiting slavery in the United States.
This measure was adopted by the Senate
in April, 1864, and by the House in
January, 1865. All the Republicans in
Congress voted for it without exception,
and nearly all the Democrats voted against
it.
Abraham Lincoln was renominated for
President at the Union National Conven-
ton at Baltimore in 1864 by acclamation,
Andrew Johnson of Tennessee being made
Some time prior to this a convention hos
tile to Lincoln was held at Cleveland, Ohio,
at which John G. Fremont was nominated
for President and John Cochrane for Vice
President. The Cleveland convention
made several radical declarations. The
delegates adopted platform which called
for suppression of the rebellion without
COMPROMISE; declared for the election OF
President for one term only; and finally
advocated the confscation of the lands of
rebels and their distribution among the
soldiers and actual settlers.
General Fremont accepted the nomina-
ton but repudiated the platform and
attacked the Lincoln administration. A
mass-meeting was also held at New York,
the purpose of which appeared to some to
be the advocacy of General Grant as
Presidential candidate.
The Baltimore convention was called to
order by Governor Morgan of New York,
who advocated a constitutional amend
meut to abolish slavery. DR.. Robert T.
Breckinridge of Kentucky was the tenn
porary chairman, and Ex-Governor Denni-
son of Ohio was elected president.
The Government was pledged support in
carrying on the war. The determination
of the Government not to compromise
with the rebels nor to offer them any terms
of peace except such as may be based upon
an unconditional surrender of their hos
tility and a return to their just allegiance
to the constitution and laws of the United
States" was approved. The Government
was exhorted to use all its vigor and called
on for constitutional amendment which
shall terminate and forever prohibit the
existence of slavery within the limits or
jurisdiction of the United States.
President Lincoln was commended for
wisdom, patriotism and fidelity. There
were other declarations, among which was
one of particular interest to the Pacific
Coast, in favor of the speedy construction
of a Pacific railroad.
Abraham Lincoln received all the votes
of the convention with the exception of
twenty-five from Missouri, which were cast
for General Grant under instructions.
The Democrats met at Chicago. The
war measures of the administration were
denounced and emancipation was CEN
sured, while an armistlce was proposed.
The second resoI ution in the platform was
as follows:
ResoIued That this convention does explic-
lily declare, as the sense Of the Amencan
people, that after four
years of failure to re- E1nancipGtiOu
store the Union by the r.,....o5
experiment of war,
during which, un- oy democracy.
der the pretense of
a military necessity of a war power
higher than the constitution, the con-
stitution itself has been disregarded in
every part, and public liberty and life
alike trodden down and the material pros
perity of the country essentially impaired,
justice, humanity. liberty and the public well
fare demand that immediate efforts be made
for cessation of hostilities with the view to
an ultimate convention of all the States or
other peaceable means, to the end that at the
earliest practicable moment peace may be re-
stored on the bas is of the Federal union of the
States.
General George B. Mcclellan was nomi-
mated for President, and George H. PEN
dleton of Ohio for Vice-President. General
Mcclellan repudiated the platform. Gen
eral Fremont soon withdrew his candi-
dacy. The Union successes at Fort Nor
gan, Atlanta, and in Mobile Bay came at
this time, and the battles of Winchester,
Fishers Hill and Cedar Greek followed
closely.
with reverses in the field" said Presi-
dent Lincoln, ''the case is doubtful at the
polls. With victory in the field the elec-
ton will take care of itself.'
Twenty-Five States took part in the elec-
ton, of which General Mcclellan received
the electoral votes of only three. He car
ried only one free State-New Jersey-and
two slave States-Kentucky and Delaware
Maryland, Missouri and West Virginia
voted for Lincoln. The popular vote was
as follows: Lincoln, 2,213 665; Mcclellan,
1902, ,237. Lincoln had 212 electoral votes
against q cast for Mcclellan. The policy
of the administration was indorsed.
What Immediately followed is of general
knowledge. The armies of the South
surrendered. Abraham Lincoln was
assassinated not long after his second in
aguration. Andrew Johnson became
Presi ent by the
death of Lincoln. The
The Reconstruction Reconstruction
period" came. The Period
South dealt with
the negro question by passing laws.
which were met by laws passed by
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