The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1911-12-26

the dictator Santa Anna dissolved in
1916. He fought the United States in
its war against Mexico and after peace
was declared turned against Santa
Anna. Finally Santa Anna regained
full power in Mexico and put Juarez in
prison and later sent him into exile.
In the revolution against Santa Anna
in 1855 he again took active part and
became minister of justice. After
many vicissitudes he issued NANTES
to and became president. He defeated
General Miramon's reactionary forces
in 1861 and was chosen constitutional
president by popular vote. In July the
Mexican congress suspended payment
Of foreign debts. which led to Euro
pean intervention and declaration of
war upon Juarez's government.
To Be Free or Not to Be Free.
On the 10th Senator Henry Wilson
of Massachusetts introduced a bill for
the emancipation of negro slaves in
the District of Columbia. The status
Of the negro between the army lines
and in the Federal camps was very I'M
certain and led to much controversy.
At the extra session Of congress
which closed in August, 1861, a confis-
cation bill had been passed providing
that negro slaves held by masters who
in any manner assisted the enemies of
the United States need not be returned
to such service when they escaped, as
the law of the land directed. Nothing
was said in the act as to the slaves
who ran away from masters claiming
to be loyal to the United States. The
section relating to slaves read as fol-
lows:
whenever any person claiming to be
entitled TO the service or labor of any
other person under the laws Of any
state shall employ such person in aid
ing or promoting any insurrection or
in resisting the laws Of the United
States or shall permit him to be so en-
ployed he shall forfeit all right to such
service or labor. and the person whose
labor or service is thus claimed shall
be thenceforth discharged therefrom,
any law to the contrary notwithstand-
ing"
There were generals in the Federal
army who issued proclamations ac
cordingly. General B. F. Butler de-
clared that the negroes were contra
band Of war. General Halleck in
structed his officers in Missouri to pre-
vent the negroes from coming from
the Confederate lines into the Federal
lines. His reason was that they acted
as spies. Negroes in confinement at
ST. Louis as runaways were discharged
by the order of the provost marshal.
The effect of the order was only to de-
liver them from confinement and sub
sequent sale upon the supposition that
they were slaves. General Halleck
stated that this order would not debar
any one from enforcing his legal rights
to the service Of the negroes. Such
rights. If any existed. would be enforc-
ed through the loyal civil tribunals of
the state. whose mandates would al
ways be respected by the military au-
thorities of the department. Military
officers cannot decide upon the rights
of property or claims to service except
as far as may be authorized by the
laws Of war or acts Of congress- When
not so authorized they would avoid all
interference with all such questions.
General Fremont. also in Missouri,
actually proclaimed the freedom Of the
slaves. On the other hand. the Confed-
crates kept on treating the slaves as
they had done before the war broke
out. They arrested negroes who ran
away from bondage whenever they
could get military or civil officer to
use force
To put an end to this in the District
of Columbia Senator Wilson of Massa-
chusetts offered his resolution looking
to the expediency Of abolishing slavery
in the District. This brought forth fruit,
and in April. 1862. slavery ended for
ever in the District Of Columbia. the
owners being compensated from the
national treasury. Lincoln was often
appealed to. but refused to interfere
except on the side of caution Thus
he rebuked Secretary Cameron for rec
Ommending emancipation in his official
report. This naturally gave offense to
the radical element. He also sustained
General Halleck in banishing slaves
from Federal camps and removed Cen
eral Fremont. who. had proclaimed
freedom for them. BY act and word
he showed that he favored compen-
sating the owners Of all slaves set free.
Others wanted confscation pure and
simple.
On the 18th the city Of Vera Cruz,
Mexico. surrendered to the European
invading forces. and the Spanish flag
again floated over the land Of Monte
yuma. Vera Cruz has the most impor-
tant seaport in Mexico. and the control
Of it is long step toward the mas
terry of the country. In this instance.
immediately after France. England
and Spain had decided to invade Mex
leo. the Spanish warships lying at Ha-