Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1911-12-26

the dictator Santa Anna dissolved In
1886. 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 q manifes-
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 a 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 un-
CCIIdlh anu leu " COulIONeES1-
At the extra session of congress
which closed in August. 1861. 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 instruction or
in resisting the laws Of the United
States or shall permit him to be so EN-
| ployed he shall forfeit all right 10 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 proclamStions &C
cordingly. General B. +. 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 al
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
seouent sale upon the supposition thai
they were slaves. General Halleci
stated that this order would not debal
any one from enforcing his legal right:
to the service of the negroes. Suct
rights. II 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 excep
as far as may be authorized by thu
laws Of war or acts OF congress. whel
not so authorized they would avoid al
Interference with all such questions
General Fremont. also in Missouri
actually proclaimed the freedom of tn
slaves On the other hand. the Confed
crates kept on treating the slaves a
they had done before the war brol
out They arrested negroes who raj
away from bondage whenever the.
could get a military or civil officer t
! use force.
To put an end to this in the Distric
OF Columbia Senator Wilson of Masss
, chusetts offered his resolution lookin
to the expediency Of abolishing SLAYER
In the District This brought forth fruit
and In April. 1862, slavery ended fol
' ever in the District Of Columbia. th
' owners being compensated from tn
national treasury. Lincoln was ofte
!, appealed to. but refused TO interior
except on the side of caution. Thu
> he rebuksd Secretary Cameron for re-
: ommending emancipation In his oficis
report. This naturally gave ofrense (
. the radical element he also sustaine
General Halleck IN banishinR slave
from Federal camps and removed Ger
eral Fremont. who had proclaime
freedom for them. By act and wor
: he showed that he favored compeI
sating the owners Of all slaves set fire,
Others wanted conhscation pure an
simple.
On the 18th the city Of Vera Cru
: Mexico. surrendered to the Europea
invading forces. and the Spanish de
: again noated over the land of Mont
!. yuma. Vera Cruz has the most impo
tant seaport in Mexico. and the contr,
Of IT IL a long step toward the ma
terry OF the country. In this instanc
y Immediately after France. EngIan
> and Spain had decided to invade Me.
q leo. the Spanish varShips lying at n,
q vans started for Vera Cruz bent upo
Il seizing that city. and II fell.
a saber and BayOnet Fight In ii
e Open.
e Soon after noon on Dec. II a ba
e talon OF Texas rangers galloped IN