The Washington herald., 1915-01-31
CIVIL WAR DAY BY DAY, FIFTY YEARS AGO


| the States, came as a climax to .
series of anti-slavery measures ex-
/ tending over the four years in which
the war had progressed. Two years
before, January l, 1858. the Emanci-
patton Proclamation of Lincoln had
the Confederate States. Earlier acts
of Congress had abolished 1t in the
Territories and the District of Co
! lumbia.
There remained then only the loyal
| border States, which had not been
affected by the terms OF the Emanci-
patton Proclamation. Anxious that
slavery should be exterminated in
/ those States, Lincoln and other mem
bers of the Federal government had
made attempts to arrange for eman-
| cipation with compensation for the
slaveholders. This plan had not sue
ceeded; but the tremendous strides
which constructive anti-slavery SEN
timent was making led eventually TO
the passage OF the Constitutional amend
ment.
II was at this stage of affairs, when
things seemed to be moving slowly
yet surely toward the desired end,
that Lincoln took care to handls the
great proposition cautiously. I'VE ars
like whalers, he said one day to
| Gov Morgan of New York, who have
l
got the harpoon into the monster, but
we must now look how we steer. or
with one flop of his tail he will send
US all into eternity"
| The ThIrteenth Amendment.
| nation Of emancipation, in December
| 1858. two members Of the House of Rep.
I resentatives. ]. NJ. Ashley Of Ohio. and
| James F. Wilson, OF Iowa, introduced
| Joint resolutions proposing to the varioui
| States Constitutional amendment abol.
| ishing slavery. The bills were referred
| to committee and for some weeks laJ
dormant Yet they were instrumental in
fstarting the ball rolling.
The awakening had seemingly come
| The Senate took the matter UP. and both
| John B. Henderson and Charles Sum.
ner proposed amendments. The situation
developed. The Senate committee evolved
proposed amendment which was pre-
sented on February, 1854. II read:
Article XIII.
Section 1-Neither slavery nor IN
voluntary servitude, except as pun
ishment for crime whereof the party
shall have been duly convicted, shall
exist within the United States. or
any place subject to their jurisdic-
ton.
Section 2-Congress shall have DOW
pirate legislation.
The Senate being strongly Republican
| the measure was adopted and sent alons
to the House. There. in May It wa,
killed by a vote OF ninety-three yeas tc
| sixty-five nays, twenty-three absent OF
not voting. Four Democrats, Moses F
Odell and John A. GriswoId, Of New
York; Joseph Baily, OF Pennsylvania
and Ezra WHEELER. of Wisconsin, voted
with the Republicans in favor OF the
resolution. Representative Ashley, OF
Ohio, Immediately changed his vote tc
nay in order that he might ask a re-
consideration OF the resolution at som1
| other time.
Thus matters went on for seyers!
months. The anti-slavery feeling in
erased. At the Republican national con.
vention at Baltimore IN June, at which
Lincoln was renominated for President
the question Of Constitutional amend.
ment was brought to the fore at Lin
coins suggestion. II became one OF the
issues Of the campaign.
"The Voice of the People,
In the fall elections Lincoln swept the
country and the Republicans gained more
than three-fourths Of the House Of Rep
resentatives. When the new Congress
should open in March. 1865. the passage
of the resolution was assured.
But the business was not to lag until
; then. Lincoln. in his annual message of
December, asked Congress to pass the
resolution. He pointed out that though
the Republicans were not yet in control.
they would be at the next session, and
asked the present members to hear "the
voice OF the people" and act accordingly.
Representative Ashley announced that
he was going to ask a reconsideration of
the Senate resolution. and on January s.
1865, he opened debate upon II. All that
month the issue hung fire. The RepubH-
cans lined up in favor Of the resolution.
the Democrats generally against It. But
their ranks were weakening. Some OF
the members spoke in favor Of the meas
ure.
Fifty years ago today the long debate
was drawing to a close and II was ap-
parent that the morrow would see the
final action.
The issue was decided in the afternoon
Of the S1st of January, 1865" wrote Nico-
lay and Hay. THE scene was one of
unusual interest. The galleries were filed
TO overfiowing: the members watched the
proceedings with unconcealed solicitude.
"At o'clock the House came to a final
vote, and the roll call showed-yeas, 119;
nays, IS; not voting. s. Scattering mur-
murs of applause had followed the an
nouncement of affirmative votes from
several Of the Democratic members (sev-
enteen in all, including the four who had
voted for II the previous time). This
was renewed when by direction Of the
Speaker the clerk called his name and he
voted aye.
Cheers for Great Event.
But when the Speaker finally an
nounced, The Constitutional majority Of
two-thirds having voted in the affirm
ative, the joint resolution Is passed the
announcement was received by the House
and by the spectators with an outburst
OF enthusiasm.
The members of the Republican side
of the House instantly sprung to their
feet, and. regardless of parliamentary
rules. applauded with cheers and clap
ping OF hands. The example was fol-
lowed by male spectators in the gal
leries, which were crowded to excess.
who waved their hats and cheered loud
and long, while the ladies, hundreds OF
whom were present, rose IN their seats
and waved their handkerchiefs, partici-
pating in and adding to the general ex-
citement and intense interest Of the
scene This lasted for several minutes
"Tn honor of this immortal and sub
lime event., cried Ebon c. Ingersoll. OF
Illinois, I move that the House do now
adjourn, and against the objection Of
Maryland Democrat the motion was
carried by a yea and nay vote
A salvo OF 100 guns gave news to the
people OF Washington Of the passage Of
the resolution. Newspaper correspon-
dant. aapf IopR talegraphfc dfsDatchas