754 



SLAVES. 



creased largely in numbers in all the Northern 

 states since the commencement of the war, 

 were about to be put upon a footing of equali- 

 ty. In Chicago, at a public meeting of the 

 workmen of the leading slaughter and packing 

 houses, the following preamble and resolution 

 were adopted: 



Whereas it has come to the knowledge of this meet- 

 ing that it is the intention of one or more of the lead- 

 ing packers of this town to bring negro labor into com- 

 petition with that of the white men, for the purpose of 

 reducing the wages of the latter to the lowest possible 

 standard : 



Resolved, That we, the packing-house men of the town 

 of South Chicago, pledge ourselves not to work for any 

 packer, under any consideration, who will, in any 

 manner, bring negro labor into competition with our 

 labor. 



In Brooklyn, N. Y., on the 4th of August, 

 a disturbance took place between Irish laborers 

 and negroes, in which the former demanded 

 that the latter should be discharged from the 

 tobacco manufactories. This was done. The 

 military on this occasion were called to aid the 

 police. It was stated that the facility with 

 which negroes gained employment at the navy 

 yard, custom house and other public places, in- 

 creased the ire of the assailants. Similar dis- 

 turbances took place at Cincinnati and Toledo, 

 Ohio, and New Albany, Indiana. 



The social position of the negro in all the 

 Northern or free States is similar to his position 

 in Ohio as described by the Senator from 

 that State in Congress Sherman in these 

 words : 



" The negro race is looked upon by the people of 

 Ohio as a class to be kept by themselves ; to be debar- 

 red of social intercourse with the whites ; to be deprived 

 of all advantages which they cannot enjoy in common 

 with their own class. They have always been deprived 

 of the elective franchise in this State ; and no party 

 among our citizens has ever contemplated that they 

 should be given that right of citizenship ; and, for 

 aught that appears to the contrary, the colored man in 

 Ohio will not, in all future time that he may remain an 

 inhabitant of the State, attain any material improve- 

 ment in the social or political rights over what he now 

 enjoys. Deprived of the advantages here enumerated, 

 it could not be expected that he should attain any 

 great advancement in social improvement. Generally, 

 the negro in Ohio is lazy, ignorant, and vicious. But 

 it is only fair to acknowledge that almost any race, in 

 similar circumstances, would be reduced to about the 

 same level. Deprived of liberty, social and political 

 rights, for centuries, it is unreasonable to expect an 

 improved state of society." 



The operations of the Federal forces within 

 slaveholding States necessarily released many 

 slaves from the restraints of their masters. The 

 mass of them took advantage of this circum- 

 stance to escape from servitude. Their presence 

 within the Federal lines led to the adoption of 

 various measures by the Commanding officers 

 and by the Federal Government relative to 

 them, all looking toward their ultimate freedom. 

 For the action of the Government on the sub- 

 ject of emancipation see UNITED STATES. 



In January the Marshal of the District of 

 Columbia was instructed by order of the Presi- 

 dent "not to receive into custody any persons 



claimed to be held to service or labor within 

 the District, or elsewhere, and not charged 

 with any crime or misdemeanor, unless upon 

 arrest or commitment, pursuant to law, as 

 fugitives from such service or labor, and not 

 to retain any such fugitives in custody, be- 

 yond a period of thirty days from their ar- 

 rest and commitment, unless by special order 

 from the civil authority. " The effect of this 

 order was to relieve from any fears of appre- 

 hension all the fugitives that had escaped to 

 the District from Virginia. Thousands of 

 slaves flocked to the District and were sustain- 

 ed throughout the year by rations furnished by 

 the Government. 



In ^ Missouri, General Halleck had, previous 

 to this time, issued an order that fugitive slaves 

 should not be permitted to enter the lines of 

 any camp, or any forces on the march. This 

 order occasioned much discussion, especially in 

 Congress, as it cut off an opportunity for escape 

 to thousands of slaves. It was explained by 

 Gen. Halleck in these words, "unauthorized 

 persons, black or white, free or slave, must be 

 kept out of our camps, unless we are willing to 

 publish to the enemy every thing we do, or in- 

 tend to do." 



In Arkansas, Gen. Curtis issued orders of im- 

 mediate emancipation under confiscation of a 

 number of slaves who had been at work for 

 the Confederate Government by the consent of 

 their masters. 



Similar orders were issued by Gen. Hunter, 

 under like circumstances in the Department of 

 South Carolina. These were extended until he 

 at length issued an order confiscating and 

 emancipating all the slaves in his military dis- 

 trict, embracing South Carolina, Georgia, and 

 Florida. This was countermanded by the 

 President. (See PUBLIC DOCUMENTS.) 



At Baton Eouge, in Louisiana, Brig.-Gen. 

 "Williams issued an order that, in consequence 

 of the demoralizing and disorganizing tenden- 

 cies to the troops of harboring runaway ne- 

 groes, the commanders should turn all such 

 fugitives beyond the limits of their respective 

 guards and sentinels. Col. Paine of this bri- 

 gade refused obedience and justified himself 

 by the following act of Congress : 



" Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa- 

 tives of the United States of America in Congress as- 

 sembled, That hereafter the following shall be promul- 

 gated as an additional article of war for the govern- 

 ment of the Army of the United States, and shall be 

 obeyed and observed as such : 



""ART. . All officers or persons in the military or 

 naval service of the United States are prohibited from 

 employing any of the forces under their respective 

 commands for the purpose of returning fugitives from 

 service or labor who may have escaped from any per- 

 son to whom such service or labor is claimed to be 

 due, and any officer who shall be found guilty, by a 

 court-martial, of violating this article shall be dismissed 

 from the service. 



" SEC. 2. And be it further enacted, That this act shall 

 take efi'ect from and after its passage." 



In North Carolina an appeal was made to 

 Gov. Stanley by some masters for the restora- 



