OTD 165 YEARS AGO: Fearing Maryland’s potential secession after the Confederate victory at Bull Run, Federals use military force to prevent the Maryland legislature from approving anti-Union legislation.
Tag: U.S. Constitution
Ex Parte Merryman
OTD 165 YEARS AGO: Pennsylvania militia arrest a Maryland farmer in his Maryland home for suspected secessionist activity. This provokes a controversial legal dispute between the president and the U.S. chief justice and leads to ongoing violations of civil liberties during the war.
To Redress Wrongs Already Long Enough Endured
OTD 165 YEARS AGO: President Lincoln issues a proclamation calling on 75,000 volunteers to join their state militias to help force the Confederate states back into the Union. He also calls for a special session of Congress to assemble on July 4 in an effort to unite northern Republicans and Democrats against the Confederacy.
The Thirteenth Amendment: The Vote
The U.S. House of Representatives passes a constitutional amendment permanently abolishing slavery in America. This significant legislation marked the first constitutional restriction on individual rights, solidifying emancipation.
The Thirteenth Amendment: Debate Begins
The U.S. House of Representatives opens debate on a constitutional amendment abolishing slavery that had been defeated last year. Supporters highlight moral imperatives, while opponents raise concerns about implications for states’ rights.
The Vallandigham Affair Continues
Exiled Copperhead Clement L. Vallandigham is nominated to run for governor of Ohio, and President Abraham Lincoln issues a response to those protesting his banishment of Vallandigham out of the U.S.