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"Some Satisfactory Way": Lincoln and Black Freedom in the District of Columbia Edna Greene Medford Howard University, [email protected]

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Howard University Digital Howard @ Howard University History Department Faculty Publications Department of History January 2009 "Some Satisfactory Way": Lincoln and Black Freedom in the District of Columbia Edna Greene Medford Howard University, [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: http://dh.howard.edu/hist_fac Part of the United States History Commons Recommended Citation Medford, Edna Greene, ""Some Satisfactory Way": Lincoln and Black Freedom in the District of Columbia" (2009). History Department Faculty Publications. Paper 58. http://dh.howard.edu/hist_fac/58 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Department of History at Digital Howard @ Howard University. It has been accepted for inclusion in History Department Faculty Publications by an authorized administrator of Digital Howard @ Howard University. For more information, please contact [email protected]. - ttd bdd al Ac cityof Wa 't?s4 n 'Iwlav, the AN ACT ... , . ?": \i /A<? 3Be it ettatftb ftenaie ami Home of Representative* the United State* of ofAmeric^in i ? t*T CAtvn: ? ft'< * *."c litt /flk4 noJtOj^< (l-wt^i 3& fell 4>\Jtsl*..Us{r(t'l /.4CU't~ t IX. &kAulMu>?.*.4J. C&1<1&. * ' ?nnH(f<( It^m^wx, '%4d-P$u '4^t*??iSL| to' "Some Satisfactory Way" Lincolnand BlackFreedom in theDistrict ofColumbia byEdna GreeneMedford OnApril 16, 1862, sixty-one-year-old of $800 for the "excellent carpenter and fair Nicholas became a freeman. Prior to blacksmith."1 But the three-man commis his emancipation, Nicholas had lived sion charged with reviewing such claims of as a a assessment and labored slave in the nations capital, fered painfully modest ofNicho men to a mere where free professed honor the princi las's worth; Hill received $21.90 for was more ples espoused in the Declaration of Indepen the loss of his slave.2 Yet that far as dence. Itwould take congressional action and than Nicholas himself received compensa concurrence to a the president's elevate Nich tion for lifetime of labor. As emancipated was to a olas and his fellow African Americans from "property," he entitled nothing but to was chattel humankind. Even then, his worth certificate of freedom?which he required more cents. and that of the than 3,000 other men, to purchase for 25 ex women, and children who gained their free The bill that brought about Nicholas's statute was dom by the measured in strictly traordinary legal transformation reached Pres economic terms. Nicholas's it owner, Maryland ident Abraham Lincoln three days after a was on resident Clement Hill, had claimed value passed by Congress. It then sat lifeless the president's desk for nearly two additional PresidentLincoln theDistrict Columbia signed of days.3 Orville Browning, Illinois senator and Act into law on 16, 1862, a Emancipation April long-time Lincoln friend, suggested motive more than3,000 enslaved in . me therebyfreeing people for the president's delay. "He told that the nations National Archives. not capital he would sign the bill beforeWednesday," wrote in on Browning his diary Monday, April Edna Greene Medford isAssociate Lyrofessorof 14: at History Howard University. ProfessorMed in a ford specializes the history of the nineteenth that old Gov Wickliffe [at the time century South, Civil War and Reconstruction. congressman from Kentucky] had two a servants were She is co-author ofThe Emancipation Proc family with him who sick lamation: Three Views. ly, and who would not be benefited by 5 6 WashingtonHistory 2009 not freedom, and wanted time to remove dent-elect that "Upon my word I have giv en a them, but would not get them out of the the subject thought."7 He had been famil in City untilWednesday, and that the Gov iarwith bondage the nations capital early to on in career it had come frankly him and asked for his political and had observed as a one-term Il time. He added tome that thiswas told firsthand congressman from in the strictest confidence.4 linois in the late 1840s. District slavery during was Lincoln's congressional years characterized While Lincoln delayed, anxious supporters primarily by domestic work and the usual la an and opponents lobbied the president. Charac bor associated with urban-based economy. own Americans in some teristically, he kept his counsel, refusing Enslaved African labored to reveal his decision to either group. When of the most prominent homes ofWashington into on as cham he signed the bill law themorning of City and Georgetown, housekeepers, a let April 16, he simultaneously submitted bermaids, seamstresses, body servants, cooks, them ter in which he expressed certain unrealized and launderers. Various businesses held in com to service as and semi-skilled laborers: as preferences but remained steadfast his skilled to mitment ending slavery in the city. "I have blacksmiths, bricklayers, carpenters, upholster not ers, and doubted the Constitutional authority of draymen, teamsters, waiters, porters. to in The areas of the Congress abolish slavery this District," outlying District?Washing ever to see ton where slaves he began, "and I have desired the County?supported farms, in in a manner consistent with the uti national Capital freed from the institution worked on tracts of some satisfactoryway."5 lization of unfree labor moderate on rest In the last few years, Lincoln's position land in the of the South.8 re of District slavery and abolition has been thoroughly Another key feature slavery one institution searched, but his boldness in issuing the Eman (and that characterized the inmost was the of hir cipation Proclamation of 1863 has under urban areas) practice most out. an owner leased standably received the attention. From ing Under this system, to to a or Lerone Bennett's observation that Lincoln was his slave the government, business, to a to a District residents and a white supremacist committed continu private individual. to as counties in ation of black bondage Allen Guelzo's slaveholders from neighboring a in this sertion that prudent and cautious Lincoln Maryland and Virginia engaged prac secured the freedom of the slaves, historians tice, which scattered the black population Scholars have and often families. have generated spirited debate.6 separated Nevertheless, some a certain directed far less attention to Lincoln's earlier, hiring out could afford slaves es of and the more conservative, plan of emancipation, degree independence opportunity as in to earn a little Slaves who were pecially reflected his support for freedom money. per mitted to hire their own time selected where in the nation's capital. A review of his ideas for se abolition in the District reveals a more com and forwhom theywould work and often the chal cured for with plex emancipator who struggled with lodging themselves, frequently as with free black households. were allowed lenges presented natural rights clashed Many as to to retain a small of their as what many perceived the right property portion earnings as an incentive behavior."9 Over the and which slaveholders claimed their legal for "good entitlement. course of years, they might accumulate suf to own As his letter accompanying the signed Dis ficient funds purchase their freedom, trict in owner Emancipation Bill revealed, slavery the if the consented. A degree of relative federal enclave had engaged Lincoln's think independence distinguished District slav ing for a while, his claim as from themore restrictive and good despite presi ery controlling Lincoln and Black Freedom in theDistrict ofColumbia 7 Washington, 1850. By mid-century,the majority ofAfrican Americans in theDistrict ofColumbia werefree. A few operated theirown businesses.Water color byMontgomery C. Meigs. Library ofCongress. environment endured by enslaved people in fairman," believed that he had the capacity for care to neighboring rural counties. taking of himself, "and "decided let [his same Despite these seeming advantages, enslaved owner] have the chance."11 people in the District of Columbia longed Fear of being sold away from family and overcame to for freedom, and when the desire friends prompted others flee the District. en them they took leave of their place of bond Abolition of the transatlantic trade made was case age. Such the with twenty-four-year slaved people in the Upper South especial owner old George, who stole away from his in ly valuable, given the market for labor in the so 1857, and, like many of his fellow bonds expanding Cotton Kingdom. Susan Stewart, a men and women, made his way to Canada. who had been "held to labor" by series of to a to run A "convert the doctrine that he had right owners, decided away upon learning man was cur to himself," the young had tried to pur that she about to be sold again. Her chase his freedom on five separate occasions, rent owner, a man of moderate means, "fol owner but his had refused his offers.10Similar lowed droving." His need formoney increased to a ly, thirty-one-year-old Randolph, anguished her chance of being added slave coffle des to no serve an by his bondage, resolved longer tined for the Deep South.12 Georges motiva owner master not owner. "without privileges." His did tion for flight had been the death of his use estate him harshly, Randolph admitted; his fail He feared that in settling the his young ure was that where slaves were concerned, he mistress would sell him, as she had his broth "didn't believe in freedom." For his part,Wil ers and a cousin the year before.13 owner liam, who considered his "a tolerable This domestic slave trade had always been 8 * WashingtonHistory 2009 " > -gK@S?aag.>.~^m?..^.y : ...^ rWm^^^H Wm&f^^M ^g^MS^FM ^^^^^ Hl^^g ^^^^^g Lincoln and Black Freedom in theDistrict ofColumbia 9 a a source a com topic of considerable interest and The Pearl incident further polarized over of great consternation.
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