History of the Negro Race in America from 1619 to 1880. Vol. 2

History of the Negro Race in
America from
by George
Washington Williams

The Project Gutenberg EBook of History of the Negro Race in America
from
1619 to 1880. Vol. 2 (of 2), by George Washington Williams This
eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with almost no
restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it
under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included with this
eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org
Title: History of the Negro Race in America from 1619 to 1880. Vol. 2
(of 2) Negroes as Slaves, as Soldiers, and as Citizens
Author: George Washington Williams
Release Date: June 18, 2007 [EBook #21851]
Language: English
Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1
*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK HISTORY
OF THE NEGRO RACE ***

Produced by Mark C. Orton, Richard J. Shiffer and the Online
Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net

[Transcriber's Note: Every effort has been made to replicate this text as
faithfully as possible, including obsolete and variant spellings and other
inconsistencies. Text that has been changed to correct an obvious error
is noted at the end of this ebook.]

HISTORY
OF THE
NEGRO RACE IN AMERICA
FROM 1619 TO 1880.
NEGROES AS SLAVES, AS SOLDIERS, AND AS CITIZENS
TOGETHER WITH
A PRELIMINARY CONSIDERATION OF THE UNITY OF THE
HUMAN FAMILY, AN HISTORICAL SKETCH OF AFRICA, AND
AN ACCOUNT OF THE NEGRO GOVERNMENTS OF SIERRA
LEONE AND LIBERIA.
BY
GEORGE W. WILLIAMS,
FIRST COLORED MEMBER OF THE OHIO LEGISLATURE, AND
LATE JUDGE ADVOCATE OF THE GRAND ARMY OF THE
REPUBLIC OF OHIO, ETC.
IN TWO VOLUMES.
VOLUME II.
1800 TO 1880.

NEW YORK G. P. PUTNAM'S SONS, 27 AND 29 WEST 23D
STREET.
1883.

COPYRIGHT,
BY G. P. PUTNAM'S SONS,
1882

NOTE.
This second volume brings the HISTORY OF THE NEGRO RACE IN
AMERICA from 1800 down to 1880. It consists of six parts and
twenty-nine chapters. Few memories can cover this eventful period of
American history. Commencing its career with the Republic, slavery
grew with its growth and strengthened with its strength. The dark
spectre kept pace and company with liberty until separated by the
sword. Beginning with the struggle for restriction or extension of
slavery, I have striven to record, in the spirit of honest and impartial
historical inquiry, all the events of this period belonging properly to my
subject. The development and decay of anti-slavery sentiment at the
South; the pious efforts of the good Quakers to ameliorate the condition
of the slaves; the service of Negroes as soldiers and sailors; the
anti-slavery agitation movement; the insurrections of slaves; the
national legislation on the slavery question; the John Brown movement;
the war for the Union; the valorous conduct of Negro soldiers; the
emancipation proclamations; the reconstruction of the late Confederate
States; the errors of reconstruction; the results of emancipation; vital,
prison, labor, educational, financial, and social statistics; the
exodus--cause and effect; and a sober prophecy of the future,--are all
faithfully recorded.
After seven years I am loath to part with the saddest task ever

committed to human hands! I have tracked my bleeding countrymen
through the widely scattered documents of American history; I have
listened to their groans, their clanking chains, and melting prayers, until
the woes of a race and the agonies of centuries seem to crowd upon my
soul as a bitter reality. Many pages of this history have been blistered
with my tears; and, although having lived but a little more than a
generation, my mind feels as if it were cycles old.
The long spectral hand on the clock of American history points to the
completion of the second decade since the American slave became an
American citizen. How wondrous have been his strides, how
marvellous his achievements! Twenty years ago we were in the midst
of a great war for the extinction of slavery; in this anniversary week I
complete my task, record the results of that struggle. I modestly strive
to lift the Negro race to its pedestal in American history. I raise this
post to indicate the progress of humanity; to instruct the present, to
inform the future. I commit this work to the considerate judgment of
my fellow-citizens of every race, "with malice toward none, and charity
for all."
GEO. W. WILLIAMS.
HOFFMAN HOUSE, NEW YORK CITY, Dec. 28, 1882.

CONTENTS.
Part 4.
CONSERVATIVE ERA--NEGROES IN THE ARMY AND NAVY.
CHAPTER I.
RESTRICTION AND EXTENSION. 1800-1825.
PAGE
Commencement of the Nineteenth Century.--Slave Population of

1800.--Memorial presented to Congress calling Attention to the
Slave-trade to the Coast of Guinea.--Georgia cedes the Territory lying
West of her to become a State.--Ohio adopts a State
Constitution.--William Henry Harrison appointed Governor of the
Territory of Indiana.--An Act of Congress prohibiting the Importation
of Slaves into the United States or Territories.--Slave Population