 |
| By Original uploader was Dr.frog at en.wikipedia - Transferred from en.wikipedia, Public Domain,Link |
The lyrics for "The
Star Spangled Banner" were written by
Francis Scott Keyin a poem called "In
Defense of Fort M'Henry" on September
14, 1814. The poem was set to the tune of a British song written by
John Stafford Smith. It was officially made the national anthem in
1931.
Black men fought for both sides. The
Britsh promised freedom to those who chose to fight with them. "All
told, more than 4000 people were freed from slavery – the largest
emancipation that took place in the U.S. until the Civil War."
Source:
Black sailors and Soldiers in the War of 1812, PBS, Link
War of 1812
There were some Americans
among them but they were mostly French creoles and one band had in
its formation something that was curiously pathetic. It was composed
of free men of color, who had gathered to defend the land which kept
the men of their race in slavery; who were to shed their blood for
the Flag that symbolized to their kind not freedom but bondage; who
were to die bravely as freemen only that their brethren might live on
ignobly as slaves. Surely there was never a stranger instance than
this of the irony of fate. (Source:The Naval War of 1812: The History
of the United States Navy During the Last War with Great Britain, to
which is Appended an Account of the Battle of New Orleans, Volume 2,
Theodore Roosevelt, G. P. Putnam's sons, 1882, pp 206-207)
Article I
There shall be a firm and
universal peace between His Britannic Majesty and the United States
and between their respective countries, territories, cities, towns,
and people of every degree without exception of places or persons.
All hostilities both by sea and land shall cease as soon as this
treaty shall have been ratified by both parties as hereinafter
mentioned. All territory places and possessions whatsoever taken by
either party from the other during the war or which may be taken
after the signing of this treaty, excepting only the islands
hereinafter mentioned, shall be restored without delay and without
causing any destruction or carrying away any of the artillery or
other public property originally captured in said forts or places and
which shall remain therein upon the exchange of the ratifications of
this treaty or any slaves or other private property. And all archives
records deeds and papers either of a public nature or belonging to
private persons which in the course of the war may have fallen into
the hands of the officers of either party shall be as far as may be
practicable forthwith restored and delivered to the proper
authorities and persons to whom they respectively belong. Such of the
islands in the Bay of Passamaquoddy as are claimed by both parties
shall remain in the possession of the party in whose occupation they
may be at the time of the exchange of the ratifications of this
treaty until the decision respecting the title to the said islands
shall have been made in conformity with the fourth article of this
treaty. No disposition made by this treaty as to such possession of
the islands and territories claimed by both parties shall in any
manner whatever be construed to affect the right of either.
(Source:The Pictorial Field-book of the War of 1812: Or,
Illustrations, by Pen and ..., Benson John Lossing, p 1071
Article X
Whereas the traffic in
slaves is irreconcilable with the principles of humanity and justice
and whereas both His Majesty and the United States are desirous of
continuing their efforts to promote its entire abolition it is hereby
agreed that both the contracting parties shall use their best
endeavors to accomplish so desirable an object (Source: Old South
Leaflets, Issue 212, Directors of the Old South Work, 1818, p.8)
"The Senate finally
voted to ratify the treaty and it was published to the world. Then
the opposition opened upon it their heaviest batteries of abuse. The
chief targets for their shot were its provisions for the payment of
honest debts contracted before the Revolution and the omission to
provide for the remuneration of slaveholders for their negroes
carried away during that war. As the Constitution of the United
States and the public sentiment and judicial decisions of Great
Britain did not recognize man as property, the claim relating to
slaves in the old treaty was passed over." (Source:The
Pictorial Field-book of the War of 1812, Benson John Lossing,p. 87)
Article V the contracting
parties agreed to refer to arbitration the question whether under
Article I of the Treaty of Ghent American slaveholders were entitled
to compensation for slaves carried off by the British forces. The
Emperor of Russia was chosen arbitrator but the commission appointed
under his award in 1822 could not agree. This unsavory question was
finally laid at rest by a special convention of November 13, 1826, by
which the British government paid the United States $1,204,960 in
complete satisfaction of its claim. ((Source: Old South Leaflets,
Issue 212, Directors of the Old South Work, 1818, p. 18)
No comments:
Post a Comment