Go down, Abraham, away down in Dixie’s land,
Tell Jeff. Davis to let my people go.
Now God is with Grant, and he’ll surely whip Lee;
For the Proclamation says that the niggers must be free:
Go down, Abraham, away down in Dixie’s land,
Tell Jeff. Davis to let my people go.”
Thus ended the last night of slavery in the contraband camp at Washington.
The morning of Jan. 1, 1863, was anxiously looked for by the friends of freedom throughout the United States; and, during the entire day, the telegraph offices in the various places were beset by crowds, waiting to hear the news from the Nation’s capital. Late in the day the following proclamation made its appearance:—
Washington, Jan. 1, 1863.—I Abraham Lincoln, President of the United States of America, do issue this my Proclamation:—
Whereas, On the 22d day of September, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, a proclamation was issued by the President of the United States, containing, among other things, the following, to wit:—