Ever heard of the Twenty-Negro Law? This obscure law decreed that by 1865, slaves could only be transported as cargo on southern railroads if they were packed like sardines.
This might not sound like a lot – after all, we’ve seen crazy laws before but the “twenty-negro law” had some racist effects and has long been a source of bitterness for many white southerners.
The answer is here for, why did the “twenty-negro law” enrage many white southerners during the civil war?
The “twenty-negro law” was approved in 1864 by President Lincoln. The South was angry because it meant that slaves couldn’t be transported as cargo on southern railroads under any circumstances.
This was the first step towards the Emancipation Proclamation, which actually freed all slaves in Confederate territory. Southerners reacted with rage, and many southern newspapers ran furious editorials about the “twenty-negro law.”
One Alabama newspaper blamed Lincoln for “travesty, wrong, oppression, and injustice so deep, so profound, so cruel.
Here are some points discussed about Twenty Nergo Law-
1. How did Lincoln get the idea to pass this law?
After the Emancipation Proclamation, President Lincoln wanted to ensure that freed slaves could get food, clothing, housing and other necessities so they didn’t starve.
He passed the “twenty-negro law” which decreed that “only ships carrying food and other supplies for the use of the newly emancipated slaves in rebel territory will be allowed to land in any port of the United States.”
The South was furious with this because it meant that slaves were not allowed to be transported as cargo on southern railroads unless they were packed like sardines.
2. Why did the “twenty-negro law” enrage so many white southerners?
The “twenty-negro law” was the first step towards the Emancipation Proclamation, which technically freed all slaves in Confederate territory. Southerners reacted with rage and many southern newspapers ran furious editorials about the “twenty-negro law.”
One Alabama newspaper blamed Lincoln for “travesty, wrong, oppression, and injustice so deep, so profound, so cruel.” After all Lincoln was a Republican who had freed all slaves in rebel states.
3. Did the “twenty-negro law” work?
To some extent, but it seems to be that even when it was in operation, the “twenty-negro law” did little to protect slaves. One article in a southern newspaper said “It is a farce and imposture. It does not reduce nor will it reduce one negro from the South. No, sir! Not one.”
4. How did the “twenty-negro law” affect the health of slaves?
One reason that southern whites were angry with the “twenty-negro law” was that it interfered with the slave trade, which used profits from slave trading to build steam ships and expand southern railroads.
This meant that it took longer to move slaves from one place to another. The “twenty-negro law” also reduced profits for those who sold food and supplies for slaves, because those supply companies weren’t allowed to transport those supplies on southern railroads under any circumstances.
5. Did southerners try to defy the law?
Yes. Many southerners bought steam ships and used those instead of southern railroads to transport slaves.
Some also tried to evade the “twenty-negro law” by transferring cargo from northbound trains onto southbound trains, and vice versa.
But these tactics were sometimes discovered and made it harder to transport slaves and even punish those who defied the law, because it meant that there were fewer southern railroads available for ordinary passengers and businesspeople during wartime.
6. How much did this law cost the South?
A lot. The “twenty-negro law” took valuable resources from the South when it needed them most. The southern economy was struggling because of the war, and this made it all the more difficult to transport food and supplies for slaves in a timely manner.
Some in the south complained that this was a ploy by Lincoln to bankrupt them in order to force them to end slavery. And in some ways, their claim has merit.
The southern economy suffered after the war (this whole article is about the cost of this law to southerners), and because slavery was still very profitable, it seems like Lincoln wanted to make it more expensive for slave owners.
7. Is there a modern-day equivalent to the “twenty-negro law”?
Some say that a similar law should be passed to ensure that grain shipped from Canada to the United States during a time of drought doesn’t overstocked the market, because “too much food will create inflation”.
But America’s current anti-discrimination laws should be enough. We should be able to ship grain from Canada as cargo, and once those ships unload their grain, the grain doesn’t have to be removed from the ships and stored somewhere.
