Collection of Fifty-Two Manuscript Newark City Council Resolutions on the Civil War

52 folded and docketed uniform manuscript resolutions, mostly 4to, typically written on one side and docketed on the back, includes a contemporary cover sheet that originally held resolutions together, two small pictures of Lincoln and Grant included, housed in modern photo album. A few with folds at the top and minor chips, normal aging and browning; overall in very good condition. These resolutions were passed by the Public Aid Committee, which was created by the Newark City Council, at the beginning of the Civil War, to advance money to soldiers' families. These resolutions would then be given to a clerk for filing. This clerk seems to have had strong anti war or Copperhead sympathies, and gradually began editorializing as he wrote out the docketing on the back of each folded document. He titled the 31 March 1862 resolution, "For aid to families... in the war to abolish slavery." On 2 September it was "the war for the ruin of the country." On 26 November, it became "the Negro War," and 2 December it says, "the Army of Abm. Lincoln to subjugate the Southern States." This obscure city clerk took things a step further after the Emancipation Proclamation. On 4 February 1863, he titled a resolution, "In aid of families of volunteers... in the Nigger War!" He must have been spoken to after this remark, because he drifts into sarcasm rather than outright racism. In a later resolution, he states, "for the benefit of our coloured fellow citizens of African decent." However, by 14 September 1863, he was back to his old tricks, again referring to "Lincoln's nigger war." He continued his editorializing through June 1864. These docketed resolutons were found in the included wrapper, on which a a Union soldier later wrote: "The name (if it can be found out) of the miserable traitor who booked the within resolutions should go down in posterity as one who should receive the contempt of loyal men." The name of that Union soldier appears to be Major W. W. Morris.