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ON THIS DAY IN HISTORY:July 17, 1862 Over unanimous Democrat opposition, Republican Congress passes Confiscation Act stating that slaves of the Confederacy “shall be forever free”Led by Illinois Representative Owen Lovejoy and Illinois Senator Lyman Trumbull (pictured here), members of both houses of Congress began exploring options to strengthen the First Confiscation Act as early as December 1861. On June 28, the Senate approved An Act to suppress Insurrection, to punish Treason and Rebellion, to seize and confiscate the Property of Rebels, and for other Purposes., more commonly known as the Confiscation Act of 1862, and later the Second Confiscation Act https://archive.nytimes.com/opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/07/16/congress-confiscates-confederates-slaves/