emancipation

[Lat. emancipatio, from emancipatus, pa. par. of emancipo to emancipate (q.v.).] I. Ordinary Language: 1. The act of setting free or releasing from slavery, bondage, or servitude; a restoring to freedom or liberty. 2. The state of being emancipated, freed, or released from any bond or restraint. "Obstinacy in opinions holds the dogmatist in the chains of error, without hope of emancipation . " - Glanvill : Scep sis Scientific a , ch. xxiii. 3. The act of freeing, releasing, or delivering from any bond, restraint, or controlling power or influ ence. II. Scots Law : The setting free or liberation of a child from parental authority. Emancipation Proclamation : American History : The proclamation i ued by President Abraham Lincoln, declaring the negro slaves within the boundaries of the United States free. There were two documents of this nature i ued by the President, one (the preliminary) being given to the public on Sept. 22, 1862, the provisions of which were to take effect on Jan. 1, 1863. On this latter date, the succe of the Union arms seeming to warrant such a course, he i ued the final proclamation, in which he designated ten states or parts of states as being in a state of rebellion against the Union, and decreed that in the territory so designated slavery was forever abolished. Although there had been a tacit acquiescence to this proposition, it was not until two years had pa ed that Congre gave its a ent to a measure to put the matter before the country. To this end, on Jan. 31, 1865, two months before the collapse of the Confederacy, Congre by joint resolution pa ed the thirteenth amendment, and ordered that it be submitted to the states for ratification. Before the end of the year twenty seven out of thirty-six states-more than the required two-thirds-had ratified the amendment, and negro slavery was a thing of the past in America. Roman Catholic Emancipation Act : Eng . Law & Hist .: The Act 10 George IV., c. 7, which obtained the royal signature on April 13, 1829, and removed the most galling of the Roman Catholic disabilities; so that they felt all the joy of slaves emancipated from bondage; hence the popular name of the act. (ROMAN CATHOLICISM.] ě-măn-çi-pā-tion-Ist, s . [ Eng.emancipation ; -ist .) An advocate for the emancipation of slaves. ě-măn-çi-pāt-ör, ě-măn-çi-pāt-er, s. [Lat.] One who emancipates; an emancipationist. "Let us review and refute the sophisms of both; and first of the emancipators."-Merits of the Catholics, ., p. 358.