The Liberator, perhaps the most famous anti-slavery publication in American history, had been founded in January 1831 under the editorship of William Lloyd Garrison.  Thirty-five years later, with the abolition of slavery won, Garrison announced in his final column that the paper would be closed. The Nation, still publishing today, is considered to be its successor.  (By John Osborne)  

On the one hundred and seventh anniversary of the poet's birth, "Burns Night" was celebrated across the United States, as well as many other parts of the world. Robert Burns died in 1796 and the annual commemoration was instituted in Scotland in 1802. As in all other "Burns Nights," the gatherings of 1866 ended with the singing of "Auld Lang Syne." (By John Osborne)

Meeting in Boston, the thirty-first annual meeting of the Massachusetts Anti-Slavery Society heard William Lloyd Garrison propose that the work was done and that the society should be dissolved.  Wendell Phillips led a successful challenge to this proposal and a new slate of society officials was elected and installed to continue efforts for racial equality.  (By John Osborne)

The Unionist-controlled Maryland Legislature had earlier passed a sweeping Registration Law which disenfranchised many former Confederates and their supporters. Democratic opposition to the law was unanimous and an "Anti-Registration Convention" was held at the Temperance Temple in Baltimore, Montgomery Blair in the chair. Resolutions supporting President Johnson's reconstruction policy and against the "odious and oppressive law" were passed and sent to the Legislature.  (By John Osborne)

An evening fire in Dunkirk, New York demolished a long row of wooden buildings on Third Street, including a building housing German immigrants.  Four bodies, believed to be of immigrants, were found in the ruins.  (By John Osborne) 

The New Jersey legislature, with its new Republican majority, finally ratified the Thirteenth Amendment to the Constitution of the United States, more than a month after it had been declared law.  The earlier Democrat-controlled body had rejected the measure on March 16, 1865.  The vote in the state senate was 13 to 8 in the affirmative.  (By John Osborne) 

Aboard the Havana and Vera Cruz Company steamship Manhattan, moored at a New York City pier but preparing to sail that evening, a stoker was shot and fatally wounded.  Disgruntled stokers had attacked the ship's second mate Henry Curwin who defended himself with a revolver and shot 24-year-old Irish-born Martin Daley in the head.  Daley soon died at the City Hospital and Curwin was arrested.  (By John Osborne) 

A massive snowstorm struck the Portland region of Oregon as deep winter weather affected the entire north-west United States. In Idaho, many roads were impassable and the temperature in Boise was recorded at 22 degrees below.  (By John Osborne) 

As cold weather continued in the region, the Niagara River above the Falls in New York was found in the morning to be frozen over for a distance of around three miles. Press reports mentioned people crossing the "ice bridge" in both directions.  (By John Osborne) 

Charles Huefner, a German immigrant emigrant employed at a New York City brewery on Williams Street committed suicide by leaping into a boiling vat of beer while at work.  He lingered in the New York Hospital till the next evening but died of his injuries.  Coronor's reports described him as thirty years old with a serious history of alcohol problems.  (By John Osborne)