The Emancipation Proclamation
A Presidential Decree that Redefined Freedom and the Course of the American Civil War.
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The Proclamation
Executive Order of Freedom
The Emancipation Proclamation, officially designated Proclamation 95, was a pivotal presidential proclamation and executive order issued by United States President Abraham Lincoln on January 1, 1863. During the American Civil War, it fundamentally altered the legal status of over 3.5 million enslaved African Americans in the Confederate states, transitioning them from enslaved to free.
Immediate and Lasting Impact
Upon escaping Confederate control, whether by reaching Union lines or advancing federal troops, these individuals were declared permanently free. Crucially, the Proclamation also authorized the enlistment of these newly freed individuals into the armed service of the United States, significantly contributing to the eventual end of slavery in the nation.
Legal Foundation
Issued under Lincoln's authority as Commander-in-Chief, the Proclamation was framed as a necessary war measure to suppress the rebellion. While it did not immediately free all enslaved people, particularly those in Union-controlled territories or loyal border states, it set a decisive course for the nation's post-war reconstruction and the ultimate abolition of slavery.
Geographical Scope
Areas Declared Free
The Emancipation Proclamation specifically named ten Confederate states and parts of states still in rebellion on January 1, 1863. These included Arkansas, Texas, Louisiana (with specific parish exemptions), Mississippi, Alabama, Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, and Virginia (with exemptions for West Virginia and certain Tidewater counties).
Excluded Territories
Crucially, the Proclamation did not apply to nearly 500,000 enslaved people in the loyal border states: Missouri, Kentucky, Maryland, and Delaware. Additionally, areas of Virginia and Louisiana already under Union control were exempted. Lincoln considered these regions loyal and believed applying the Proclamation there would be politically detrimental.
Gradual Liberation
While the Proclamation's immediate effect was limited to areas where Union armies could enforce it, it provided the legal framework for the liberation of millions as Union forces advanced. Slaves escaping to Union lines were declared free, and the Proclamation encouraged their enlistment, transforming the war's objectives and manpower.
Precursors to Emancipation
Contraband Policy
Early in the war, Union General Benjamin Butler declared escaped slaves reaching Union lines as "contraband of war," refusing to return them to Confederate owners. This policy, approved by Lincoln, established a precedent for treating enslaved people as assets that could be confiscated from the enemy, though it carried legal ambiguities.
Congressional Acts
Congress passed legislation such as the First Confiscation Act (1861) and the Second Confiscation Act (1862). These acts declared slaves employed against the Union or escaping to Union lines to be free, gradually expanding federal action against slavery, though Lincoln maintained his authority rested on military necessity.
District of Columbia Abolition
In April 1862, Congress abolished slavery in the District of Columbia and provided compensation for slaveholders. This action, signed into law by Lincoln, signaled a growing federal commitment to ending slavery, albeit in a limited jurisdiction.
Crafting the Decree
Preliminary Announcement
Lincoln first discussed emancipation with his cabinet in July 1862. Following the Union victory at the Battle of Antietam, which provided the necessary military success, he issued the Preliminary Emancipation Proclamation on September 22, 1862. This document declared his intent to free slaves in rebellious states effective January 1, 1863.
Final Issuance
The final Emancipation Proclamation was issued on January 1, 1863. It was framed as a war measure, invoking Lincoln's powers as Commander-in-Chief. The proclamation meticulously listed the states and regions subject to its terms, carefully delineating areas of rebellion and Union control.
Cabinet Counsel
Lincoln sought cabinet advice on the wording and timing. Secretary of State William Seward advised delaying the proclamation until a Union military victory to avoid the appearance of desperation. This strategic timing ensured the decree was perceived as a powerful blow against the Confederacy rather than a sign of weakness.
Public and Political Reactions
Abolitionist Support
Abolitionists had long urged Lincoln to take decisive action against slavery. While some criticized the Proclamation's limitations, many recognized its significance as a turning point, transforming the war's objective from merely preserving the Union to actively ending slavery.
Copperhead Opposition
Opponents, particularly Copperhead Democrats, vehemently denounced the Proclamation. They characterized it as an unconstitutional overreach of presidential power, a catalyst for racial violence, and a betrayal of the war's original purpose. This opposition contributed to Democratic gains in the 1862 midterm elections.
War Democrat Quandary
War Democrats, who supported the Union cause but often held racist views, faced a dilemma. While wary of the Proclamation's implications for racial equality, they recognized its potential as a military strategy. Opposing it risked alienating Union soldiers and undermining the war effort, leading to internal party divisions.
Confederate Response
Outrage and Retaliation
The Confederacy reacted with outrage, viewing the Proclamation as confirmation of their fears about racial upheaval and a direct assault on their way of life. Confederate leaders threatened severe retaliation against captured Union soldiers, particularly Black troops, labeling them as instigators of slave insurrection.
Undermining Morale and Labor
The Proclamation intensified fears of slave revolts among white Southerners and disrupted the Confederacy's labor force. As enslaved people escaped to Union lines, the South's economic and military capacity was weakened, while the Union gained potential soldiers.
Strategic Impact
Despite the outrage, some Confederates acknowledged the Proclamation's strategic value to the Union, particularly its impact on troop recruitment and the Confederacy's labor system. General Ulysses S. Grant noted it as a "heavy blow" against the South.
Global Reaction
European Opinion Shift
Internationally, the Emancipation Proclamation significantly shifted public opinion, particularly in anti-slavery nations like Great Britain and France. It aligned the Union cause with the moral imperative of abolition, making it politically difficult for European powers to recognize or support the Confederacy.
Hailed by Leaders
Figures like Giuseppe Garibaldi in Italy lauded Lincoln as "the great emancipator." Labor leaders in Manchester, England, celebrated Lincoln's commitment to the principle of equality. The Proclamation effectively ended any realistic chance of foreign military intervention for the Confederacy.
Continued Blockade Running
Despite the shift in popular opinion, British firms continued supplying the Confederacy through blockade running. This trade, though morally condemned by the Proclamation's alignment with abolition, persisted and prolonged the conflict, contributing to significant casualties.
The Gettysburg Address
A New Birth of Freedom
Delivered months after the Proclamation, Lincoln's Gettysburg Address subtly referenced its impact. The phrase "new birth of freedom" alluded to the transformation of the war's purpose, now encompassing the end of slavery alongside the preservation of the Union. This reframing solidified support for Lincoln among abolitionist factions.
Reconstruction Plans
Proclamation of Amnesty and Reconstruction
In December 1863, Lincoln issued his Proclamation of Amnesty and Reconstruction. This plan outlined the conditions for Confederate states to rejoin the Union, crucially requiring them to accept the Emancipation Proclamation and the principle of slave freedom, alongside federal laws like the Confiscation Acts.
Post-War Abolition
Securing Permanent Freedom
Concerns arose that the Emancipation Proclamation, as a war measure, might not guarantee permanent freedom post-conflict. This spurred efforts, including Lincoln's advocacy during his 1864 campaign, for a constitutional amendment to abolish slavery nationwide.
The Thirteenth Amendment
The successful push for the Thirteenth Amendment, ratified in December 1865, constitutionally abolished slavery and involuntary servitude throughout the United States, providing a definitive legal end to the institution that the Emancipation Proclamation had begun to dismantle.
Historical Critiques
Debates on Motive and Scope
The Proclamation has faced historical critiques, notably regarding Lincoln's motives and the document's limited initial scope. Some argue it was primarily a strategic maneuver rather than a purely humanitarian act, while others debate whether it truly freed slaves or merely declared freedom where Union power could not yet reach.
Scholarly Perspectives
Scholars like Allen Guelzo emphasize Lincoln's prudence and Enlightenment ideals, viewing the Proclamation as a carefully calculated step. Conversely, critiques like Lerone Bennett Jr.'s suggest Lincoln harbored white supremacist views and that the Proclamation was a compromise that fell short of radical abolitionist demands.
Enduring Legacy
Symbol of Freedom
The Emancipation Proclamation remains a powerful symbol of freedom and a critical turning point in American history. It fundamentally redefined the Civil War's purpose and laid the groundwork for future civil rights advancements.
Civil Rights Era Resonance
During the Civil Rights Movement, leaders like Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. invoked the spirit of the Emancipation Proclamation in their struggle for racial equality. President Barack Obama's viewing of the document underscored its continued relevance in the ongoing pursuit of justice.
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References
References
- Allan Nevins, Ordeal of the Union, vol. 6: War Becomes Revolution, 1862รขยย1863 (1960) pp. 231รขยย241, 273
- Fabrikant, Robert, "Emancipation and the Proclamation: Of Contrabands, Congress, and Lincoln". Howard Law Journal, vol. 49, no. 2 (2006), p. 369.
- Freehling, William W., The South vs. The South: How Anti-Confederate Southerners Shaped the Course of the Civil War. Oxford University Press, 2001, p. 118.
- December 3, 1861: First Annual Message: Transcript
- "Law Enacting an Additional Article of War" (the official name of the statute).
- Montgomery, David. The Student's American History, p. 428 (Ginn & Co. 1897).
- Keifer, Joseph. Slavery and Four Years of War, p. 109 (Echo Library 2009).
- First Confiscation Act
- Donald, David. Lincoln, p. 365 (Simon and Schuster, 1996)
- Freehling, William W. (2001). The South vs. The South: How Anti-Confederate Southerners Shaped the Course of the Civil War, New York: Oxford University Press, p. 111.
- Collected Works of Abraham Lincoln, Vol. 5, pp. 462-463, 470, 500.
- Collected Works of Abraham Lincoln, Vol. 5, p. 530.
- Guelzo 2006, p.ย 18
- Stahr, Walter, Stanton: Lincoln's War Secretary, New York: Simon & Schuster, 2017, p. 226.
- "The Collected Works of Abraham Lincoln" edited by Roy P. Basler, Volume 6, pp. 48รขยย49.
- Oakes, James, Freedom National, p. 367.
- Richard Duncan, Beleaguered Winchester: A Virginia Community at War (Baton Rouge, LA: LSU Press, 2007), pp. 139รขยย40
- Ira Berlin et al., eds., Freedom: A Documentary History of Emancipation 1861รขยย1867, Vol. 1: The Destruction of Slavery (Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press, 1985), p. 260
- William Klingaman, Abraham Lincoln and the Road to Emancipation, 1861รขยย1865 (NY: Viking Press, 2001), p. 234
- "News from South Carolina: Negro Jubilee at Hilton Head", New York Herald, January 7, 1863, p. 5
- Poulter, Keith, "Slaves Immediately Freed by the Emancipation Proclamation", North & South, vol. 5, no. 1 (December 2001), p. 48.
- White, Jonathan W., "Achieving Emancipation in Maryland," in The Civil War in Maryland Reconsidered, edited by Charles W. Mitchell and Jean H. Baker, Baton Rouge, LA: Louisiana State University Press, 2021, p. 249.
- Guelzo 2006, p.ย 3
- Guelzo 2006, p.ย 3
- Draft of Second Emancipation Proclamation
- Blight, David W. and Allison Scharfstein, "King's Forgotten Manifesto". The New York Times, May 16, 2012.
- "Emancipation Proclamation Issue", Arago: people, postage & the post, Smithsonian National Postal Museum, viewed September 28, 2014
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