Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1865-08-10
an Interesting Leaf of History
How tie Emancipation Procla
nation was Written.


The New York independent of recen, dite
cont lncd interesting article from Mr. +. g.
Carpenter, giving the histery OF how the Emanci
nrtiOn Proclarlation was written. Mr.. Lincoln
gave the history to Mr.. c., and the latter quotes
Mr Lincons words a. fnows:
ut had got to be-" said he, "mid summer, 1862
Things had gone on from bad to worse, until felt
that We had reached the end OF onr rope on the
plan OF operations We hld been pursuing: that we
hIl about PLAYED our lust cur anl must change
aur tactic. or lose the g,me, | determined
on the Adoption of the anticipation 'roclamation;
and without consultation with, or the knowledge
of, the Cabinet. prepared tie original draft OF
the proclamation, after much anxous thought,
called Cabinet meeting upon the subject. THIS
the llSt OF July, the first part of the month
of August, l>62" tfhe oXtct date he did not
RENE mber "Ihis Cabinet soeiing took place.
think, upon a Saturday. All were present ex-
cepting Mr.. Blair, the Postmaster General, who
was absent 1T the opening of the discussion, but
came in subsequently. | said TO the Cabinet that
/ had resolved upon this step, and had not called
them together to ask their advice, but to lay the
subject matter of proclamation before them, sug-
gcs,ions as to which would be in order, after they
hnd heard it read. Mr.. Lovcioy,'' SAID he, "was
IN error when he informed you that it excited no
comment. excepting on the part of Secretary Sew
ari. Various suggestions were offered. Secrcta-
rs Chase wished the language stronger in refer
ter he came in deprec ted the policy the
ground that it would cost the Administration the
iali elections. Nothing, however, offered that
| mad not already fully anticipated and settled in
nv own mind until Secretary Seward spoke
SAID he: Mr. President. approve of the proclI-
mItion, but question the exuedicncv Ot its issue
at this juncture. The doprt ssiun of the public
mind, consequent up7n repeated reverses, is
great thit fear the effect of so important step.
1t my be viewed the last measure Of an ex-
hluStcd covernmgnt-a cry for help; the Govern
mcnt stretching rth its hands 10 Ethopir instead
OF Ethiopia stretching forth her hands to the Gov
eiHmcnt.' His idea,' SAID the President. Eva
that il would be considered our last sLrbk OH the
retreat" This hs precise expression y
"Now," continued Mr. Seward, "ahile approve
the measure, | suggest, sir, tnat YOU postpone its
issue, until YOU can give il 10 the country supj orr
ed by military success. instead OF Issuing it, AZ
would be.the case Bow, upon the greatest disasters
/ of the war' Said Mr.. Lncoln: ",i'he wisdom OF
the view of the Secretary of State struck me with
very great force. Ii WAS aspect 1.-THE that
in all my thought upon the subject, had entirely
overlooked. The result was, that | put the draft
of the procamItion aside, you DO your sketch
! for picture, waiting tor a victory. From time to
time added or chansed line, touching il here and
there, waiting the progress OF events Well, the
next news we had was of Pope's disaster, at Bull
Run Things looked darker than ever. Finally,
| came the week of the battle of Aniietam. | de-
/ tr, niined To wait no longer. The news came,
think. on Wednesday. that the advantage Was on
our side. | was then staying ut the Soldiers
! Home. (three miles out o; Wa>hinctcn.l Here
finished writing The second draft ot the preliminary
proclamation; came up on Saturday; called the
Cabinet together TO hear it, and it published
the following Monday.
! .lt was a somewhat remarkable fact,'' he con-
tnued, .lhat there was dst one hundred days be-
tween the dates OF the two prOclamatlons, issued
upon the 22d of September and the Is of January.
l had not made the calculation at the time.''
AT the final meeting on Saturday, another in
teresting incident occurred il connection with Sec.
retary Seward. The President had written the
important part of the proclaim ,on in these words:
THAT the first day OF January, in the year
of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and sixty
three, all persons held as slaves within any state
| or designed part of state, the people whereof
shall then be in rebellion against the United States,
shall he then, thenceforward and forever free; and
the Executive Government of the United States,
including the military and naval authority thereof,
| will recognize the freedom of such persons, and
will do no act acts to repress such persons or
any OF them in any efforts they may make for their
actual freedom" 'When / finished reading this
paragraph" resumed Mr.. Lincoln, "Mr. Seward
stopped me and said: Il think, Mr.. President YOU
should insert after the word "recognze," in that
sentence the words sand maintain.'' / replied
that had already fully considered the import of
that expression in this connection, but had not
introduced il, because il not my way to prom
ise what was not entirely sure that could per-
firm, and was not prepared to say that thought
VIC were exactly able to maintain this
"But," said he, s.Mr. Seward insisted that we
ought to take this ground; and the wordsfnally
went in"
Mr.. Lincoln then proceeded to show me the va
rious positions occupied by himself and the differ
ent members OF the Cabinet on the occasion of the
first meeting. "As nearly l remember
said he sthe Secretary of the Treasury and the
S ecretary OF War were here at my right hand-tle
others were grouped at the left"
Mr.. Chase also told me that at the Cabinet meet
ing, Immediately after the battle of Antietam, and
just prior to the issue Of the September proclaim .
ION, the President entered upon the business before
them by saying that "the time for the enunciatiOn
OF the emancipation policy could no longer be de-
layed- Public sentiment" he thought, "woud
sustain It, many his warmest friends and suppor-
tiers demanded it-and he had promised his God
he would do it." The last part of this was utter
ed in low tone, and appeared to be heard by no one
but Secretary Chase, who was sitting near him
He asked the President If he CORRECTLY understood