Prescott journal. [volume] (Prescott, Wis.) 1861-1871, 1865-07-08
GENERAL INTELLIGENCE.
The EmaneIpation ProeIamafion-fh
Debate In the Cabinet.

given to him by Mr.. Lincoln himself
while the picture illustrative of its con-
sideration by the Cabinet was being
painted.
Up to September of 1862, the war
had been conducted without interior
ence with slavery, in accordance with the
views of ur Lincoin's letter to Colonel
Hodges, of Kentucky, in which he said
that, although constitutionally anti
slavery. he had never felt at liberty to
act officially upon this judgement. What
brought about change OF policy is
told below:
cit had got to be" said Mr.. Lincoln
midsummer, 1862, Things had gone
on from bad to worse, until felt that
we had reached the end of our rope on
the r,lan of operations we had been
pursuing; that we had about played
our last card, and must change our
tactics or lose the game. / now deter
mined upon the adoption of the eman-
CITATION policy. and, without consulta
ton With, or the knowledge of the Cabl-
net, prepared the original draft OF
the proclamation, and, after much
anxious thought, called Cabinet meet
ing upon the subject. This was the
lttSE Oh OulNg VI tAC AAoS IbAo Va VITO
month of August, 1862. THE exact
date he did not remember.) This Cab
met meeting took place, L think, upon
Saturday. All were present excepting
Mr. Blair, the Post Master General,
who was absent at the opening OF the
discussion, but came In subsequently.
/ said to the Cabinet that i had resolv-
ed upon this step, and bad not called
them together to ask their advice but
to lay the subject matter of
proclamation before them, sugges-
tions to which would be in order after
they heard it read. Mr.. Lovejoy,
said he. s'was in error when he inform
ed YOU that it excited no comment, ex-
cepting on the pant of Secretary Sew
ard. Various suggestions were
offered. Secretary Chase wishing the
language stronger In reference to the
arming of the blacks. Mr.. Blair, after
he came In, deprecated the policy, on
the ground that it would cost the Adj
ministration the fall elections" Moth
ing. however, was offered that L had not
already fully anticipated and settled in
myown mind until Secretary Seward
spoke. Said he: Mr.. President, lap
orore of The proclamation, but IquestiOn
he erpedieacy of as issue at This jnacture.
The depression of the public mind conse-
uuent upon our own repeated reverses is
SO great that fear the effect of so import
ant step. 1t may be viewed as the last
measure of an exhausted Governments
cry for help; the Government stretch
ing forth its hands to Ethiopia, instead
of Ethiopia stretching forth its hands
to the Government. 1" s'His idea" said
the President, was that it would be
considered our last shrek, on the re-
treat" This was his precise express
sion.) 'sNow," continued Mr.. Seward,
'swhile 1 approve the measure, i sug-
gest, sir, that you postpone its issue I'M
til Won can give it to the country sup
ported by military success, instead of
issuing it, as would be tho case now,
upon the greatest disaster of the war;
Said Mr.. Lincoln: ''The wisdom of the
view of the Secretary of State struck me
with very great force. 1t was an aspect
of the case that, in all my thought upon
the subject, had entirely overlooked.
The result was that put the draft of
the proclamation aside, as you do your
sketch for picture, waiting for victo-
nv. From time to time / added or
changed line, touching it up 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 Antietam. /
determined to wait no longer. The
news came, / think on Wednesday, that
the advantage was on our side. / was
then staying at the Soldiers Home,
three miles cut of Washington.) Here
/ finished writing the second draft of the
preliminary proclamation; came up on
Saturday: called the Cabinet together
to hear it, and it was published the fol-
lowing Monday.
cit was somewhat remarkable fact, "
he continued, 'sthat there were Just one
hundred days between the dates of the
proclamations, issued upon the Odd of
September and the LIST of January. /
had not made the calculation at the
time. -safz
At the final meeting on Saturday, an
other interesting incident occurred In
connection with Secretary Seward. The
President had written the important
part of the proclamation in these words =.
'sThat on the. first day of January,
In the year of our Lord, one thousand
eight hundred and sixty-three, all per-
sons held as slaves In any State, or des-
ignated part of State, the people
whereof shall then be in rebellion
against the United States, shall be
then, thenceforward and forever FREE !;
and the Executive Government of the
United States, including the military
and naval authority thereof, will recog-
nize the freedom of such persons, and
will do no act or acts to repress such
persons, or any of them. in any efforts
they may make for their actual free
dom. 'aat
when / finished reading this para
graph" resumed Mr.. Lincoln, "Mr.
Seward stopped me, and said 4 think,
Mr.. President, that you should insert
after the word recognize" In that sem
tence, the words ''and maintain" 1
replied that had already fully consid-
cred the import of that expression in
this connection, but / had not introduc-
ed it because it was not my way to prom
Use what I was not entirely sure that
could perform, and i was not prepared
to say that I thought we were exactly
able to maintain this. "But, said he,
Mr.. Seward insisted that we ought to
take this ground, and the words finally
wentin." i<f = = =
In February last, few days after the
passage of the Unconstitutional Amend
ment," 1 was in Washington. and was
= 4 Al \