The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-05-26
EMANCIPATION.
The Steps by Which Mr. Lincoln Was
Brought to the Issue of His Proc
lamation.

DULL Us inc great 6LAanClpalOE was, III
family of poor whites" in a slave State, and
his father moving away from it to raise his
children in a free State, hostility to slavery
was naturally one of his earliest principles.
But while radical in his convictions, he was
always conservative in his methods. And,
as President, the success of the national cause
was upPermost in his thoughts, immeasur-
ably higher than all other considerations,
personal, political or humanitarian. Urged,
as he was by his most powerful political
friends from the very opening of the
rebellion, to strike at slavery, he forbore
until he had tested and exhausted every
other method, and then approached it
very slowly, very thoughtfully and very
consclentiously. Indeed he quite incensed
many of his own political faith by publicly
declaring that if he could save the Union
without destroying slavery he would GER
tainly do so. His paramount duty, he felt
was to save the Nation from destruction, and
everything must be subordinated to that
duty.
But, when the rebellion had continued a
tull year, and il was evident beyond all ques-
ton that forbearance had ceased to be vir-
tue, he felt that the hour of action had
struck. His first movement was character
lstic. After message to Congress, urging
compensated emancipation for the slaves i'll
the border States leaving only eight or nine
States interested in the maintenance of the
rebelllou he invited the thirty border State
congressman to a free conference with him
upon this question at the White House.
They met him, about the middle of July
In accordance with his request and he
pressed them with every argument he could
command 70 favor this plan. But after a
full and frank interchange of views, he found
no favor shown TO his proposition by any of
them 10 II L.
stood to be anti-slavery in their convictions;
while the rest were decidedly unfayorable in
their comments.
As he told me afterward, when the last
eoat-tail of these members passed out of the
executive chamber" he determined that 1.-The
time had arrived for him to strike at the in
stituton with the battle-axe of the national
power" He wrote, within few days there
after, in July, 1862, the first draft of the
Emancipation Proclamation and read this
original draft to my mother and myself IN
November following 1.-TWO months after he
had published the September proclamation),
to illustrate to us how he had progressed, step
by step, to the final contamination. As first
written-and fear this original draft was
destroyed, as l have never seen it since in
manuscript or in print-he declared slavery
abolished in all the districts of the slave
States, which were unrepresented in Con-
gress, from the date of his signature without
any delay whatever. And after writing it he
called his cabinet together in special meet
ing, about the last of July, to read it to
| them,
He opened this extra session of his cabinet,
which they knew was to consider this great
| question, by reading them humorous arti-
Gle by Artemus Ward, but threw it down as
he completed it, saying, substantially and
with marked change in his tone and man
| her: "This is not what | called you here for
/ to-day, but to listen to document have re-
solved to sign and publish, the entire re-
sponsibility of which L shall take on
to its phraseology." II have no doubt
that the reading of the comic
4 sketch was on account of the
\ great mental pressure upon him OF the act
he was contemplating, l recall another &C.
casion when, almost heartbroken, as he told
me he was, over recent reverses he took up
and read witty letter about himself by Or
pheus c. Kerr, to some alarmed CONGRESSMAN
who entered the room after l did to inquire
nervously about the outlook
After reading his manuscript with solemn
deliberation to its closing line, Done at the
city of Washington" etc, Secretary Chase,
| who had been walking up and down the
ROOM broke the silence by an important
suggestion, which has linked his name for
ever with this great act
Said he; Mr. President, you say you do
| not ask our opinion about this proclama-
ton, and you know very well how heartily
| | am in favor of it. But [ confess l do not
like the language with which it concludes.
That would answer for some formal proclama-
| ton about treaty or something of that kind.
| But this is far more momentous and think
should end quite differently"
! well, replied Mr.. Lincoln, what do you
/ suggest, Chaser
! The Secretary of the Treasury must have
| thought about this grand sentence previously,
as he could scarcely have improvised it on
| the instant, for he replied instanter that he
would conclude such an important document
as this, about as follows: And upon this
| act sincerely believed to be an act of ius-
tice l invoke the considerate judgment of
mankind, and the gracious favor OF Almighty
| God"
Secretary Seward, who was sitting at the
| Presidents right had an inkstand near him.
and Mr.. Lincoln asked him to reduce Sec1e-
tary Chase's suggestion to writing. But,
while complying, Mr.. Seward remarked: II
| think after the words warranted by the con-
stitution, would add, upon military neces-
sity' as that would bring the act more dis
tinctly within the war power"
"You are right, Seward add those words"
responded Mr.. Lincoln.
When these impressive words were written
out, Secretary Seward paused and said:
'Mr Lincoln, have another suggestion to
make about this document, if you wish to
hear it"
Certainly, what is it?" responded the
President
81 fear" said Mr. Seward, I'VE have met
| with such checks and reverses this summer,
that if you issue this proclamation now, it
will be regarded as a kind of forlorn hope,
born of DESPAIR. 1t will be considered not as
boon to ETHIOPIA, but as holding out our
hands to ETHIOPIA and crying for help"
What do you advise then about it,"
asked Mr.. Lincoln.
withhold it, by all means" replied Mr..
Seward till our armies have won an i'm
portant victory somewhere, and then pub
lish it to the world without further delay"
After a moments thought, Mr.. Lincoln
replied: Seward, you're right, and | viii
| wait"
Nearly two months passed away and no