New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-12-01
THE EMANCIPATION PROCLAMATION

THE ORIGINAL DRAFT MADE BY LINCOLN
From The December Century
Further conference Ny the Cabinctl was had on
orranizng regro regiments, but Lincoln decided that
he moment had not yet arrived when this policy
could be safely entered upon Writes ShaSe: Inc
impress ion lett upon my mind by the whole discussion
VAS that while the President thought hat the Orgdhi-
zaion. equipment and arming OF negroes INC otller
soldiers would be productive OF more cyll man g9oa,
he was not unwilling hat commanders should at Their
discretion arm. purely defensive purposes; slaves
coming within their lines. But on tn KINDRED p9lcy
Of emanc patton the President had reached decision
which appears have been In advance OF the views Oh
prise he read 10 them the following draft of proc
amaion warning the rebels of the pains and penales
OF the tOnfiScaton Act. aud Whlc reue"ils NJ
Of com pensation to loyal States which would ~0pt
era ual adjustment. adding summary mi l'aTy orucI;
Commander int hief declaring iee inc sadrrS u
all states which might be in rebellion on January II
1sG3" The text Of this first dra OF the i iI
tion Proclamation Is here printed ior me nisS ue
" In pursuance OF the sixth section Ot thc att Oh
Congress entitled An act 10 suppress instruction
aid punish treason and rebellion 10 selze anu con-
fscate property of rebels and for other purposes
approved July y, 1862; and which act ana ne JONI
resolution explanatory thereof are herewth puDsncu'
] Abraham Lincoln, President of the United states,
do hereby proclaim to ana warn an peSos ss" nar
iicipa Ing IN aiding. countenancing or abet,lng the
eminent Of the United states and to return 10 thel
proper allegiance to the United states on PAIN OF INC
iofeiturcs aud seizures as within and by said sAth
{" And hereby make known that it is my purpose,
upon the next meeting OF CohgreSs, 10 asaln dr
mend the adoption of practical measure Tor tchuel
ing pecunary aid to the free choice or rejection OF
any and all states. which may then DC recognizing
and practically sis aiming the authority OF the nted
~ acs and which may then have voluntarily adopted
or thereafter Voluntarily adopt. gfaduai aDolish
meni Of slavery within such state or STATES mat
the object T. 10 practically restore thencefOrwaf1 10
hc maintained the fituiOnal relation beWeen the
general Government and each ana an the S@ss
wherein that relation is now suspended or 1lsturDeu
and thai FOR this object the war. as II has been VIII
he rr,.ecutcd. And as fiji and necessary military
measure for cfcciing this object, !, as COMMANDER
do order and declare that tie first day OF January
in the wear OF our Lord Qpe thousand eight hundred
and sXtythree. all pcrSOre held As slaves wlthn any
STATE or states wherein the constitutional authority
recognized submitted to and maintained, Shall then,
ihan .cforwa'd and forever be free"
o. the Cabinet proceedings which followed The real
ing of This mOmcniOus document we have nnfortil-
ratclv only very brief memoranda. Every member
OF the council NAV infer. bewildeIed by the
magnitude and bOldncSS OF the proposal The sudden
cons of This critical question reveals 10 us
WITH vividuesS the difference in mental reach leadi-
ness and decision between the President and his CON
stitut'onai advisers. Only two of the number gave
the measure their unreScrved concurrence even after
discussion II Is strange that one of these was the
cauinrs Attorney General. the representative of the
Missouri. and that the member who opposed the
measure whole. and proposed 10 achieve the
result indirectly through the scattered and divided
action Of local commanders In military departments,
Chase. representing perhaps more nearly than ANY
other tho abolition faction of the free state OF ONO
All asioni.hcd except the two to whom II had
been mentioned week before. None OF the Others
had considered such step. But from the mind
and viii OF President Lincoln The determination and
announcement to his Cabinet came almost as complete
IN form ard certain in intention on that memorable
TueSday Of July when two months later. 1t was
The succeeding New Years Day, an irrevocable Ex-
ecutiVc act.