The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1888-12-27
LlNcoLws PROCLAMATION,
Original Drnft of tho document peeiar
inH the slaves free,

ing the slaves free
Further conference lby tho cabinet was
held on organizing negro regiments but
Lincoln decided that the moment had not yet
arrived when this policy could be safely
entered upon Writes Chaael 1.-THE i'm
preston lait upon my mind by The whole dis
cusson was that while tho president thought
that tho organization, equipment and arm
Ing of negroes like other soldiers would DO
productive Of more evil than good, he was
not unwilling that commanders should, ~
their discretion, arm, for purely defensive
purpO6es slaves coming within their lines,
Hut on tho kindred policy VI emancipation
tho president had reached q decision which
appears ~ have be6n Ia advance Of tho views
OF his entire cabinet Probably, greatly 70
their surprise, he read N them the following
draft Of apf0olamatIGn warning the rebels OF
tho pains and penalties Of the eonhsealon
act, aud while renewing hH tender
OF compensation 10 loyal states which
would adopt gradual abolahment, add
Ing summary military order, ~
oommander-inChlel, declaring free he
slaves Of all states which might bo In rebel
lion on Jan l. 1905" The teEt ot this first
draft OF the Emancipation proclamation 10
here printed Tor tho dr5t tImel "ln purau'
anee OF the sixth section " the not 0t CON
greaa entitled An aGt 70 suppress insurreo'
ton and " punish treason and rebellion "a
aeile aud o0ntlspato property OF rehola, ana
f0r other purposes approved July ~ 1909
and which Got and tho Joint resolution OK
planntOry thereof arc herewith published, !,
Abraham Lincoln, president Of the United
States, do hereby proclaim % aud warn all
persons within tho contemplation of said
sixth section 70 cease participating Ia, aid
ing, oountenanoing or abettng tho existing
rebellion, Or any rebellion against the gov
ernment OF tho United States, aud 20 return
10 their proper allegiance 20 tho United
States, on pain Of tho forteitureh and seizures,
aa within aud by saId sixth section provided,
"And hereby mako known that u ID my
purpose, upon the next meeting Of congress,
10 again recommend the adoption Of prao'
tioal measure for rendering peonnlary aid 70
the FREQ choice or rejection Of any aud all
states, which may then bo recognizing and
practically sustaining tho authority OF the
United States and which may then have vol
unfairly adopted, or thereafter may y0lun
tarily adopt, gradual aboIiahmont Of slavery
within such state or atatoa, that the object ID
10 practically restore, thenoeforward 10 ba
maintained the constitutional relation be-
tween the general government and each and
nll tho etatoh wherein that relation II now
suspended or disturbed and that for this oh
| icct tho war ~ N has been, will DO prose-
cutad And ~ ~ aud necessary military
measure for ollocting this object l. ~ COM
manderlu,ohiof OF tho army and navy OF tho
| United States, do Orlor and declare that on
tho first day Of January, In tho year OF our
Lord one thousand eight hundred aud aixty'
thoo, all persons hold M slaves within any
state or ltates wherein tho constitutional
authority OF tho United States shall not thon
be practically recognized, submitted 10 aud
malutanod, shall then, thencciorward and
forever be iroo,N
OF tho cabinet proceedings which followed
| tho reading OF this momontOua document wo
have unfortunately only very brlof memo
randa Every member Of tho council was,
wo may infer bowdorod by the magnitude
and boldncaa Of tho proposal, Tho sudden
consideration of this critical question reveals
70 ~ with yiydnea tho difference In mental
roach, readiness and decision between tho
president and bio constitutional advisers,
Only two ot the number gave the measure
thoir unrWcryod concurrence, oven after
discussion 10 Il strange that ono OF thosc
was tho cautious attorney general, tu, rep
roaontatiyo OF the conservative faction OF tho
slave holding state OF Missouri, and that The
member who opposed tho measure oa awhole,
aud proposed 10 achieve the rosult indirectly
through tho scattered aud divided action OF
local commanders IN military departments,
was tho aui..saycry SECRETARY Of the trcas'
my, Mr. Chase, representing perhaps moro
nearly than any other tho abolition faction
OF tho FREQ state OF Ohio, All were aston
lshod except tho two 10 whom ~ had been
mentioned a wool, before Nonoof the othor
had oven considered such q stop But from
tho mind and will OF prosldout Lincoln The
determination and announcement to hi
cabinet camo almost aa complete In form aud
certain Ia intention on that memorable Tues
day OF July as when, two omontha lator, 10 wtu
given 10 tho public, or ~ officially proclaimed
ON tho succeeding Now Years day, en irro
vocablo executive uct Century.