Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1888-12-28
LINCOLN's PROCLAMATION.
The First sketch Read Before the Cab
met.

From the Century Magazine.
Further conference was had on organizing
negro regiments, but Lincoln decided that the
moment had not yet arrived when this policy
could be safely entered upon. Writes Chase /:
| "The impression left upon my mind by the
whole discussion was that while the President
thought that the organization, equipment and
arming of negroes like other soldiers would be
productive Of more evil than good, he was not
unwilling that commanders should, at their
discretion, arm, for purely defensive purposes.
slaves coming within their lines" But on the
kindred policy of emancipation the President
had reached decision which appears to have
been in advance of the views of his entire
cabinet. Probably greatly to their surprise,
he read to them the following draft of procla-
nation warning the rebels of the pains
| and penalties Of the confscation act. and
| while renewing his tender of compensation
to loyal states which would adopt gradual
adjustment, adding summary military or
der. al commander-in-chief. declaring free the
slaves OF all states which might be in rebellion
on January 1. 1868. The text of this first draft
OF the emancipation proclamation is here
printed for the first time: I'm pursuance of
the 9Th section of the act of Congress entitled
An act to suppress instruction and to punish
| treason and rebellion, to seize and confiscate
property of rebels. and for other purposes
dppIONtu July II, 1907. ana WHICH ACT ana the
joint resolution explanatory thereof are here
with published. l. Abraham Lincoln. President
OF the United States, do hereby proclaim to
and warn all persons within the contemplation
OF said 9Th section to cease participating in.
aiding countenancipg or abetting the existing
rebellion, or any rebellion against the govern
ment Of the United States, and to return to
their proper allegiance to the United States,
on pain of forfeiture and seizures, as within
and by said 9th section provided. And hereby
4 aElE f,s,,
! next meeting of Congress, to again recon-
mend the adoption Of practical measure for
rendering pecuniary aid to the free choice or
rejection of any and all states, which may
! then be recognizing and practically sustaining
| the authority of the United States. and which
may then have voluntarily adopted or there
after may voluntarily adopt, gradual abolish
| ment OF slavery within such state or states: that
the object is TO practically restore. thencefor-
ward to be maintained. the constitutional re-
| lation between the general government and
each and all the states wherein that relation is
now suspended or disturbed: and that for this
object the war. as it has been, will be prose-
| cuted. And a fit and necessary military
measure for effecting this object, /. as Com
handkerchief of the army and navy of the
United States. do order and declare that on the
! first day of January. in the year of our Lord
1858. all persons held as slaves within any state
! or states wherein the constitutional authority
OF the United States shall not then be prac-
tlCduN icCOBuiZcu. 10 ana mann
| tanned, shall then, thenceforward and forever
be free" or the cabinet proceedings which
| followed the reading of this momentous docu-
| ment We have unfortunately only very brief
memoranda. Every member of the council
was, we may infer. bewildered by the magni-
tude and boldness of the proposal The sudden
| consideration of this critical question reveals
| to US with vividness the difference in mental
reach readiness and decision between the
President and his constitutional advisers Only
| two of the number gave the measure their UNI
reserved concurrence, even after discussion.
1t is strange that one of these was the cautious
| Attorney General, the representative of the
conservative faction of the slave-holding
| state of Missouri. and that the member
| who opposed the measure as a whole and pro-
| posed to achieve the result indirectly through
| the scattered and divided action of local com
| manders in military departments was the anti
| slavery Secretary of the Treasury, Mr. Chase
| representing perhaps more nearly than any
other the abolition faction of the free state Of
Ohio. All were astonished, except the two to
whom 1t had been mentioned week before
| None of the others had even considered such a
step. But from the mind and will of President
Lincoln the determination and announcement
| to his cabinet came almost complete in form
and certain in intention on that memorable
| Tuesday OF July as when, two months later, it
was given to the public, or as officially pro-
| claimed on the succeeding New Years day, an
| irrevocable executive act.