The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1906-08-08
EMANCIPATION PROCLANIAT|l!g!,
Story Of its Signing by Lincoln that Shows il was
y Done as War Measure Simply.
July St: Nicholas.


@'It had got to be midsummer, 1852"
MIR. Lincoln. said,T, in telling an artist
friend the history of his most famous
official act. Things ad'gone on from
bad to worse, until felt that we had
reached the end of our rope on the plan
of operations we had been pursuing;
that we had about played our last card
and must change cur tactics or lose
the game, l now determined upon the
adoption of the emancipation policy,
and without. consultation with, or the
knowledge Of the cabinet, prepared
the original draft of tho proclamation,
and after much anxious thought called
a cabinet meeting upon the subject. /
said to, the cabinet that had resolved
upon this step, and had not called them
together to ask their advice, but to lay
the subject matter Of q proclamation
before them, suggestions as to which
would be in order after they had heard
it read. ~ e. ..::. .,,. -, -, =.
1T was on July % that the president
read to his cabinet the draft of this
first emancipation proclamation, which
after announcing that at the nextmeet-
.ingeof congress he would again offer
{: compensated emancipation to such
States es chose to accept it, went on to
order as commanders 7in- chief Of the
army and navy of the limited States
that the slaves in all States which
should be in rebellion against the gov
ernnent on january L., 1868, should
"then, henceforward and forever be
free" '.|::> :, ~ S::..s.
MIR. Lincoln had given hint of this
intended step TO- MIR. Seward and Mr..
Welles, but to all the other members of
the cabinet it came as complete sur
prise, One thought it would cost the
Republicans the fall elections. Anoth-
:er preferred that emancipation. should
be proclaimed by military commanders
in their several military districts. Sec
retary Seward, while. approving the
& measure, suggested that itw0uld better
be postponed until it could be given to
i the country after 3 victory, instead Of
issuing it, as would be the, case then,
upon The gEeatest disasters Of the war.
I The wisdom of the view of the Secre-
tary Of State struck me withvery great
!. force, biz, Lincoln s recital continues.
4 1t was an aspect of : the cast, that. in
all my thought upon the subject, had
\ entirely overlooked. The result was
that 4 put the draft Of the proclamation
&: aside, as you do your sketch for a pic
tnre; waiting for q victory. = X # S.. .:,: +.
st* |: t$s The secrets Of the aadministratio
I were we'll kept, and no hint came to
the public that The president had pro-
y posed such a measure to !: his cabinet.
As there was at the moment little: in
T the way Of news to attract attention,
s neWspa apers and private 5 individuals
s turned 9 sharp fire Of criticism upon
!: Mr. Lincoln. For this they seized 1inns
{ :Ine ever-nseful text OF & the slavery
! question. Some Of them protested In
adignantly that the president was going
B TOO fast; others clamored ais loudly that
{ he had been altoge her too SLOW. s. & His
{ decision, as we know Was materially
i taken, although he ewas notSyet read,;
Ito annotnnce il. There fore, while wait
ing for d victory he had to peri orm the
Y! difficult task Of i{restra aiming the .impa-
4 6tience pf both sides. This he did in
very positive lang, TO ., man in
+ louisiana, who {cornpl !. that Union
|; feeling was being crus he'd out ;off Che