The Emancipation Proclamation :: essays research papers

The Emancipation Proclamation     The emancipation promulgation was issued by Abraham capital of Nebraska on January 1,1863, during the American Civil War, declaring both "slaves inwardly any State, ordesignated part of a State... then... in rebellion,... shall be then,thenceforward, and ceaselessly free." The states affected were enumerated in theproclamation specifically exempted were slaves in parts of the southwesterly then heldby Union armies. Lincolns issuance of the Emancipation Proclamation pronounced aradical change in his indemnity.     After out rat of the Civil War, the thraldom issue was made acute bythe leakage to Union lines of large numbers of slaves who volunteered to fightfor thither freedom and that of there fellow slaves. In these circumstances, astrict application of established policy would have required return of fugitiveslaves to their masters.     Abolitionists had long been urging Lincoln to free all slaves, andpublic opinion suported that view. Lincoln moved easily and cautiously nonetheless on March 13, 1862, the federal government fforbade all Union Army officersto return fugitive slaves, thus annulling in stamp the fugitive slave laws. OnApril 10, on Lincolns initiative, congress declared the federal governmentwould compenste slave owners who freed their slaves. All slaves in the Districtof Columbia were freed in this way on April 16, 1862 . On June 19, 1862,Congress enacted a measure prohibiting slavery in United States territories,thus defying the supreme court decision in the Dred Scott case, which ruled thatCongress was powerless to regulate slavery in the territories.     Finaly, later the union victory in the battle of antietam, Lincolnissued a prelude proclamation on September 22, declaring his intention ofpromulgating another proclamathion in coke days, freeing the slaves in the statesdeemed in rebellion at that time.