Monday, March 02, 2009

The Real Emancipation Proclamation

Bob asked if it was really true that the Emancipation Proclamation only freed slaves in rebel territory. Here is the proof.
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Emancipation Proclamation; January 1, 1863

Whereas, on the twenty-second day of September, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and sixty-two, a proclamation was issued by the President of the United States, containing, among other things, the following, to wit:

"That on the first day of January, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, all persons held as slaves within any State or designated part of a State, the people whereof shall then be in rebellion against the United States, shall be then, thenceforward, and forever free [1]; and the Executive Government of the United States, including the military and naval authority thereof, will recognize and maintain the freedom of such persons, and will do no act or acts to repress such persons, or any of them, in any efforts they may make for their actual freedom. [2]

"That the Executive will, on the first day of January aforesaid, by proclamation, designate the States and parts of States, if any, in which the people thereof, respectively, shall then be in rebellion against the United States; [3] and the fact that any State, or the people thereof, shall on that day be, in good faith, represented in the Congress of the United States by members chosen thereto at elections wherein a majority of the qualified voters of such State shall have participated, shall, in the absence of strong countervailing testimony, be deemed conclusive evidence that such State, and the people thereof, are not then in rebellion against the United States." [3]

Now, therefore I, Abraham Lincoln, President of the United States, by virtue of the power in me vested as Commander-in-Chief, of the Army and Navy of the United States in time of actual armed rebellion against the authority and government of the United States, and as a fit and necessary war measure for suppressing said rebellion, [4] do, on this first day of January, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, and in accordance with my purpose so to do publicly proclaimed for the full period of one hundred days, from the day first above mentioned, order and designate as the States and parts of States wherein the people thereof respectively, are this day in rebellion against the United States, the following, to wit:

Arkansas, Texas, Louisiana, (except the Parishes of St. Bernard, Plaquemines, Jefferson, St. John, St. Charles, St. James Ascension, Assumption, Terrebonne, Lafourche, St. Mary, St. Martin, and Orleans, including the City of New Orleans) Mississippi, Alabama, Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, and Virginia, (except the forty-eight counties designated as West Virginia, and also the counties of Berkley, Accomac, Northampton, Elizabeth City, York, Princess Ann, and Norfolk, including the cities of Norfolk and Portsmouth[)], and which excepted parts, are for the present, left precisely as if this proclamation were not issued.

And by virtue of the power, and for the purpose aforesaid, I do order and declare that all persons held as slaves within said designated States, and parts of States, are, and henceforward shall be free; and that the Executive government of the United States, including the military and naval authorities thereof, will recognize and maintain the freedom of said persons.

And I hereby enjoin upon the people so declared to be free to abstain from all violence, unless in necessary self-defence; and I recommend to them that, in all cases when allowed, they labor faithfully for reasonable wages.

And I further declare and make known, that such persons of suitable condition, will be received into the armed service of the United States to garrison forts, positions, stations, and other places, and to man vessels of all sorts in said service.

And upon this act, sincerely believed to be an act of justice, warranted by the Constitution, upon military necessity, I invoke the considerate judgment of mankind, and the gracious favor of Almighty God. [5]

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the seal of the United States to be affixed.

Done at the City of Washington, this first day of
January, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight
hundred and sixty three, and of the Independence of the
United States of America the eighty-seventh.

By the President: ABRAHAM LINCOLN
WILLIAM H. SEWARD, Secretary of State.

[1] There it is, Bob.
[2] Meaning that Lincoln encourages an armed slave revolt--but only in areas not loyal to him.
[3] Lincoln himself will decide which states or parts of states are loyal and exempted from the emancipation.
[4] The emancipation is a "war measure" to put down the rebellion. It has nothing to do with being the right thing.
[5] This power doesn't exist in Article II (the president's part of the Constitution) or any other part.

5 comments:

  1. It seems to me that this part merits bolding too:

    "which excepted parts, are for the present, left precisely as if this proclamation were not issued."

    How is it that all the discussion ended up at Bob's place and not here?

    BTW, can you cross-link to whatever earlier post Bob commented on that prompted this? We are left curious but frustrated.

    ReplyDelete
  2. I only boldfaced the parts necessary to prove the point to Bob.

    As far as cross-links are concerned, I admit that I am, alas, but a novice and haven't the "know-how" to do so.

    If it is simple, then please let me know what it is that I must do.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Just edit this blog post to include the address of the webpage for either Bob's comment or for the post that he commented on (i.e., the webpage for this post is http://notthisguyagain.blogspot.com/2009/03/real-emancipation-proclamation.html). If you don't want to edit your original post, then you could add it to a comment here.

    Of course, the fancy way to do it is using html in this format:

    whatever the heck you refer to that page as.

    ReplyDelete
  4. TokyoTom:

    I get it! In fact, I know how to do that, I just didn't know the right word for it.

    I somewhat expected your definition, and I knew that asking would make me look like an idiot... But anyhow, thanks.

    Bob must have sent the comment as a regular email--which happens from time to time--because I can't seem to find the comment.

    I'll keep looking, however; and I plan on responding to your other observations as soon as I have the time to make sure that my response is solid.

    ReplyDelete
  5. I found it and cross-linked it!

    Yeah me!

    ReplyDelete

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