LINCOLN 



3442 



LINCOLN 



LINCOLN'S ADMIMSITIATIONS 



"Two states admitted J 

 to the Union 



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Lincoln said on the day he heard of the seizure, 

 the United States fought Great Britain in 1812 

 because the latter insisted on doing what Cap- 

 tain Wilkes did. Lincoln recognized that Cap- 

 tain Wilkes was in the wrong, and admitted the 

 fact. 



Emancipation of the Slaves. The indecisive 

 military campaigns of 1861 and the summer of 

 1862 were trying days for Lincoln. The politi- 

 cal outlook, too, was gloomy, for there was 

 still a possibility of European interference on 

 behalf of the Confederacy. Under these dis- 

 couraging circumstances Lincoln was maturing 

 a plan for the emancipation of negro slaves. 

 In April, 1862, Congress purchased and freed 

 all slaves in the District of Columbia, and two 

 months later abolished slavery throughout the 

 public domain. On September 22, 1862, after 

 the Battle of Antietam, the President issued a 

 preliminary proclamation of emancipation, 

 warning the seceded states that unless they 

 returned to the Union by January 1, 1863, all 

 slaves would be declared free. 



Lincoln was in favor of compensated emanci- 

 pation; he believed that the slaveholders 

 should be paid, but the border states were op- 

 posed to the plan. Lincoln knew, too, that 



emancipation might cost the support of 

 border states, might cause desertions from 

 army, and in any case could mean nothi 

 unless it were followed by Federal vi 

 By July, 1862, however, Lincoln's opinion 

 fixed, and the proclamation was held to await 

 a Federal victory. Antietam was indecisive, 

 but it was technically a victory, and was su 

 cient excuse for the proclamation. On 

 afternoon of January 1, 1863, with a few joking 

 remarks about the trembling of his hand, Lin- 

 coln signed the formal Emancipation Procla- 

 mation which declared that all slaves held in 

 states then in rebellion should be free, and 

 that the United States government should 

 "maintain the freedom of such persons." 



The Turning of the Tide. The year 1863, 

 although in many ways dark for Lincoln, was 

 marked by signs which foretold the end of the 

 war. After McClellan failed to take advantage 

 of his opportunities at Antietam, Burnside 

 held command until the defeat at Fredericks- 

 burg. Then Hooker acted as chief and lost 

 the Battle of Chancellorsville. This was per- 

 haps the lowest point of the Federal fortunes. 

 Soon after, Meade halted Lee at Gettysburg, 

 where the three-days' battle ended the possi- 



the 



