The Emancipation Proclamation and its Effects
Lincoln Changes his Mind:
Many abolitionists celebrated when the war began. They urged Lincoln to end slavery and punish the
South for starting the war. At first, the President resisted. He knew most northerners did not want to end
slavery. "You... overestimate the number in the country who hold such views," he told one abolitionist.
He feared that any action to emancipate, or free, enslaved African Americans might make the border
states secede. Lincoln said his goal was to restore the Union, even if that meant letting slavery continue.
He stated this very clearly in a letter to abolitionist newspaper publisher Horace Greeley.
"If I could save the Union without freeing any slave, I would
do it, and if I could save it by freeing all the slaves, I would
do it; and if I could do it by freeing some and leaving others
alone, I would also do that. What I do about slavery... I do
because I believe it helps to save the Union."
Gradually, Lincoln began to change his mind. He realized how important
slavery was to the South's war effort. He told his Cabinet that he intended to
issue an Emancipation Proclamation. But Cabinet members advised him to wait until after a success on
the battlefield.
Questions:
1. Why did abolitionists celebrate when the war began?
2. Why did Lincoln think the border states would secede?
3. What do you think Lincoln was trying to say in the bolded quote above?