Abe Lincoln Process of freeing slaves in America

President Lincoln our 16^th President, the President of the Civil War, who also dealt with the conflict of slavery.  In the beginning of his presidency he made it clear that he did not like thought of enslaving human beings as if they were animals but he tolerated for three main reasons. Our constitution gave the federal government no power when it came to the control of slavery being that slavery was already in tact before the constitution I guess the writers felt to leave it alone, the Second reason Abe new the problems that would come if he completely shut down slavery without doing it gradually, and third what would all these slaves do being free…just because there free doesn’t mean that they would have to be hired for a job how would slaves be able to live in America after the harsh treatment they faced and just to be set free they wouldn’t know how to live on their own.(Davidson)

            Abe new the subject of slavery was a very tuff situation to be dealt with and how he would go about it without going against the constitution would be the biggest problem yet. If you have read the bill of rights or the articles of confederation, there is nothing about slaves because they never actually had rights.(Mount) I assume the writers believed that slavery was never going to end so why speak on it. The first thought documented of abolishing slavery was by Patrick Henry despite his citizenship in a slave state. In 1773, he wrote, "I believe a time will come when an opportunity will be offered to abolish this lamentable evil. Everything we do is to improve it, if it happens in our day; if not, let us transmit to our descendants, together with our slaves, a pity for their unhappy lot and an abhorrence of slavery.("Mount) This did come in existence when Lincoln reached presidency and even before.

            During the civil war with the north and south, President Lincoln was drafting ideas for the emancipation of proclamation of the ten states that still weren’t slave free.(Davidson) Abe a military man new his proclamation would mean nothing if the north wasn’t going to win the war, so he had to play it out as the war continued which was smart on Lincolns part to not make him look like a fool.

            Lincolns first idea of abolishing slavery was simply shipping slaves back to where they came from in Africa, the West Indies, or Central America, where their color would mean nothing they could get a fresh start. (Davidson) I didn’t really know why this would be a good idea, those being my ancestors I feel like the people that enslaved my people owed us more than that. Lincoln didn’t go through with this idea for some of the same reasons as me he knew that wouldn’t have been enough and resulting back to his third reason who is stopping the slaves from coming back and starting an unneeded war against the people that enslaved them.

The congress didn’t really help Lincoln when it came to the abolishment of slavery at first they knew it was something that needed to be dealt with but they didn’t feel the time was now. Which I didn’t really understand because it was off the time of the civil war but I guess everyone was trying to see how that played out before any other actions took place I guess the “American way”. The first thing Abe got the congress to approve of was the “Law Enacting an Additional Article of War” which was set in store of March 13^{th of 1862}   which guaranteed slaved there freedom if they got to a free state in the north. (Waters) This is where I think the south new they were losing this war having the congress agree with the president was far from good for them.

Abe next idea was paying all slave owners to free slaves as if they already weren’t making enough money, the government was willing to pay slave owners to free the slaves which many people did not know. Surprisingly nobody in the south took up this offer, why would they need to these slaves owners were rich they had no need for a certain payment over a salary payment this was all brought up around in July of 1862. (Waters)

Lincoln used his powers as Commander-in-Chief of the Army and Navy, "as a necessary war measure" as the basis of the proclamation he gives to Americas people. He is said to have reviewed this with many people before actually addressing it. The proclamation was issued in two parts the 1^st freeing all slaves in the north which was only a small percentage but it was clear a time was coming where every slave in America would be free.  (Waters)There was a “battle of antinem” that would be the determining factor if this proclamation would stand or if it wouldn’t. The north winning this brought us to the second part of the proclamation freeing of all slaves in America. Lincoln even named the states especially to make sure they were clear that slavery was officially abolished. (Waters)

President Lincoln is a civil rights leader in my eyes because he gave slaves there freedom he knew it wasn’t right and for him to stand up amongst his peers and do that shows how confident of a man he was. Lincoln knew doing this he wasn’t going to guarantee the fairness of African Americans but at least it was a start, knowing that he would lose votes and even hurt his chances of being reelected he did what he had to do. The Emancipation of Proclamation is a document of freedom; Lincoln is recognized during black history month every year for what he did and that I’m sure not me but all African Americans are thankful.   

 

Waters, Peter B. "Effects Of The Emancipation Proclamation." Historyrocket. Copyright © 2012 Historyrocket.com, All Rights Reserved, 7 Jan. 1999. Web. 18 Feb. 2014.

Mount, Steve P. "U.S. Constitution." Constitutional Topic: Slavery. 1995-2010 by Craig Walenta. All Rights Reserved, 20 May 2010. Web. 18 Feb. 2014.

Davidson, TJ P. "Abraham Lincoln and the Civil War. Emancipation Proclamation. - Abraham Lincoln." Abraham Lincoln and the Civil War. Emancipation Proclamation. - Abraham Lincoln. Mr. Lincoln and Freedom © 2002-2014 The Lincoln Institute, 3 Apr. 2002. Web. 17 Feb. 2014.