Page:Cambridge Modern History Volume 7.djvu/624

 592 Emancipation proclaimed. [1862 time has come now. I wish it was a better time. I wish that we were in a better condition. The action of the army against the rebels has not been quite what I should have best liked. But they have been driven out of Maryland, and Pennsylvania is no longer in danger of invasion. When the rebel army was at Frederick, I determined, as soon as it should be driven out of Maryland, to issue a proclamation of emanci- pation, such as I thought most likely to be useful. I said nothing to anyone, but I made the promise to myself, and (hesitating a little) to my Maker. The rebel army is now driven out and I am going to fulfil that promise." In the discussion which followed, the Postmaster-General, Blair, while agreeing to both the principle and policy, urged that the time was still inopportune. The Secretary of State, Mr Seward, suggested the principal verbal amendment; that the document should promise to "maintain" as well as "recognise" the freedom of the enfranchised persons. The President accepted the modification, which gave the essence of the decree the following form : "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 for ever free; and the Executive Government of the United States, including the military and naval authorities thereof, will recognise and maintain the freedom of such persons, or any of them, in any efforts they may make for their actual freedom." In addition the document contained three other leading proposals and promises : 1. A renewal of the plan of compensated abolition ; 2. A continuance of the effort at voluntary colonisation ; 3. The recommendation of ultimate compensation to loyal owners. It also contained an express order enjoining upon the military and naval service of the United States to observe, obey, and enforce the provisions of the Confiscation and other Acts relating to slaves. The leading news- papers of the country printed the proclamation in full on the morning of September 23 ; and that evening, in reply to a serenade, Mr Lincoln said : "What I did, I did after a very full deliberation, and under a very heavy and solemn sense of responsibility. I can only trust in God I have made no mistake. I shall make no attempt on this occasion to sustain what I have done or said by any comment. It is now for the country and the world to pass judgment and, may be, take action upon it." The probable action of the country and the world had been thought out by the President with accurate judgment. He had reached, not a highly sanguine, but a thoroughly hopeful mental forecast of its effect upon the border Slave States, the army, the emancipated slaves and general public opinion. A convocation of the governors of the loyal