Slaves In Selected States example essay topic

"The Reluctant Emancipator" Throughout history, it has been taught that Abraham Lincoln was the "Great Emancipator" who wrote the Emancipation Proclamation, and was responsible for the end of slavery. Although Lincoln was personally opposed to slavery, he was not at all responsible for the end of its execution. He wrote the Emancipation Proclamation only to help better the chances of the Union winning the civil war. Because of these facts and more, I believe Lincoln was not the "Great Emancipator" but the "Reluctant" one. Even before the document that was supposedly to terminate slavery, Lincoln had a strong belief that African Americans and Whites could not live together civilly. He believed that blacks had suffered very greatly, mainly because of the presence of white Americans, but at the same time, Whites had also suffered from the presence of blacks too.

(Mullane, 215) Lincoln did many studies to see if he could indeed send blacks back to Africa where some of his ancestors had taken them a few three hundred years ago. His studies showed that it would be impossible to do, due to the fact of reproduction. As fast as he could ship them back, just as many if not more would have been born which would have made the process never-ending. (Mullane, 568) After realizing that his first plan was a lost cause, many efforts to dismantle slavery proceeded, but only in degrees. During the war in August 1861, the United States congress issued that slaves in selected states were property, therefore making them contrabands of war. The next year, army officials were forbidden to return "Run away" slaves back to their owners, and later that year it allowed "Contrabands" to fight in the war.

(Mullane, 214) With all these "changes" no actions actually took place. Nothing was changing but what we called slavery. This was because; all the "selected states" were states the U.S. congress had no control over. The only way that slaves could free themselves was if they made it to the North, and then fought for them.

Which only benefited the Union Army. Abolitionists were getting mad, while officials from the South were getting worried that these new laws passed were going to weaken the South, along with providing new man power for the North. During this time, Lincoln began writing a document that was to free all slaves in selected states, which so happened to be those of the South. It was written and finished by the summer of 1862, but due to the Unions unsuccessful position in the war, he was informed that it would be more effective only after a Union victory. (web) After the victory in the battle of Antietam, Lincoln issued a preliminary document that stated all slaves in the states of Arkansas, Texas, some parts of Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, and Virginia shall be free. This document stated that on January 1, 1863, slaves in rebel states would in fact be free.

Lincoln felt that these actions were practical, and acts of justice given by the constitution based on military necessities. Although he wrote the document, all the states mentioned in the Proclamation were rebels of the Union; therefore, it could not be enforced. States of the Southern Confederacy that lied on the border of the Union such as Maryland, Kentucky, Missouri, and Tennessee remained enslaved. This was no accident; this was because Lincoln did not want to make anyone angry in the Union to turn them against the North to join the Confederacy.

(Mullane, 647) Well after January 1 of 1863 slavery was still happening in the designated states. Slaves had no idea that they had been set free. Months had passed and they still got no word on their new borne freedom. (Pierce) Even once finding out that they were indeed free, slaves had to take it upon themselves, and risk their lives to be free. The only way to freedom was to get to the North, which was going on way before September 22, 1862!

Slaves were freeing themselves just as they had been for centuries. Because Lincoln had no control over the South, he had no way to help the slaves get out. Many came to the North with nothing, some without clothes on their backs. Slaves were emancipating themselves with no help from the "Great Emancipator"! (Pierce) Truth be told, Abraham Lincoln did not end slavery, he like a lot of others helped the fight against slavery, but just like many, for selfish and reluctant reasons. Lincoln did not have the slaves in mind when deciding to write the Emancipation Proclamation, but ways of winning the war was at the top of his list.

If he was the real ender of slavery, then why did he not free all slaves? Why did he not make an effort to act out what he wrote out on paper? Or why was there any need for the 13th amendment? The "Reluctant Emancipator" he indeed shall be!

Bibliography

1.) Mullane, Deirdre (1993).
Crossing The Danger Water. New York: First Anchor Books 2.) Lynch, T. (1996).
The story behind the tales. Retrieved May 23, 2003 from Once upon a time: A broad overview of history.