Proclamation of 1862.
On the 22d of September, 1862, after the war had been in progress for a year and a half,
Mr. Lincoln issued his proclamation, in which he declared that the slaves held in the States, or portions of States which should be still in rebellion on the 1st of January, 1863, following, would be, by a subsequent proclamation, emancipated.
His justification was found in the fact that, as a war measure, it would deplete the strength of the
Confederacy and augment the forces of the
Union.
In all other portions of the
Union where slavery was legalized, to-wit:
Delaware,
Maryland,
West Virginia,
Kentucky,
Tennessee,
Missouri, and portions of
Louisiana and
Virginia, the institution would remain unaffected by the proclamation.
More than that, by the very terms of the proclamation, the people of the States in which it was made to apply could escape its effects by laying down their arms.
Surely if the preservation of the institution of slavery in the seceding States furnished the incentive for their conduct, these States had simply to ground their arms and the institution would have remained.
On the 1st of January, 1863, the final proclamation was made, in which it was recited, because of the failure of the people of the States and portions of States above mentioned to lay down their arms, the slaves within those designated localities were declared free, and the
President pledged all the powers of the
Union to make good
[
81]
this declaration.
It may be of interest to note that, among the counties of
Virginia excepted from the operation of this proclamation, were
Accomac and
Northampton—in honor of the
Confederate soldiers from which this monument is dedicated to-day.
Thus, and thus only, did the emancipation of the slaves become involved in the war.
Mr. Lincoln only justified his proclamation as a war measure to help the cause of the
Union, for he said: ‘If he could save the
Union by freeing the slaves, he would do it; if he could save it by freeing one-half and keeping the other half in slavery, he would take that plan; if keeping them all in slavery would effect the object, that would be his course.’
