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| Joined: | Sat Jan 27th, 2007 |
| Location: | Texas USA |
| Posts: | 833 |
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No, Sir, it is not. The Emancipation Proclamation was simply one tool that Lincoln had at his disposal to help him achieve his objective- the preservation of the Union.
Look again at Mr. Lincoln's letter to Horace Greeley. He says: "What I do about slavery, and the colored race, I do because I believe it helps to save the Union." This does not put the EP in the category of a lie or a deliberate misstatement. It was something he could employ to rally the northern people to continue the struggle. He never said: "Your primary purpose in continuing the war is to free the slaves." He was simply presenting an additional reason. (Though it didn't please everyone).
The EP was not an end in itself, it was only a means to an end. Mr. Lincoln's desired end was still the preservation of the Union.
Last edited on Tue Jul 15th, 2008 12:57 am by Texas Defender