Lincoln and Emancipation: The Lessons of the Letter to Horace Greeley

On New Year’s Day in 1863, a hundred days after giving notice of his intentions, Abraham Lincoln steadied his weary hand to sign the Proclamation of Emancipation. In the main, the edict declared free those slaves still in Confederate hands but for whom the advancing Union forces promised to be an army of liberation. 1 Lincoln’s action won him the instant salute of abolitionists, black and white: “God bless you for the word you have spoken!

All good men upon the earth will glorify you, and all the angels in Heaven will hold jubilee… The civilized world congratulates you, and every loyal American responds Amen . We now have ‘Liberty and Union, one and inseperable [ sic ], now and forever.’ Forward to Victory!” 2 African American communities within the Union hailed the president for inaugurating the Day of Jubilee. Foreign admirers added their voices to the chorus of praise.

European liberals and nationalists led the way. “Heir of the thought of Christ and of [John] Brown,” wrote Italian nationalist Giuseppe Garibaldi, “you will pass down to posterity under the name of the Emancipator ! more enviable than any crown and any human treasure!” 3 From Constantinople, the American consul exulted, “The proclamation of freedom & the declaration to the world of its immutability are destined to an immortality as luminous as the Declaration of Independence & the Farewell Address of Washington.” 4 Further east—Lincoln learnt—“among the oppressed Nestorians of Persia and of Koordistan,” the edict of emancipation, now translated into Syriac, was prompting “hundreds and perhaps thousands to reverence your name.” 5 These keywords were added by machine and not by the authors. This process is experimental and the keywords may be updated as the learning algorithm improves.