y and navy of the United States, do order and declare 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 States
wherein the constitutional authority of the United States shall not then
be practically recognized, submitted to, and maintained, shall then,
thenceforward, and forever be free."

Mr. Lincoln had given a confidential intimation of this step to Mr.
Seward and Mr. Welles on the day following the border State interview,
but to all the other members of the cabinet it came as a complete
surprise. Blair thought it would cost the administration the fall
elections. Chase preferred that emancipation should be proclaimed by
commanders in the several military districts. Seward, approving the
measure, suggested that it be postponed until it could be given to the
country supported by military success, instead of issuing it, as would
be the case then, upon the greatest disasters of the war. Mr. Lincoln's
recital continues:

"The wisdom of the view of the Secretary of State struck me with very
great force. It was an aspect of the case that, in all my thought upon
the subject, I had entirely overlooked. The result was that I put the
draft of the proclamation aside, as you do your sketch for a picture,
waiting for a victory."

XXIV

Criticism of the President for his Action on Slavery--Lincoln's Letters
to Louisiana Friends--Greeley's Open Letter--Mr. Lincoln's
Reply--Chicago Clergymen Urge Emancipation--Lincoln's Answer--Lincoln
Issues Preliminary Proclamation--President Proposes Constitutional
Amendment--Cabinet Considers Final Proclamation--Cabinet Discusses
Admission of West Virginia--Lincoln Signs Edict of Freedom--Lincoln's
Letter to Hodges

The secrets of the government were so well kept that no hint whatever
came to the public that the President had submitted to the cabinet the
draft of an emancipation proclamation. Between that date and the battle
of the second Bull Run intervened the period of a full month, during
which, in the absence of military movements or congressional proceedings
to furnish exciting news, both private individuals and public journals
turned a new and somewhat vindictive fire of criticism upon the
administration. For this they seized upon the ever-ready text of the
ubiquitous slavery question. Upon this issue the conservatives protested
indignantly that the President had been too fast,