Lincoln's Gamble: The Tumultuous Six Months that Gave America the Emancipation

[David Lockmiller]

(09-01-2014 04:54 PM)Linda Anderson Wrote:  

(09-01-2014 04:29 PM)brewstt Wrote:  Was just made aware, Linda, of your post here about my new book which comes out next week. Hope you and others enjoy it. You can read about the book on my website, http://www.lincolnsgamble.com, and click through there to pre-order a copy.

Would love to get reactions from everyone as they read the book.

Welcome to the forum, Todd! I'm looking forward to reading your book.

We've been discussing Mary Lincoln's reaction to the EP in the thread "Our One Common Country" (under News and Announcements) and I found your book when I googled "Florence W. Stanley" reporter. The discussion starts at Post #60.

http://rogerjnorton.com/LincolnDiscussio...age-4.html

What is your opinion on the validity of Mrs. Stanley's comments about Mrs. Lincoln?

I went to Mr. Brewster's website and this was the first sentence below his bookcover:

"On the night before he signed the act freeing four million slaves, no one, not even Abraham Lincoln, was sure he would do it."

I disagree with this statement. Lincoln committed to issuing the Emancipation Proclamation exactly 100 days before January 1, 1863. All here know his determination once his mind was set.

The facts of this issue are as President Lincoln himself detailed to F. B. Carpenter, The Inner Life of Abraham Lincoln, Six Months At The White House, (1879), pages 20-23:

"It had got to be," said he, "midsummer, 1862. Things had gone on from bad to worse, until I felt that we had reached the end of our rope on the plan of operations we had been pursuing; that we had about played our last card, and must change our tactics, or lose the game! I now determined (emphasis added) upon the adoption of the emancipation policy; and without consultation with, or the knowledge of the Cabinet, I prepared the original draft of the proclamation, and, after much anxious thought, called a Cabinet meeting upon the subject. This was the last of July, or the first part of the month of August, 1862" (The exact date he did not remember.)

"This Cabinet meeting took place, I think, upon a Saturday. All were present, excepting Mr. Blair, the Postmaster-General, who was absent at the opening of the discussion, but came in subsequently. I said to the Cabinet that I had resolved upon this step, and had not called them together to ask their advice, but to lay the subject-matter of a proclamation before them; suggestions as to which would be in order, after they had heard it read. . . . Various suggestions were offered. . . . Mr. Blair, after he came in, deprecated the policy, on the ground that it would cost the Administration the fall elections."

"Nothing, however, was offered that I had not already fully anticipated and settled in my own mind, until Secretary Seward spoke. He said in substance: 'Mr. President, I approve of the proclamation, but I question the expediency of its issue at this juncture. The depression of the public mind, consequent upon our repeated reverses, is so great that I fear the effect of so important a step. It may be viewed as the last measure of an exhausted government, a cry for help; the government stretching forth its hands to Ethiopia, instead of Ethiopia stretching forth her hands to the government.'"

"His idea," said the President, "was that if would be considered our last shriek, on the retreat." (This was his precise expression.) "'Now, continued Mr. Seward, 'while I approve the measure, I suggest, sir, that you postpone its issue, until you can give it to the country supported by military success, instead of issuing it, as would be the case now, upon the greatest disasters of the war!'"

Mr. Lincoln continued: "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 sketech for a picture, waiting for a victory.

From time to time I added or changed a line, touching it up here and there, anxiously watching the progress of events. Well, the next news we had was of Pope's disaster, at Bull Run. Things looked darker than ever. Finally, came the week of the battle of Antietam. I determined to wait no longer. The news came, I think, on Wednesday, that the advantage was on our side.

I was then staying at the Soldier's Home, (three miles out of Washington). Here I finished writing the second draft of the preliminary proclamation; came up on Saturday; called the Cabinet together to hear it, and it was published the following Monday."

I wish to add another story which begins near the end of the "100 days" wait. It comes from my original favorite Lincoln book, Lincoln Talks, a Biography in Anecdote, by Emanuel Hertz, which does contain stories of doubtful authenticity [Mr. Hertz is very short on references]. In this case, the reference provided is Z. C. Robbins. The story is at pages 340-41 of Lincoln Talks.

A tremendous pressure was brought to bear upon the President to witdraw the threatened issue of the Emancipation Proclamation. Letters poured in, some imploring, some threatening, until the staunch anti-slavery people feared that Mr. Lincoln would not withstand the pressure. One day about a week before the day set for the proclamation, Mr. Robbins walked into the office of Secretary Nicolay. The President entered, put his hand on Mr. Robbin's shoulder, and said: "Well, old friend, the important day draws near."

"Yes," replied Robbins, "and I hope there will be no backing out on your part."

"Well, I don't know," said Lincoln. "Peter denied his Master. He thought he wouldn't, but he did."

The great day came and with it the freedom to black and white.

A few days later Mr. Robbins met Mr. Lincoln, when the latter grasped his hand and said: "Well, friend Robbins, I beat Peter."