Lincoln and Roosevelt-Explicit Respect

The Emancipation Proclamation issued on January 1, 1863 was the third and final draft of Abraham Lincoln’s plan to free all persons held in slavery in the rebellious southern states. The first draft was presented to Lincoln’s cabinet privately, on July 22, 1862. The second draft released to the public on September 22, 1862 is quoted in the final document. Historian Matthew Pinkster noted in each of these drafts, issued at different times and under different circumstances, have the same date of initiation; the first day of January. The significance of the same date illustrates Lincoln’s commitment to emancipation regardless of military victory. However, the timeline signified that emancipation and the status of formerly enslaved people was a part of an overall military strategy as a part of the Military’s spring campaign.

As the war began the status of people held in slavery had been difficult to define. General Benjamin Butler had declared them contraband of war and held them as property of the enemy. The contraband political status was an issue for President Lincoln. Contraband is defined as “property” of a belligerent nation. Lincoln and the Union did not recognized the sovereignty of the Confederacy. Therefore slaves considered “contraband” would elevate the status of Confederates State of America to nation. General John C. Fremont in Missouri and General David Hunter in South Carolina used military orders to declare slaves free, an over step from field generals who actions were Constitutionally questionable. Slaves were self-emancipating themselves as they moved toward the Union army’s lines. As the Union Army occupied hard fought territory more people freed themselves. Congress had passed two Confiscation Ac...

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...o would call Congress to support a Constitutional amendment to grant woman the right to vote, in September 30, 1918 Wilson addressed the U.S. Senate, acknowledging women’s role in helping win the war, “we have made partners of the women in this war...Shall we admit them only to a partnership of suffering and sacrifice and toil and not to a partnership of privilege and right?"

President Abraham Lincoln established many precedents during his time in office. His leadership brought the United States through the greatest crisis it had faced, Civil War. Lincoln used the explicit powers of the Commander in Chief to issue the Emancipation Proclamation. Theodore Roosevelt followed the precedents established by Abraham Lincoln, also expanding the office of the presidency. Like Lincoln, President Roosevelt acted to effect change in society denied the Presidential power.