Proctor High School - Proctorian Yearbook (Proctor, VT)

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10 THE SUTHERLAND Lincoln did not plunge headlong and blindly into the great task that was before him, because he knew it was a danger- ous one, and realized that theutmost care would have to be taken in order successfully to execute his plans, the results of which would mean so much to a nation and a people. At first Lincoln investigated and studied conditions look- ing at the question from every possible angle-planning, plan- ning as to which way to go about it. Lincoln perhaps was the only American of his time that was sincerely interested in the negroes. He wanted not merely to free the slaves but also to raise them up to a higher standard of living, to educate and drag them out of the rut they had been living in for centuries. At the same time, his love for the slaves did not quench that for the slave owners. He realized their position better than did all the soap box orators , who preached fiery and eloquent addresses as to just how. why, and when shiver;r should be abolished. He realized that if the United States was ever again to be consolidated into one Union any malice or hatred between people living in the different parts of it would make it a very weak and unstable one. His view in this matter is brought out very plainly in a letter which he wrote to a Imlisiana friend in which he said. I shall do nothing in malice; what I deal with is too vast for malicious dealing. The North itself was somewhat divided as to the slave question. In the states farther north there were the extreme republicans and liberators who insisted that the slaves be freed immediately and that if it were not done now another chance like this would never come. Among the Northern border states there were four that were slave states which were fighting for the preservation of the Union. but not to free the negroes. Any hasty action on Lincoln's part would probably have caused a split among the Northern states which might have eventually led to the secession of the Union slave states. ' Lincoln had to reconnoiter his position. He had to be absolutely sure that everything was ready before making any important move. He would have to make it after he had found out whether or not the border states were true enough to the Union, not only to preserve it but also to uphold and enforce its laws. Another matter that had to be taken into consideration was the time when the proclamation should be issued. If it came after a defeat or when the Union was hard put . the proclamation would seem like a. cry of distress instead of a bugle note of liberty. The danger of division in the North

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TH E S U TH ERLAND 9 other families that wanted to move farther west, too. So they all set out. At last they came to the County of Macon; it was in this vicinity they decided to live. Abe and his father built a house on their ten acres of land. Splitting rails to build a fence around the ten acres of land was the great task Abe ac- complished. These were the t'celebrated rails we have heard so much about. Everyone has heard the story of the rest of Lincoln's life. But stop and think,u-uthink of living the early life he did and then becoming the President of the United States. wAnna Williams, '29. LINCOLN, THE EMANCIPATOR iA-im-rded First Prize in the Lined?! Essay Canteen When a young man, Lincoln made a voyage down the great Mississippi to New Orleans where he first saw a public auction of slaves. To the big-hearted, kindly, fellow-loving youth this scene never ceased to be hateful. It pierced his very soul, like a sword cleaving silk, and there left an im- pression, a resolution that if it should ever enter his power to do so, he would free their toils of slavery and oppression, giving them citizenship and freedom. When he came back from this voyage to his new home in Iiiinois he was simply a youth ambitious of an honorable part in the life of the young country, of which he was so just- ly proud. He regarded the liberation of the slaves, which will always be associated with his name, as a part of a larger work, the restoration of his country to its earliest and noblest traditions. Along With Lincoln's self-training, an ambition, Which showed itself early and which was from the first a clean and high ambition. enabled him to work himself up step by step, so that at the age of twenty-five he entered political life. which for him was the door to the Presidency of the great- est republic of the worldi When Lincoln finally reached his hard-fought-for goal. he was faced by two of the biggest issues that ever confronted any former President of the United States. These two great issues were-firet, the preservation of the Union, by rein- corporating the seceded states; and. second, the emancipation of the slaves by peaceful means if possible 01-, if necessary. by forcibly taking them from their owners and making them flee citizens of the United States.

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THE SUTHERLAND 11' would have been increased and its good effect on the rest of the world would have been somewhat diminished. Conse- quently when Lincoln felt he was well-acquainted with the whole matter he waited for a Northern victory in the wake of which he would be able to issue the Emancipation Proclama- tion. Lincolr?s critics, who had been complaining about Lincolnle policy of gradual emancipation on one side and opposing eman- cipation on the other, were growing more troublesome as time wore on. He had to repress publicly a keen Republican gen- eral who had captured land in South Carolina and declared all the slaves in South Carolina, Georgia. and Florida free. Some bills that were to be passed concerning the confiscation of rebel property were vetoed and prohibited by the President from passing into a law until certain harsh features in them had been omitted. Congresemen grumbled at his respect for the rights of the rebels, whose porpetty had been taken, and sneered about having to ascertain the Royal pleasure before they could legislate . An open letter written by Horace Greeley- to Lincoln complained of his supposed bias for slavery. In an answer to this letter Lincoln explained his views on slavery in a now- famous letter which contains these well-known words: My paramount object in this struggle is to save the Union. If I could save the Union without freeing the slaves I would do it; and if I could save it by freeing all the slaves I would do it; and if I could save it by freeing some and leaving others alone. I would do that. In answer to a deputation of Churohmen from Chicago who commanded him in God's name to mancipate the slaves he said, What good would a proclamation of emancipation from me do especially as we are now situated? I do not want to issue a document that the whole world Will see must neces- sarily be inoperative like the 'Pope's Bull against the Comet'. While to the upholders of slavery he plainly stated that he wouldnlt leave an available card unplayed in trying to liberate the slaves. These answers to his fellow citizens showed Lin- colnts true mind. Finally, Lincoln's chance to issue the Emancipation Proc- lamation came after two long years of waiting, with the battle of Outietam, Shortly after the battle the Emancipation Proclamation was issued declaring all slaves free whose own- are were still fighting the United States Government on Jan- uary 1, 1863. The Proclamation went into effect January last and all the slaves in the territory Were given their freedom.