[Ditto]

That was Seward's opinion a few days after it was issued. He was wrong. Here's the effect it had.

You have already emancipated nearly two millions of our slaves.....
-- Jefferson Davis, Sept. 2, 1864

[stainlessbanner]

So Lincoln's administration was wrong?

Here's an British view of the EP:

"The only possible effect of the Proclamation would be the dreaded servile insurrection...Either a slave rising or nothing. Lincoln's inconsistency was regarded as proven by two things: his earlier denial of any lawful right or wish to free the slaves; and, especially, his not freeing the slaves in "loyal" Kentucky and other United States areas...."

Vanauken, 1989