Wow, you really got me there pardner (rolls-eyes).
Thanks to a nifty little gadget called the Internet one (if suitably inclined) can look up all sorts of stuff. There’s a fairly concise page at wackypedia that will tell you all about the EP: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emancipation_Proclamation
Like the fact that Lincoln issued his preliminary Proclamation (an announcement that he was going to issued the EP if the rebel states didn’t cease & desist) on September 22, 1862. So it was more like three years.
You’ll notice that it deliberately didn’t apply to the five slave states not in rebellion (Delaware, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, and West Virginia) in addition to northern states.
What it doesn’t mention is that it wasn’t the only proposed Thirteenth Amendment. The original one was proposed on March 2, 1861 by Thomas Corwin (it came to be known as the Corwin Amendment. This one was essentially the opposite of the eventual Thirteenth Amendment that we have today. It proposed to “forbid subsequent attempts to amend the Constitution to empower the Congress to “abolish or interfere” with the “domestic institutions” of the states, including “persons held to labor or service” - effectively perpetuating slavery for alltime. The south rejected it (well, what was left of southern representatives in Congress by that time).
Of course I’m not telling you anything new...
To be completely honest I myself have posted “less than intelligent remarks” and lived to have them blow up in my face. We are not going to agree to much on this subject but the fun is in the chase. I doff my hat to you sir and thank you for your spirited exchange. I will now recede to my recliner and a mint julep!!!