[arrogantsob]

That is exactly right. The Emancipation Proclamation did not free slaves in Union states.

While it does reflect Lincoln’s humanity and hatred of slavery it was a military expediency intended to hurt the South’s war-making ability and it did.

History is a story of unintended consequences and plans being changed because of developments.

[jeffersondem]

“That is exactly right. The Emancipation Proclamation did not free slaves in Union states. While it does reflect Lincoln’s humanity and hatred of slavery it was a military expediency intended to hurt the South’s war-making ability and it did.”

An independent observer at the London Spectator said much the same as you about Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation:

“The Government liberates the enemy’s slaves as it would the enemy’s cattle, simply to weaken them in the coming conflict . . . the principle asserted is not that a human being cannot justly own another, but that he cannot own him unless he is loyal to the United States.”