I'm a little unclear on how the precedent that resulted in the emancipation resulted in a loss of liberty for everyone. He meant to say that the actions that emancipated a work force of millions increased the liberty of everyone in the country, because enslaving millions of people sets a bad precedent, because no one can consider himself fully free, while enslaving his fellows.
I'm sure thats what he meant to say.
Your sarcasm is excused. I was not suggesting that the emancipation is what watered down everyone else's right. I was simply saying that both happened under Lincoln. One was thing was good, one was bad.