Page:Cambridge Modern History Volume 7.djvu/627

1863] Final decree of emancipation. 595 gradual emancipation prescribed by Congress was terminated by the immediate abolition of "the institution*" under an Act of the West Virginia legislature passed three days after the adoption of the XHIth Amendment by Congress. The year 1862 had drawn to its close; the period fixed by the President's September proclamation, warning the country that an emancipation decree would follow unless rebellion ceased, had expired; but the Confederate States gave no sign of repentance, and offered no diminution of hostility; nor was there any indication of willingness to give up slavery and receive the money equivalent tendered. President Lincoln was not, however, the man to recede from his public announce- ment, and on January 1, 1863, he signed the final Edict of Freedom, the details of which he had carefully discussed with his Cabinet on the preceding day. The essential paragraphs of the proclamation read as follows. "Now, therefore, I, Abraham Lincoln, President of the United States, by virtue of the power in me vested as Commander-in-chief of the Army and Navy of the United States, in time of actual armed rebellion against the authority and government of the United States, and as a fit and necessary war-measure for suppressing said rebellion, do, on this first day of January, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and sixty -three, and in accordance with my purpose so to do, publicly proclaimed for the full period of 100 days from the day first above mentioned, order and designate as the States and parts of States wherein the people thereof, respectively, are this day in rebellion against the United States, the following, to wit : "Arkansas, Texas, Louisiana (except the parishes of St Bernard, Plaquemines, Jefferson, St John, St Charles, St James, Ascension, Assumption, Terre Bonne, La Fourche, St Mary, St Martin, and Orleans, including the city of New Orleans), Mississippi, Alabama, Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, and Virginia (except the forty-eight counties designated as West Virginia, and also the counties of Berkeley, Accomac, Northampton, Elizabeth City, York, Princess Ann, and Norfolk, including the cities of Norfolk and Portsmouth), and which excepted parts are for the present left precisely as if this proclamation were not issued. " And by virtue of the power and for the purpose aforesaid, I do order and declare that all persons held as slaves within said designated States and parts of States are, and henceforward shall be, free ; and that the executive government of the United States, including the military and naval authorities thereof, will recognize and maintain the freedom of said persons." The proclamation also contained one other feature of immense importance not before publicly announced. It was contained in the following paragraph: "And I further declare and make known that CH. xvin. 33 _ 2