Existing comment:
First Reading of the Emancipation Proclamation before the Cabinet
Engraving by Alexander Hay Ritcher, 1866
On July 22, 1862, Lincoln met with his cabinet and read them his draft of an emancipation proclamation -- to the surprise and resentment of some. While the president had made his intentions known to several of them a few weeks earlier, most were hearing his determination for the first time. Lincoln listened to their concerns, agreeing to add a phrase or two and to postpone the announcement until Union troops secured a victory. On September 22, 1862, days after the win at Antietam, Lincoln issued the Preliminary Emancipation Proclamation, ordering emancipation on January 1, 1863. |