Abraham Lincoln Who Was The Emancipator

The Emancipator refers to those people who majorly participated in the declaration and enacting the Emancipation Proclamation which played a role in bringing slavery in the United States to an end. The pioneer and drafter of the Emancipation was Abraham Lincoln. He, however, declared that the Emancipation Proclamation would operate towards fulfilling the enactment in both the southern and northern states. Therefore, Lincoln is considered as the most influential president in America. Lincoln's’ achievement made him have various names and titles after his death. Lincoln was an honest person and president hence he was nicknamed Honest Abe and later took the name Abraham Rail-splitter during presidential campaign on Republican ticket and adopter
Uncle Abe or Father Abraham as the president. Hence, I will honestly agree that Abraham is considered as “The Great Emancipator.”
Prior to Lincoln becoming the U.S president, he had already condemned slavery in the public sphere.
In 1854, Lincoln stated the following as an abolitionist of slavery. “This declared indifference, but as I must think, real covert zeal for the spread of slavery, I cannot but hate. I hate it because of the monstrous injustice of slavery itself.” He was more desired to promote equality, and this could only happen in the authorities and powers operated on making people feel free rather than being slaves. He was aware that the U.S constitution would grant freedom to the slaves since it was part of the clause, which is stated in the U.S Constitution following the democratic strategies. Hence, it was at this time around 1862 that Lincoln made a declaration on the Emancipation Proclamation would work best. Therefore, the Emancipation Proclamation was later enacted in January 1863 (Guelzo,
2016)
Lincoln made a proposal to all the states on whether they would allow the practice of slavery in their states. Furthermore, he asked the Congress to provide compensation to the slaveholders. According to Norton et al. (2014), he suggests that Lincoln was pushing for gradual emancipation and later on colonization. Lincoln ideology with the emancipated slaves was to be colonization; therefore, liberation was inevitable to these slaves. Abraham Lincoln declared the first part of the proclamation in September in 1862. He further stated that in January 1863 every slave within any rebellion state would be emancipated. Being that the South's economy depended intensely on slavery, Lincoln had little hope for the south to surrender their exertion, yet with the Emancipation Proclamation, freedom was placed into the hands of four million southern slaves by President Lincoln.
The realistic consideration, which paved the way for the Emancipation Proclamation, is the realization that was made by Lincoln in attempt to restore Union.
It was difficult to restore Union if the practice of slavery was still in play. Nonetheless, a lot of political pressure was arising from all sides, for instance, African American leaders as well as the whole Unions that were operating independently. Additionally President Lincoln was also under pressure from the independent Unions and Radical Republicans who were against slavery and were advocating for its abolition as soon as possible. The practice of slavery was affecting people live especially the African Americans and others who were not of the white race. The most significant pressure was coming from the pro-slavery Unionists who were not in support of the Emancipation Proclamation. Despite all these pressure, Lincoln continued with the Emancipation Proclamation (Guelzo,
2016).
The thirteenth amendment came after the ending of the civil war, which was between the southern and northern America. He proposed to make slavery unconstitutional unless otherwise, it was punishment for crime. The amendment was a strong suggestion that was employed by Lincoln to seek for reelection as the president of the Republican Party. Therefore, Emancipation Proclamation was viewed to be favoring slavery. Hence, it was hindering those states like Great Britain and France that were anti-slavery and developed some friendship with the Confederacy to intervene on behalf of the South (Norton et al., 2014). Moreover, the proclamation acted as unifying and strengthening factor to Lincoln’s Republican Party to stay in power for another two terms. The declaration was more of a presidential order and not a law that has gone through the Congress for debate. Lincoln further pushed for antislavery amended in the U.S Constitution for permanence.
As the American president, Lincoln was obligated to act within the constitutional thresholds. The Emancipation Proclamation was breaking those boundaries put in place by the constitution. According Lincoln held strongly to the Emancipation since he was the only person who could understand it and additionally could act beyond restrictions put in place by the constitution and walk away with it without any victimization or being opposed. The proclamation was not supporting the provisions stated by the Constitution that aimed at protecting slave owners properties. Lincoln, therefore, realized it was within his powers to protect and save persons who were enslaved even though it was against the then constitution (Pederson, 2015).
In conclusion, Lincoln stood firm with the ideology that slavery was wrong in the political forums with all the pressure that was coming from all sectors. If it were not for him with the standards that he set on ending slavery, then it would have been so difficult to stop this inhumane practice. Lincoln, therefore, ought to have the credit of “The Great Emancipator” following the draft of the Emancipation Proclamation despite the pressure.