Slavery In The 19th Century

Slavery wasn’t an easy thing to come by in the 19th century.
Slavery was a big deal for a long period of time, but Lincoln finally made a step for freedom.

Lincoln detested human bondage, but he felt compelled to act prudently in the interests of the Union and he worked within the limits of public opinion. The issue of black freedom was particularly explosive in the loyal border states, where slave holders threatened to jump into the arms of the Confederacy at even a hint of emancipation. Black freedom also raised alarms in the free states. The Democratic Party gave notice that including emancipation in the goals of the union would make the war strictly Republican. Many white Northerners were not going to risk their lives to satisfy what
Lincoln refused causing a harsh label of “the miserable tool of traitors and rebels”. In August 1861, Congress approved the Confiscation Act, which allowed the seizure of any slave that was employed by the Confederate military. The free-soil dream of prohibiting slavery in the territories abolished slavery in Washington D.C, but angered Democrats. Slaves became the most insistent force for emancipation. By escaping their masters and running away to the Union lines, they forced slavery on the North’s wartime agenda. Slaves were still not legally free, but the tilt for emancipation was bigger than ever. The tilt toward emancipation move so rapidly that Lincoln found it impossible to control the federal policy. In 1862, Lincoln announced that slavery was no longer untouchable and that he would emancipate every slave if doing so would preserve the Union. On July 17, Congress adopted the second Confiscation act. The first act allowed the confiscation of slaves that were employed by the Confederate military. The second act declared that all slaves of rebel masters “forever free of their servitude.” Lincoln announced his preliminary Emancipation Proclamation that promised to free all slaves in the seceding states
He went off of public opinion to make a final decision which was him trying to make society happy rather than doing the right thing. The Emancipation Proclamation didn’t free all slaves either, it only freed ones empowered by military forces. He could have done more to free all of the slaves, but at that time it would have been pushing the limits. He did free some slaves which was a huge step for colored people and is still remembered today, but some things could have been changed to make his presidency better and more