Why didn’t Lincoln free the slaves in ALL states in the Emancipation Proclamation
Lincoln did not free the slaves in all states in the Emancipation Proclamation for a few reasons:
1. The Emancipation Proclamation was based on Lincoln's authority as the Commander-in-Chief during wartime. It was issued as a military order during the American Civil War to disrupt the Confederate war effort by targeting their labor force. Lincoln did not have the legal jurisdiction to abolish slavery in states that remained loyal to the Union.
2. Lincoln had to balance political considerations and public opinion. The Emancipation Proclamation was a bold step towards freeing slaves, but Lincoln needed to ensure the support of border states like Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, and Delaware, which had not seceded from the Union but still allowed slavery. By not freeing the slaves in these states, Lincoln aimed to maintain their support and prevent their potential secession.
3. Lincoln believed in the importance of maintaining the unity of the United States. He wanted to present the Emancipation Proclamation as a military necessity rather than an ideological statement. If he had extended its reach to all states, including loyal Union states, it may have been seen as an overreach of his powers and could have caused internal divisions and resistance among Northerners who were not supportive of abolition.
4. There were limitations to Lincoln's power. As President, he could only issue executive orders to free slaves in areas where the federal government had control, rather than in states where slavery was protected by state laws. The Emancipation Proclamation applied only to slaves in Confederate-held territories, excluding loyal Union states and areas already under Union control such as Tennessee and parts of Louisiana.
Ultimately, the Emancipation Proclamation was a significant step towards ending slavery, but its impact was more symbolic and moral, as it did not immediately and universally free all slaves in the United States. The Thirteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, ratified in 1865 after Lincoln's death, officially abolished slavery throughout the entire nation.