nt stretching forth
its hands to Ethiopia, instead of Ethiopia stretching forth her hands to
the government. It will be considered our last _shriek_ on the retreat."
He therefore urged postponement until after a Northern victory. This
appealed to Lincoln and he "put the draft of the proclamation aside,
waiting for victory[871]."

Victory came in September, with McClellan's defeat of Lee at Antietam,
and the retreat of the Southern army toward Richmond. Five days later,
September 22, Lincoln issued the proclamation, expanded and altered in
text from the draft of July 22, but in substance the same[872]. The
loyal border states were not to be affected, but the proclamation
renewed the promise of steps to be taken to persuade them to voluntary
action. On January 1, 1863, a second proclamation, referring to that of
September 22, was issued by Lincoln "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...." The states affected were designated by name and all
persons held as slaves within them "are, and henceforward shall be,
free...." "I hereby enjoin upon the people so declared to be free to
abstain from all violence, unless in necessary self-defence...." "And
upon this act, sincerely believed to be an act of justice, warranted by
the Constitution upon military necessity, I invoke the considerate
judgment of mankind, and the gracious favour of Almighty God[873]."

Such were the steps, from December, 1861, when the radical Sumner began
his pressure for action, to September, 1862, when Lincoln's pledge of
emancipation was made. Did these steps indicate, as British opinion
unquestionably held, an intention to rouse a servile insurrection? Was
the Confiscation Bill passed with that purpose in view and had Lincoln
decided to carry it into effect? The failure of the slaves to rise is,
indeed, the great marvel of the Civil War and was so regarded not in
England only, but in America also. It was the expectation of the North
and the constant fear of the South. But was this, in truth, the
_purpose_ of the emancipation proclamation?

This purpose has been somewhat summarily treated by American
historians, largely because of lack of specific evidence as to motives
at the time of issue. Two words "military necessity" are made to cover
nearly the entire argument for emancipation in September, 1862,