TowardthemiddleofSeptember，whenLeeandMcClellanweregraduallyconverginguponthefatedlineofAntietamCreek，Lincoln’snewfirmnesswasputtothetest。TheimmediateeffectofManassaswasanother，astillmorevehementoutcryforananti-slaverypolicy。AdeputationofChicagoclergymenwenttoWashingtonforthepurposeofurginghimtomakeananti-slaverypronouncement。Thejourneywasacontinuousovation。IfatanytimeLincolnwastemptedtoforgetSeward’sworldlywisdom，itwaswhentheseinfluentialzealotsdemandedofhimtodotheverythingheintendedtodo。ButitwasoneofthecharacteristicsofthisfinalLincolnthatwhenoncehehadfullydeterminedonacourseofaction，nothingcoulddeflecthim。Withconsummatecoolnesshegavethemnonewlightonhispurpose。Instead，heseizedtheopportunityto“feel“thecountry。Heplayedtheroleofadvocatearguingthecaseagainstanemancipationpolicy。[14]TheymethisargumentwithgreatSpiritandresolution。Takingthemasanindex，therecouldbelittlequestionthatthecountrywasripeforthenewpolicy。AtthecloseoftheinterviewLincolnallowedhimselftojest。OneoftheclergymendramaticallychargedhimtogiveheedtotheirmessageastoadirectcommissionfromtheAlmighty。“Isitnotodd，“saidLincoln，“thattheonlychannelhecouldsenditwasthatroundaboutroutebytheawfullywickedcityofChicago？“*
　　*Reminiscences，335。ThisretortisgivenbySchuylerColfax。
　　TherearevariousreportsofwhatLincolnsaid。Inanotherversion，“IhopeitwillnotbeirreverentformetosaythatifitisprobablethatGodwouldrevealHiswilltoothersonapointsoconnectedwithmyduty，itmightbesupposedHewouldrevealitdirectlytome。“Tarbell，II，l2。
　　Lincoln’spertinacity，holdingfasttheprogramhehadaccepted，cametoitsreward。OntheseventeenthoccurredthatfuriouscarnagealongtheAntietamknownasthebloodiestsingledayofthewholewar。Militarymenhavedisagreed，callingitsometimesavictory，sometimesadrawnbattle。InLincoln’spoliticalstrategythedisputeisimmaterial。
　　Psychologically，itwasaNorthernvictory。TheretreatofLeewasregardedbytheNorthastheturnofthetide。Lincoln’sopportunityhadarrived。
　　Again，auniqueeventoccurredinaCabinetmeeting。Onthetwenty-secondofSeptember，withthecannonofAntietamstillringingintheirimagination，theMinisterswereaskedbythePresidentwhethertheyhadseenthenewvolumejustpublishedbyArtemusWard。Astheyhadnot，heproduceditandreadaloudwithevidentrelishoneofthosebitsofnonsensewhich，intheageofDickens，seemedfunnyenough。MostoftheCabinetjoinedinthemerriment——Stanton，ofcourse，asalways，excepted。Lincolnclosedthebook，pulledhimselftogether，andbecameserious。
　　“Gentlemen，“saidhe，accordingtothediaryofSecretaryChase，“Ihave，asyouareaware，thoughtagreatdealabouttherelationofthiswartoslavery；andyouallrememberthatseveralweeksagoIreadyouanorderIhadpreparedonthissubject，which，onaccountofobjectionsmadebysomeofyou，wasnotissued。Eversince，mymindhasbeenmuchoccupiedwiththissubject，andIhavethoughtallalongthatthetimeforactingonitmightprobablycome。Ithinkthetimehascomenow。Iwishitwasabettertime。Iwishthatwewereinabettercondition。TheactionofthearmyagainsttheRebelshasnotbeenquitewhatIshouldhavebestliked。ButtheyhavebeendrivenoutofMaryland；andPennsylvaniaisnolongerindangerofinvasion。WhentheRebelarmywasatFrederick，I
　　determined，assoonasitshouldbedrivenoutofMaryland，toissueaproclamationofemancipation，suchasIthoughtmostlikelytobeuseful。Isaidnothingtoanyone，butImadethepromisetomyself，and[hesitatingalittle]tomyMaker。TheRebelarmyisnowdrivenoutandIamgoingtofulfillthatpromise。IhavegotyoutogethertohearwhatIhavewrittendown。Idonotwishyouradviceaboutthemainmatter，forthatIhavedeterminedformyself。This，Isaywithoutintendinganythingbutrespectforanyoneofyou。ButI
　　alreadyknowtheviewsofeachonthisquestion。Theyhavebeenheretoforeexpressed，andIhaveconsideredthemasthoroughlyandascarefullyasIcan。WhatIhavewrittenisthatwhichmyreflectionshavedeterminedmetosay……
　　ImustdothebestIcan，andbeartheresponsibilityoftakingthecoursewhichIfeelIoughttotake。“[15]ThenextdaytheProclamationwaspublished。
　　Thisfamousdocument[16]isasremarkableforthepartsofitthatarenowforgottenasfortherest。TherememberedportionisawarningthatonthefirstofJanuary，onehundreddayssubsequenttothedateoftheProclamation——“allpersonsheldasslaveswithinanyStateordesignatedpartofaState，thepeoplewhereofshallthenbeinrebellionagainsttheUnitedStates，shallbethen，thenceforward，andforeverfree。“Theforgottenportionsincludefourotherdeclarationsofexecutivepolicy。Lincolnpromisedthat“theExecutivewillinduetimerecommendthatallcitizensoftheUnitedStateswhohaveremainedloyaltheretoshallbecompensatedforalllossesbyactsoftheUnitedStates，includingthelossofslaves。“HeannouncedthathewouldagainurgeuponCongress“theadoptionofapracticalmeasuretenderingpecuniaryaid“toalltheloyalSlaveStatesthatwould“voluntarilyadoptimmediateorgradualabolishmentofslaverywithintheirlimits。“HewouldcontinuetoadvisethecolonizationoffreeAfricansabroad。
　　ThereisstilltobementionedadetailoftheProclamationwhich，exceptforitshistoricalsettinginthegeneralperspectiveofLincoln’spoliticalstrategy，wouldappearinexplicable。Onemightexpectintheopeningstatement，wheretheauthoroftheProclamationboldlyassumesdictatorialpower，animmediatelinkingofthatassumptionwiththematterinhand。Butthisdoesnothappen。TheProclamationbeginswiththefollowingparagraph：
　　“I，AbrahamLincoln，PresidentoftheUnitedStatesofAmerica，andCommander-in-ChiefoftheArmyandNavythereof，doherebyproclaimanddeclarethathereafter，asheretofore，thewarwillbeprosecutedfortheobjectofpracticallyrestoringtheconstitutionalrelationbetweentheUnitedStatesandeachoftheStatesandthepeoplethereofinwhichStatesthatrelationisormaybesuspendedordisturbed。“
　　Bytheautumnof1862，LincolnhadacquiredthesamepoliticalmethodthatSewardhaddisplayedinthespringof1861。WhatachasmseparatesthetwoLincolns!Thecautious，contradictory，almosttimidstatesmanoftheSumterepisode；theconfident，unified，quietlymasterfulstatesmanoftheEmancipationProclamation。Now，inaction，hewascapableofstakinghiswholefutureonthesoundnessofhisownthinking，onhisownabilitytoforecasttheinevitable。WithoutwaitingfortheresultsoftheProclamationtoappear，butinfullconfidencethathehaddrivenawedgebetweentheJacobinsproperandthemereAbolitionists，hethrewdownthegageofbattleontheissueofaconstitutionaldictatorship。TwodaysafterissuingtheProclamationhevirtuallyproclaimedhimselfdictator。HedidsobymeansofaproclamationwhichdivestedthewholeAmericanpeopleoftheprivilegesofthewritofhabeascorpus。TheoccasionwastheeffortofStategovernmentstoestablishconscriptionoftheirmilitia。TheProclamationdeliveredanyoneimpedingthatattemptintothehandsofthemilitaryauthoritieswithouttrial。
　　HerewasLincoln’sfinalanswertoStevens；here，hisaudaciouschallengetotheJacobins。Andnowappearedthewisdomofhispoliticalstrategy，holdingbackemancipationuntilCongresswasoutoftheway。HadCongressbeeninsessionwhatahubbubwouldhaveensued!Chandler，Wade，Trumbull，Sumner，Stevens，allhurryingtojoinissueonthedictatorship；togetitbeforethecountryaheadofemancipation。Rather，onecannotimagineLincolndaringtoplaythissecondcard，sosoonafterthefirst，exceptwithabundanttimeforthetwoissuestodisentanglethemselvesinthepublicmindereCongressmet。
　　Andthatwaswhathappened。WhentheHousesmetinDecember，theJacobinsfoundtheirpositionrevolutionized。Themenwho，inJulyattheheadoftheVindictivecoalition，dominatedCongress，werenowaminorityfactionbitingtheirnailsatthePresidentamidtheruinsoftheircoalition。
　　Therewerethreereasonsforthiscollapse。Firstofall，theAbolitionists，forthemoment，wereafactionbythemselves。
　　Sixweekshadsufficedtointoxicatethemwiththeiropportunity。ThesignificanceoftheProclamationhadhadtimetoarisetoweringontheirspiritualvision，oneofthegatesoftheNewJerusalem。
　　Limitedasitwasinapplicationwhocoulddoubtthat，withonecondition，itdoomedslaveryeverywhere。Theconditionwasasuccessfulprosecutionofthewar，therestorationoftheUnion。Consequently，atthatmoment，nothingthatmadeissuewiththePresident，thatthreatenedanylimitationofhisefficiency，hadtheslightestchanceofAbolitionistsupport。
　　TheonedreadthatalarmedthewholeAbolitionistgroupwasapossiblechangeinthePresident’smood，apossiblerecantationonJanuaryfirst。Inordertoholdhimtohisword，theywerereadytohumorhimasonemightcajole，ortrytocajole，amonsterthatonewasafraidof。Notime，this，totalktoAbolitionistsaboutstrictlyconstitutionalissues，oraboutquestionsofpartyleadership。Awaywithallyour“gabble“
　　aboutsuchsmallthings!TheJacobinssawthemovinghand——atleastforthismoment——inthecrumblingwallofthepalaceoftheirdelusion。
　　ManymenwhowerenotAbolitionistsperceived，beforeCongressmet，thatLincolnhadmadeagreatstrokeinternationally。The“Liberalpartythroughouttheworld“gaveacryofdelight，androseinstantlytohissupport。JohnBrightdeclaredthattheEmancipationProclamation“madeitimpossibleforEnglandtointervenefortheSouth“andderided“thesillypropositionoftheFrenchEmperorlookingtowardintervention。“[1]Bright’sclosestfriendinAmericawasSumnerandSumnerwaschairmanoftheSenateCommitteeonForeignRelations。Heunderstoodthevalueofinternationalsentiment，itsworkingimportance，asgoodprovincialslikeChandlerdidnot。Furthermore，hewasalwaysanAbolitionistfirstandaJacobinsecond——ifatall。
　　Fromthistimeforward，theJacobinswereneverabletocountonhim，notevenwhentheyrebuilttheVindictiveCoalitionayearandahalflater。InDecember，1862，howdidtheydare——truebluepoliticiansthattheywere——howdidtheydareraiseaconstitutionalissueinvolvingtherightofthePresidenttocapture，inthewayhehad，internationalsecurity？
　　ThecrowningironyinthenewsituationoftheJacobinswastherevelationthattheyhadplayedunwittinglyintothehandsoftheDemocrats。Theirshort-sightedastutenessintyingupemancipationwiththewarpowerswasmatchedbyanequalastutenessequallyshort-sighted。TheorganizationoftheLittleMen，whenitrefusedtoendorseLincoln’sall-partiesprogram，hadfounditselfintheabsurdpositionofapartywithoutanissue。Itcontained，tobesure，alargeproportionoftheNorthernerswhowereopposedtoemancipation。Buthowcoulditmakeanissueuponemancipation，aslongasthePresident，theobjectofitsantagonism，alsorefusedtosupportemancipation？ThesoleargumentintheCabinetagainstLincoln’snewpolicywasthatitwouldgivetheDemocratsanissue。ShrewdMontgomeryBlairprophesiedthatonthisissuetheycouldcarrytheautumnelectionsforCongress。Lincolnhadrepliedthathewouldtaketherisk。Hepresentedthemwiththeissue。TheypromptlyaccepteditButtheydidnotstopthere。TheyaimedtotakeoverthewholeofthepositionthathadbeenvacatedbythecollapseoftheVindictiveCoalition。Byanadroitbitofpoliticallegerdemaintheywouldstealtheirenemies’thunder，reunitetheemancipationissuewiththeissueofthewarpowers，reversethesignificanceoftheconjunction，and，armedwiththisdoubleclub，theywouldadvancefromanewandunexpectedangleandwintheleadershipofthecountrybyoverthrowingthedictator。
　　Andthis，theycameveryneardoing。OntheirdoubleissuetheyralliedenoughsupporttoincreasetheirnumberinCongressbythirty-three。Hadnotthemomentbeensotragic，nothingcouldhavebeenmoreamusingthanthehelplesswrathoftheJacobinscaughtintheirowntrap，compelledtognawtheirtonguesinsilence，whiletheDemocrats，paraphrasingtheirownarguments，hurleddefiantatLincoln。
　　Menofintellectualcouragemighthavebrokentheirpartyranks，daringlyappliedLincoln’sownmaxim“standwithanyonewhostandsright，“andmomentarilyjoinedtheDemocratsintheirbattleagainstthetwoproclamations。ButinAmericanpolitics，withafewgloriousexceptions，courageofthissorthasneverbeentheorderoftheday。TheJacobinskepttheirpartyline；bowedtheirheadstothestorm；andbidedtheirtime。IntheSenate，anindiscreetresolutioncommendingtheEmancipationProclamationwasorderedtobeprinted，andlaidonthetable。[2]IntheHouse，partyexigenciesweremoreexacting。DespitetheDemocraticsuccesses，theRepublicansstillhadamajority。WhentheDemocratsmadetherepudiationofthePresidentapartyissue，arguingonthoseverygroundsthathadarousedtheeloquenceofStevensandtherest——why，what’stheConstitutionbetweenfriends!Orbetweenpoliticalenemies？TheDemocratsforcedalltheRepublicansintooneboatbyintroducingaresolution“ThatthepolicyofemancipationasindicatedinthatProclamationisanassumptionofpowersdangeroustotherightsofcitizensandtotheperpetuityofafreepeople。“Theresolutionwasrejected。AmongthosewhovotedNOwasStevens。[3]Indeed，thestaroftheJacobinswasfardownonthehorizon。