try viewing the EP as you would a will that has not been probated. The
bequest is there for you to receive as soon as the court probates the
will and gets control of the property. Every mile that that the United
States Army moved can be seen as an act of the probate court, delivering
the bequest to millions of slaves. In addition, as noted below, it
encouraged slaves to meet the army half way by running to the US Army.
Who freed the slaves: General Benjamin Butler with his brilliant
concept of contraband; Lincoln with the EP; Grand and Sherman and their
armies by delivering the EP; the slaves themselves who ran to the US
Army lines; and finally the Congress and States through the 13th
Amendment. It was a great collaboration, that led to almost 4,000,000
people getting their freedom.
Virginia had the most slaves when the war began; perhaps it makes sense
that the elite of VA and their great grand children don't like Lincoln.
He, and his generals, and his allies in Congress, took their slaves from
them and made them free people. And futhermore encouraged their slaves
to run away. Horrible.
Paul Finkelman
President William McKinley Distinguished Professor of Law
and Public Policy
Albany Law School
80 New Scotland Avenue
Albany, New York 12208-3494
518-445-3386
[log in to unmask]
>>> [log in to unmask] 02/14/07 6:06 PM >>>
Mr. Forest is right about the Emancipation of Proclamation: Lincoln was
not a position to positively free the slaves. However, by issuing the
Emancipation Proclamation, thousands and thousands of African-Americans
were able to emancipate themselves, fleeing bondage and making there way
to the safety of federal lines. This may have been part of Lincoln's
intent; by encouraging slaves to free themselves, Confederate military
strength was diverted from the front lines to the home front.
>>> Basil Forest <[log in to unmask]> 02/14/07
David Kiracofe
David Kiracofe
History
Tidewater Community College
Chesapeake Campus
1428 Cedar Road
Chesapeake, Virginia 23322
757-822-5136
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