Abraham Lincoln's decision not to free all enslaved persons with the Emancipation Proclamation was influenced by several factors:
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Constitutional Limitations: Lincoln believed that his constitutional authority to issue the Proclamation was limited. The Emancipation Proclamation was issued as a war measure aimed at weakening the Confederate states, and Lincoln felt it was necessary to focus on areas in rebellion rather than trying to free enslaved people in border states that remained loyal to the Union.
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Political Considerations: Lincoln was aware of the delicate political landscape of the time. He needed to maintain the support of slave-holding border states that had not seceded. If he had freed all enslaved persons, he risked alienating these states and potentially losing their allegiance to the Union cause.
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Military Strategy: The Proclamation was intended to undermine the Confederacy by freeing enslaved individuals in the Southern states, thereby encouraging them to escape and join the Union Army. It was a strategic move to bolster Union forces while simultaneously disrupting the Confederate economy.
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Gradual Emancipation Preference: Lincoln initially favored gradual emancipation over immediate abolition. He believed that a more gradual approach would be more palatable to the public and would allow for a smoother transition for both enslaved people and society.
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Concerns about Public Sentiment: Lincoln was acutely aware of public opinion in the North. Many Northern Democrats and some Republicans were not in favor of immediate emancipation, so he sought to balance his actions with the sentiments of his constituents.
In summary, Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation was a significant step toward abolition, but it was also shaped by political, military, and constitutional constraints that limited the extent of immediate freedom granted to enslaved individuals.