The Arkansas in the Civil War Message Board

More reasons why the WWBTS was not about slavery

These you can look up yourself, I am sorta working from memory here and may leave something out.

GP

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1. Crittenden-Johnson resolution---

The Crittenden-Johnson Resolutions on the Objects of the War, 1861

(from Richardson (ed.), Messages and Addresses of Congress, Vol. 6:430)

Resolved by the House of Representatives of the Congress of the United States, That the present deplorable civil war has been forced upon the country by the disunionists of the Southern States now in revolt against the constitutional Government and in arms around the capital; that in this national emergency Congress, banishing all feelings of mere passion or resentment, will recollect only its duty to the whole country; that this war is not waged on our part in any spirit of oppression, nor for any purpose of conquest or subjugation, nor purpose of overthrowing or interfering with the rights or established institutions of those States, but to defend and maintain the supremacy of the Constitution and to preserve the Union, with all the dignity, equality, and rights of the several States unimpaired; and that as soon as these objects are accomplished the war ought to cease.

These resolutions were passed by both the house and Senate

2. The 13th or Ghost amendment---

3. Lincoln overturns The Fremont Emancipation--

4. Lincolns first and second EP-- only freed the saves in the rebelling states.

5. Letter to Horace Greely

6. Lincoln only freed the slaves as a "war measure" Here is that letter.

"Abraham Lincoln to Salmon Portland Chase, September 2, 1863,"​

The following text is presented here in complete form, as it originally appeared in print. Spelling and typographical errors have been preserved as in the original.

Executive Mansion,

Washington,
September 2. 1863.

Hon. S. P. Chase.

My dear Sir:

Knowing your great anxiety that the emancipation proclamation shall now be applied to certain parts of Virginia and Louisiana which were exempted from it last January, I state briefly what appear to me to be difficulties in the way of such a step. The original proclamation has no constitutional or legal justification, except as a military measure. The exemptions were made because the military necessity did not apply to the exempted localities. Nor does that necessity apply to them now any more than it did then. If I take the step must I not do so, without the argument of military necessity, and so, without any argument, except the one that I think the measure politically expedient, and morally right? Would I not thus give up all footing upon constitution or law? Would I not thus be in the boundless field of absolutism? Could this pass unnoticed, or unresisted? Could it fail to be perceived that without any further stretch, I might do the same in Delaware, Maryland, Kentucky, Tennessee, and Missouri; and even change any law in any state? Would not many of our own friends shrink away appalled? Would it not lose us the elections, and with them, the very cause we seek to advance?

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If you can add other instances , please do so.

Thanks,
GP

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