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| The reading of the Emancipation Proclamation to the Cabinet |
Lincoln says the people held as slaves in the states of rebellion are declared free; the government and the military will maintain the freedom of these people. It must be decided by conclusive evidence whether a state is in rebellion or not. He lists the states that are designated as "in rebellion," including Virginia, Mississippi, Alabama, Florida, Texas, etc., and declares that all slaves in those areas are free. He hopes that the people set free will abstain from violence except in the case of self-defense and recommends they labor for wages if possible. People in the right condition can also be received into the army. He closes by saying he believes this is an act of justice and invoking the favor of God.
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