"For my own part," he wrote, "I think I shall not, in any event, retract
the emancipation proclamation; nor, as Executive, ever return to slavery
any person who is freed by the terms of that proclamation, or by any of
the acts of Congress. If Louisiana shall send members to Congress, their
admission to seats will depend, as you know, upon the respective houses
and not upon the President."
"I would be glad for her to make a new constitution recognizing the
emancipation proclamation and adopting emancipation in those parts of
the State to which the proclamation does not apply. And while she is at
it, I think it would not be objectionable for her to adopt some
practical system by which the two races could gradually live themselves
out of their old relation to each other, and both come out better
prepared for the new. Education for young blacks should be included in
the plan. After all, the power or element of 'contract' may be
sufficient for this probationary period, and by its simplicity and
flexibility may be the better."
During the autumn months the President's mind dwelt more and more on
the subject of reconstruction, and he matured a general plan which he
laid before Congress in his annual message to that body on December 8,
1863. He issued on the same day a proclamation of amnesty, on certain
conditions, to all persons in rebellion except certain specified
classes, who should take a prescribed oath of allegiance.
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