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3 Raymond's History of Lincoln's Administration, p. 401.
6 In his anxiety to disintegrate the rebel Confederacy politically, and to reestablish loyal State governments, Mr. Lincoln proposed, in this message, to allow one-tenth of the voters of 1860 (excepting the prominent leaders of the rebellion, and certain other classes) to organize such new governments, provided they took the oath of allegiance to the Constitution, and to the proclamations and Congressional acts relating to slavery, ‘so long and so far as not repealed, modified, or held void by Congress, or by decision of the Supreme Court.’ Legislation by such States for the freedmen must recognize and declare their permanent freedom, and provide for their education, but yet might make ‘temporary arrangement’ for their tutelage. ‘While it allows those who have been in bloody rebellion to vote, it disfranchises the whole body of loyal freedmen!’ wrote Mr. Garrison of it. ‘It opens the way for duplicity and perfidy to any extent, and virtually nullifies the confiscation act of Congress, a measure next in importance to the abolition of slavery. Mr. Lincoln's magnanimity is weakness, and his method of disposing of those who have been emancipated by his proclamation that of giving the sheep over to the guardianship of wolves. This must not be tolerated’ (Lib. 33: 202).
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