July 22, 1862: President Abraham Lincoln informed his cabinet that he would issue the Emancipation Proclamation to free the slaves. But ending slavery wasn’t Lincoln's priority. He hoped it would result in blacks fleeing the South and joining the Union army, thus weakening the South.
"My paramount object in this struggle is to save the Union, and it is not either to save or to destroy slavery.” –Abraham Lincoln
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
More from West Wing Reports...
-
September 16 editorial cartoonsCartoons Tuesday's political cartoons include bad news for inflation, Brian Kilmeade's solution, and Kash Patel's dinner order
-
Fit for a king: must-visit palaces around the UKThe Week Recommends Our pick of the nation’s most magnificent residences for nobles and royals
-
Is Andy Burnham making a bid to replace Keir Starmer?Today's Big Question Mayor of Manchester on manoeuvres but faces a number of obstacles before he can even run
