Why did members of President Lincolns cabinet urge him to wait for before announcing the emancipation of Southern slaves with the understanding of what it would do and could not do?

Answer 1

Up President Lincoln and his first version of an emancipation proclamation began in June of 1862. When he presented his ideas on the proclamation to his cabinet, he received varied opinions. Montgomery Blair believed that an emancipation, who came from a family of slave owners, objected on the grounds it that it might influence the border states to join the Confederacy.

Attorney General Bates was also a border state politician and agreed with Lincoln as long as the emancipation made White privilege was maintained, and compulsory resettlement of Blacks outside of US borders was made clear.

Secretary of War, Stanton supported the emancipation, even though he was a Democrat and shared his party's distaste for abolition and racial equality.

Secretary of the Navy, Welles favored the emancipation on the grounds that if the North did not make use of the slaves, the South would.

Secretary of State Seward favored the emancipation but urged a delay in order to have a broader view of its implications.

Treasury Secretary Salmon Chase was a radical Republican, yet he questioned the president's constitutional authority to make such a proclamation and he feared that race riots and revolts would cause chaos and danger to the nation.