Question

Question 1

Answer 1

1. In the first paragraph above Lincoln is making the war against the Southern states a moral war. He thought, in order to preserve the Union, to even allow the dissenting states to keep the slavery if that meant not abandoning the Union. But now here he says that he was wrong and that he is fully committed to not only reuniting the United States but also to abolishing slavery.

2. Lincoln here identifies as the commander-in-chief to clearly state that he is in charge and he is making this proclamation with the full power vested in him by the constitution. He is also doing that with the aim of restoring the public spirit and showing people that everything is under control by being the pillar of stability. He with the power vested in him will appeal to congress and ask for the abolishment of slavery in all the states that are in open rebellion against the United States. That can be seen in this passage: 

That the executive will, on the first day of January aforesaid, by proclamation, designate the States, and part of States, if any, in which the people thereof respectively, shall then be in rebellion against the United States