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Abraham Lincoln: Being Worthy of His Title

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Abraham Lincoln: Being Worthy of His Title
Lincoln Being Worthy of His Title

Abraham Lincoln was often called “The Great Emancipator” for his acts during the Civil War. Though people agreed and disagreed about whether Lincoln deserved the title, after everything he has said and done there is no question about him not being worthy of his title. There are many primary documents that demonstrate the many reasons to why Lincoln is worthy of the title “The Great Emancipator”. Out of the many documents that were read, there are three that showed enough proof to Lincoln’s worthiness. One of the primary documents was from the Lincoln-Douglas Debate Number One: Ottawa, August 21. The other one was the Emancipation Proclamation Text. The last document used was the Commonwealth criticizes Abraham Lincoln.

In the Lincoln-Douglas Debate Number One: Ottawa August 21, Lincoln states, “I hate it because of the monstrous injustice of slavery itself. I hate it because it deprives our republican example of its just influence in the world—enables the enemies of free institutions, with plausibility, to taunt us as hypocrites—causes the real friends of freedom to doubt our sincerity”. Now for Lincoln to say such sincere words about slavery, shows that he emancipated slaves for the right reasons and with nothing but good intentions. Lincoln’s intention to free all slaves of their injustice substantiates his worthiness to have the title of “the Great Emancipator”, regardless of what Frederick Douglass had to say.

In the document of the Emancipation Proclamation Text, Lincoln expresses, “And by virtue of the power and for the purpose aforesaid, I do order and declare that all persons held as slaves within said designated States and parts of States are, and henceforward shall be, free” and he goes on declaring that all Executive Government will recognize and maintain the freedom of all slaves. For President Lincoln to free all slaves being informed of all the Southerners against it just shows that he really

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