Lincoln's Emancipation of Slavery

In 18 38, in his lyceum address, lincoln had said that what made a dictator a caesar or a napoleon was the act of emancipating slaves. Lincoln did not deceive himself into thinking the southern states would ever agree to this. This was an outcome that would have to be imposed by military force. An exemplary and dramatic moment in lincoln's efforts to acclamate the country to the possibility of emancipation came in august of 18 62 when he held a meeting with member delegation of african americans in the white house.