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abraham lincoln sent a message by clearly stating where he received the power to free slaves. according to lincoln, what part of the constitution did he say authorized him to free slaves. furthermore, what message was he sending to the nation?

User Lie Ryan
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Final answer:

Lincoln used his war powers as Commander-in-Chief to issue the Emancipation Proclamation, and supported the Thirteenth Amendment to abolish slavery, shifting the purpose of the Civil War towards emancipation.

Step-by-step explanation:

According to Abraham Lincoln, the part of the Constitution that authorized him to free slaves was the provision on presidential pardons. He stated this in his annual message and reinforced the idea that amnesty and restoration would not undermine the Emancipation Proclamation.

Abraham Lincoln justified the Emancipation Proclamation under his constitutional authority as Commander-in-Chief of the armed forces, deeming it a necessary act of war to preserve the Union. He utilized this power to declare the freedom of slaves in those states still in rebellion as of January 1, 1863.

Furthermore, Lincoln recognized the importance of a Constitutional amendment to solidify the abolition of slavery, which ultimately took the form of the Thirteenth Amendment. His use of the war powers to issue the Emancipation Proclamation sent a strong message that the goal of the Civil War was evolving not just to preserve the Union, but to fundamentally transform it by ending slavery.

User Boes
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