OT: Emancipation Proclamation

Jefferson Davis and the CSA violated Habeas Corpus in their constitution as much as Lincoln and the USA did.

Congress was not in session when Lincoln suspended Habeas Corpus and they chose not to go against Lincoln when they returned.  Congress did not go against Lincoln's suspension of Habeas Corpus, because they believed as Lincoln did that Maryland's state legislature was pro-confederate and pro-slavery.  At the start of the Civil War to lose Maryland is to lose the war.  Congress felt that Lincoln needed to make the move to not lose the war.

If the Union lost the capital Washington DC and free troop movement throught the state that would most likely mean hello foreign recognition of the CSA.

Of course pro-confederates scream about Lincoln's violation of Habeas Corpus and choose to turn a blind eye to Jefferson Davis' violations of the same principle.

West Virginia is very mountainous, which makes it poor for plantations and therefore had less slaves.  With less slaves the majority of West Virginia was pro-Union.  Virginia chose not participate in US politics, except for the loyal congressman, who stayed in the Union and approved the will of the majoirty of people in West Virginia.  Virginia can't have it both ways, claiming that aren't a part of the US and then claiming that they weren't fairly represented as only their loyal state congress members approved of the new state (since any state must approve of a loss of its own land under the US constitution).

And back to your original point, the Emancipation Proclamation isn't devalued because of anything that Lincoln did that some may find dishonorable.  In fact, Lincoln is frequently cited as the best president ever by scholars in a broad range of fields.  The Emancipation Proclamation is devalued because people do not understand the context of September 1862 when it was announced and January 1863 when it became law.

-The EP was highly controversial in the north and obviously also in the south.  In fact race riots occured in the summer of 1863 as many whites would fight to preserve the Union, but not to free slaves that would 'take their factory jobs once free.'

-Lincoln argued that constitutionally he could only free slaves in rebel areas as a war time measure from his title as commander in chief.  Had no legal power to do so in the loyal areas.

-Lincoln felt he could not win the war if he severely offended the "loyal" slave states like Missouri, Kentucky, Maryland and Delaware..."I would like to have God on my side, but I must have Kentucky"

-The EP freed around 3 out of 4 of the slaves and the 13th amendment freed the rest and permanently banned the practice everywhere in the US.

-A few slaves were freed instantly on January 1st 1863, but it was a slow process lasting right up until the end of the war.

-The EP guaranteed that Britain and France would not recognize or significantly assist the CSA against the USA.  If Britain or France (or both) helped the CSA with any signifigance it may have been game set match.

-Lincoln announced it right after the bloodiest day in US history -- Antietam -- a battle that McClellan should have destroyed Lee and possibly signaled the start of the end of the war, but Lee got away.  Hundreds of thousands of more deaths happened, but the EP was able to be issued and it freed millions that might not have been freed had McClellan meeted potential victory he had in his grasp.

-Russia was working of freeing their serfs at the same time.