Frederick Douglass

Whether we should survive or perish, depended in large measure upon the coming of this proclamation.

I shall leave to the statesman, the philosopher, and historian, the more comprehensive discussion of this document, and only tell how it touched me, and those in like condition with me at the time.

And now, on this day of January 1st, 1863, the formal and solemn announcement was made that thereafter the government would be found on the side of emancipation.

When the means of victory were before us,--within our grasp,-- we went in search of the means of defeat.

We kissed the hand that smote us, and spurned the hand that helped us.

The key to the situation was the four million of slaves; yet the slave who loved us, was hated, and the slaveholder who hated us, was loved.

It had not been a war of conquest, but rather a war of conciliation.

Until then the federal arm had been more than tolerant to that relict of barbarism.

A death blow was then given to the slaveholding rebellion.

It was the turning-point in the conflict between freedom and slavery.

The first of January, 1863, was a memorable day in the progress of American liberty and civilization.

The government, I fear, was still clinging to the idea that positions of honor in the service should be occupied by white men, and that it would not do to inaugurate just then the policy of perfect equality.