Political Quotes

“I rise today to honor the 140th Anniversary of the Emancipation Proclamation. On January 1, 1863, as the nation approached its third year of the Civil War, President Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation to grant freedom to all slaves. The proclamation declared ``that all persons held as slaves . . . shall be then, thenceforward, and forever free''. Not only did the Proclamation liberate the slaves, but it announced the acceptance of black men into the Union Army and Navy. By the end of the war, almost 200,000 black soldiers and sailors had fought for the Union and freedom. Mr. Speaker, the Emancipation Proclamation can be considered one of the greatest documents of human freedom. I am honored to speak on the House floor today with my highest regards to President Lincoln's actions and accomplishments. I am proud to say that Abraham Lincoln was elected to the state legislature in my home state of Illinois in 1834. He served the wonderful people for four successive terms until he was later elected in Congress in 1846. Mr. Speaker, I applaud and commend Abraham Lincoln's efforts to abolish slavery and I would like to encourage the citizens of the United States to celebrate the 140th Anniversary of the Emancipation Proclamation.”