Emancipation Proclamation

Less than two years after his first inaugural speech that promised both North and South that there would be no changing of current laws regarding slavery already in effect in the US in the mid 1800's, President Abraham Lincoln issues the Emancipation Proclamation.  The Emancipation Proclamation officially would free all slaves throughout America and make the practice of slavery that was being fought for by the Southern Confederate States illegal.  After decades of dispute and even a Civil War, finally all slaves would forever be given their freedom in America by official decree direct from president Lincoln.

1.  What is the author arguing?
        President Lincoln is not arguing anything.  His decree, or proclamtion rather, is not open for debate nor is it a speech meant to persuade.  After much bloodshed and at an unspeakably high cost to America, the time has come for president Lincoln to do not only what is right, but the only thing left to do, which is for once and for all to rid the US of its' self-imposed sickness of slavery that was rotting the country's soul to its' very core.

2.  How does the author appeal to the Logos, Pathos, Ethos?
       Once again, Lincoln's background as a former lawyer is evident in his proclamation as he states his interpretaion of the Constituiton.  Lincoln diplays the logos of his proclamation by stating that as Commander-in-Chief during an actual military rebellion, he has to take such a drastic action as freeing the slaves, thus altering Constitutional law (he previously stated he would NOT do such an act) as part of an overall effort to end any rebellion against the government, which he is entitled to do under such circumstances. 
      The ethos and pathos of his proclamtion occur towards the end of his speech.  Lincoln imploys pathos as he appeals to the newly freed slaves to not take up violence of any kind with the exception of self defense.  His second to last line of the proclamation fully displays the inherant ethos of Lincoln's character when he states"...And upon this act, sincerely believed to be an act of justice, warranted by the Constitution..." which essentially reveals that he is following his conscience by freeing all slaves.

3.  What is the historical significance of this document?
          The major historical significance of this document is twofold.  One:  It officially, and forever freed all slaves in the US.  Two:  the proclamation denotes a major shift in
Lincoln's presidency.  Lincoln had up to this point been very much a Congressional president (a president that strictly adheres to the powers due him that are outlined within the Constituion).  Because of the extremly dire circumstances of the Civil War, Lincoln is forced to become a perogative president and in essence do whatever he feels is necessary to end the Civil War and unify the Union.  To this end, Lincoln changes Constituional law with his Emacipation Proclamation and would even go so far as revoking the rights of habus corpus (due process of law) as well as instituting the very first US military draft.

4.  Do I find the author's argument convincing?
         As I stated earlier, I do not feel as though there is any argument being made, only a final decree that is not open for debate or rebuttal.  At this point in US history, America was on the verge of collapse due to being in such a costly war of attrition with itself.  The time for debate, points and counterpoints had long since passed after the first shot was fired and America was fully engaged in a Civil War that needed a decisive victory with no idealogical compromises.  Either slavery would have to end or America itself would have to, there could no longer be two sets of laws that would divide North and South.