WI CSA defeated before the Emancipation Proclamation

In otl it took a year and a half for Lincoln to make the proclamation.

Suppose there had been skilled aggressive Northern Generals. Richmond could have fallen MUCH earlier.

How long would slavery have gone on?
 
Another decade to couple of generations. Sooner or later it would dawn on the North that the South could do nothing if they abolished slavery. If they couldn't win the first time when the North wasn't as strong as compared to the South.....
 
If the Union had won a series of decisive battles within the first 6 months of the war that brought about the surrender of most of the CSA's armies and the collapse of the CSA government, such that the Union is preserved, I think we could see a period of great tension - more so than before the war - between the traitorous states and the union states. A sizable union army - probably much larger than the army during OTL reconstruction, would have to be stationed throughout the rebellious states. The highest ranking officers, government officials and other secessionist organizers would have to be tried, and if the Union hopes their victory has long term meaning, then the executions of 100s of the traitors.

In OTL the length of the war, the overall destruction and loss of life killed off the will to wage war in the South, but a quick victory probably doesn't do this. There will be pockets of resistance and guerrilla warfare waged throughout the South - hence the need for a large occupying army.

There needs to be a lengthy period of time where the seceding states are not allowed to sit congressmen or senators, nor electors in the presidential election.

With all this in place, the federal government would then, I think, be persuaded to take several measures that bring about the eventual emancipation of all the slaves. Start with getting rid of any type of fugitive slave laws and pass legislation that rewards people who help slaves to freedom. Then pass legislation that emancipates all slaves that were owned by any southerner who actually took up arms against the union in the war. Next pass legislation that encourages slave owners to voluntarily free their slaves. And then finally (8 - 10 years after the war) pass legislation - constitutional amendments - that completely emancipates all remaining slaves and makes them citizens with the right to vote.
 
If the Union had won a series of decisive battles within the first 6 months of the war that brought about the surrender of most of the CSA's armies and the collapse of the CSA government, such that the Union is preserved, I think we could see a period of great tension - more so than before the war - between the traitorous states and the union states. A sizable union army - probably much larger than the army during OTL reconstruction, would have to be stationed throughout the rebellious states. The highest ranking officers, government officials and other secessionist organizers would have to be tried, and if the Union hopes their victory has long term meaning, then the executions of 100s of the traitors.

In OTL the length of the war, the overall destruction and loss of life killed off the will to wage war in the South, but a quick victory probably doesn't do this. There will be pockets of resistance and guerrilla warfare waged throughout the South - hence the need for a large occupying army.

There needs to be a lengthy period of time where the seceding states are not allowed to sit congressmen or senators, nor electors in the presidential election.

With all this in place, the federal government would then, I think, be persuaded to take several measures that bring about the eventual emancipation of all the slaves. Start with getting rid of any type of fugitive slave laws and pass legislation that rewards people who help slaves to freedom. Then pass legislation that emancipates all slaves that were owned by any southerner who actually took up arms against the union in the war. Next pass legislation that encourages slave owners to voluntarily free their slaves. And then finally (8 - 10 years after the war) pass legislation - constitutional amendments - that completely emancipates all remaining slaves and makes them citizens with the right to vote.

The problem is that a guerrilla war is self-defeating in this case. Guerrilla warfare would risk the slave owners losing their slaves and they would know it. The rebellion failed so they won't be able to keep their slaves in a straight fight. If they do guerrilla warfare, they just have handed Lincoln a perfect excuse to take them away. As a "war measure" he could well seize the slaves in a ten mile radius or more whenever Union soldiers are shot at.
 
If the Union had won a series of decisive battles within the first 6 months of the war that brought about the surrender of most of the CSA's armies and the collapse of the CSA government, such that the Union is preserved, I think we could see a period of great tension - more so than before the war - between the traitorous states and the union states. A sizable union army - probably much larger than the army during OTL reconstruction, would have to be stationed throughout the rebellious states. The highest ranking officers, government officials and other secessionist organizers would have to be tried, and if the Union hopes their victory has long term meaning, then the executions of 100s of the traitors.

In OTL the length of the war, the overall destruction and loss of life killed off the will to wage war in the South, but a quick victory probably doesn't do this. There will be pockets of resistance and guerrilla warfare waged throughout the South - hence the need for a large occupying army.

There needs to be a lengthy period of time where the seceding states are not allowed to sit congressmen or senators, nor electors in the presidential election.

With all this in place, the federal government would then, I think, be persuaded to take several measures that bring about the eventual emancipation of all the slaves. Start with getting rid of any type of fugitive slave laws and pass legislation that rewards people who help slaves to freedom. Then pass legislation that emancipates all slaves that were owned by any southerner who actually took up arms against the union in the war. Next pass legislation that encourages slave owners to voluntarily free their slaves. And then finally (8 - 10 years after the war) pass legislation - constitutional amendments - that completely emancipates all remaining slaves and makes them citizens with the right to vote.

That means you can't collect taxes from them. Taxation without representation goes back to the Revolutionary War.
 
That means you can't collect taxes from them. Taxation without representation goes back to the Revolutionary War.

Then the Supreme Court judges would surely have shed a tear or two before rejecting any appeal on those grounds.

@OP: a thing to consider-Lincoln could still be murdered by an enraged Southerner or sth.
 
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