Constitution, which before 1865 was understood to reserve the issue to the individual states. Lincoln believed that slavery would be rendered obsolete if its expansion into new territories were prevented, because these territories would be admitted to the Union as free states, and free states would come to outnumber slave states. He sought to persuade the states to agree to compensation for emancipating their slaves. Lincoln rejected Major General John C. Frémont's August 1861 emancipation attempt, as well as one by Major General David Hunter in May 1862, on the grounds that it was not within their power and might upset loyal border states enough for them to secede. In June 1862, Congress passed an act banning slavery on all federal territory, which Lincoln signed. In July, the Confiscation Act of 1862 was enacted, providing court procedures to free the slaves of those convicted of aiding the rebellion; Lincoln approved the bill despite his belief that it was unconstitutional. He felt such action could be taken only within the war powers of the commander-in-chief, which he planned to exercise. Lincoln at this time reviewed a draft of the Emancipation Proclamation with his cabinet. Privately, Lincoln concluded that the Confederacy's slave base had to be eliminated. Copperheads argued that emancipation was a stumbling block to peace and reunification; Republican editor Horace Greeley of the New York Tribune agreed. In a letter of August 22, 1862, Lincoln said that while he personally wished all men could be free, regardless of that, his first obligation as president was to preserve the Union: On September 22, 1862, Lincoln issued the preliminary Emancipation Proclamation, which announced that, in states still in rebellion on January 1, 1863, the slaves would be freed. He kept his word and, on January 1, 1863, issued the Emancipation Proclamation, freeing the slaves in 10 states not then under Union control, with exemptions specified for areas under such control. Lincoln's comment on signing the Proclamation was: "I never, in my life, felt more certain that I was doing right, than I do in signing this paper." He spent the next 100 days preparing the army and the nation for emancipation, while Democrats rallied their voters by warning of the threat that freed slaves posed to northern whites. With the abolition of slavery in the rebel states now a military objective, Union armies advancing south liberated all three million slaves in the
{
        'QUESTION: What did Lincoln believe about slavery?': 'Lincoln believed that slavery would be rendered obsolete if its expansion into new territories were prevented.',
        'QUESTION: How did Lincoln try to prevent the spread of slavery?': 'He sought to persuade the states to agree to compensation for emancipating their slaves.',
        'QUESTION: Why didn\'t Lincoln support earlier attempts at emancipation?': 'Lincoln rejected Major General John C. Frémont’s August 1861 emancipation attempt, as well as one by Major General David Hunter in May 1862, on the grounds that it was not within their power and might upset loyal border states enough for them to secede.',
        'QUESTION: When did Lincoln sign the Emancipation Proclamation?': 'On January 1, 1863,',
        'QUESTION: Which states were affected by the Emancipation Proclamation?': 'The Emancipation Proclamation applied to states not then under Union control, with exemptions specified for areas under such control.',
        'QUESTION: What was Lincoln\'s feeling when he signed the Emancipation Proclamation?': '"I never, in my life, felt more certain that I was doing right, than I do in signing this paper.",',
        'QUESTION: Who opposed the idea of emancipation during the Civil War?': 'Democrats rallied their voters by warning of the threat that freed slaves posed to northern whites.',
        'QUESTION: What was the impact of the Emancipation Proclamation on the number of slaves?': 'With the abolition of slavery in the rebel states now a military objective, Union armies advancing south liberated all three million slaves in the Confederate States.',
        'QUESTION: Did Lincoln think the confiscation act of 1862 was constitutional?': 'No, Lincoln felt such action could be taken only within the war powers of the commander-in-chief, but he decided to approve the bill anyway.',
        'QUESTION: What was the purpose of the preliminary Emancipation Proclamation?': 'It announced that, in states still in rebellion on January 1, 1863, the slaves would be freed.'
    }
    return q_a_dict'