The novel shows how its main characters grapple with the dilemmas of political morality raised by secession and war . A particular focus is the challenge of reconciling individual rights and liberties with preserving the nation when its existence is threatened ( a topic Safire would return to in his non-fiction writing , following the September 11 attacks ) . The novel shows how this process of wrestling with moral dilemmas in the political setting led , step by step , to the Emancipation Proclamation
September 11 attacks
September 11 attacks
Freedom (Safire novel)