A few weeks before the war, Lincoln sent a letter to every governor informing them Congress had passed a joint resolution to amend the Constitution.
ɐ fjˈuː wˈiːks bᵻfˌoːɹ ðə wˈɔːɹ, lˈɪŋkən sˈɛnt ɐ lˈɛɾɚ tʊ ˈɛvɹi ɡˈʌvɚnɚɹ ɪnfˈɔːɹmɪŋ ðˌɛm kˈɑːŋɡɹəs hæd pˈæst ɐ dʒˈɔɪnt ɹˌɛzəlˈuːʃən tʊ ɐmˈɛnd ðə kˌɑːnstɪtˈuːʃən.