Proklamasi Emansipasi
Emancipation Proclamation (Indonesia: Proklamasi Emansipasi) berisi dua dekrit presiden yang dikeluarkan oleh Presiden Abraham Lincoln semasa Perang Saudara Amerika. Dekret pertama dikeluarkan pada tanggal 22 September 1862, mengumumkan pembebasan budak yang berada di Negara Konfederasi Amerika yang belum bergabung kembali kepada Amerika Serikat pada tanggal 1 Januari 1863. Dekrit kedua dikeluarkan pada tanggal 1 Januari 1863, menyebutkan secara spesifik di negara bagian mana saja pembebasan budak berlaku.[1]
Pada awalnya proklamasi ini dikiritisi karena dianggap hanya berlaku pada negara-negara bagian Utara. Hal ini tidak memiliki dasar, karena proklamasi ini segera diterapkan di negara-negara bagian Negara Konfederasi Amerika pada saat proklamasi ini dikeluarkan kecuali Texas dan Tennessee, dan membebaskan ribuan budak pada saat proklamasi ini mulai diberlakukan.[2] Pembebasan budak juga terjadi di Utara, yang merupakan keputusan yang kontroversial. Lincoln mengeluarkan proklamasi ini sebagai seorang "Panglima Tertinggi Angkatan Darat dan Laut" sesuai pasal 2 ayat 2 UUD Amerika. Proklamasi ini tidak membebaskan budak yang berada di perbatasan Kentucky, Missouri, Maryland, dan Delaware. Di Virginia Barat, hanya budak di Jefferson County yang dibebaskan.[3]
Di berberapa wilayah Negara Konfederasi Amerika yang telah berhasil diinfiltrasi oleh pasukan Utara, para budak segera dibebaskan sejak tanggal berlakunya proklamasi ini.
Setelah mendengar pemberlakuan proklamasi ini, beberapa budak yang tinggal di Negara konfederasi segera melarikan diri ke Utara. Dengan semakin banyaknya wilayah Konfederasi yang ditaklukkan oleh Utara, maka semakin banyak pula budak yang dibebaskan hingga mencapai kurang lebih 4 juta budak berhasil dibebaskan pada tahun 1865.
Seusai perang, para kaum abolisionis memperhatikan bahwa proklamasi ini belum sepenuhnya mengakhiri perbudakan. Beberapa mantan budak meminta pemberlakuan UU Penghapusan Perbudakan, namun perbudakan tetap dilegalkan hingga disahkannya Amendemen ke-13 pada tanggal 18 Desember 1865.
Isi
Whereas on the 22nd day of September, A.D. 1862, a proclamationwas issued by the President of the United States, containing,among other things, the following, to wit:
"That on the 1st day of January, A.D. 1863, all persons held asslaves within any State or designated part of a State the peoplewhereof shall then be in rebellion against the United States shallbe then, thenceforward, and forever free; and the executivegovernment of the United States, including the military and navalauthority thereof, will recognize and maintain the freedom of suchpersons and will do no act or acts to repress such persons, or anyof them, in any efforts they may make for their actual freedom.
"That the executive will on the 1st day of January aforesaid,by proclamation, designate the States and parts of States, if any,in which the people thereof, respectively, shall then be inrebellion against the United States; and the fact that any Stateor the people thereof shall on that day be in good faithrepresented in the Congress of the United States by memberschosen thereto at elections wherein a majority of the qualifiedvoters of such States shall have participated shall, in theabsence of strong countervailing testimony, be deemed conclusiveevidence that such State and the people thereof are not thenin rebellion against the United States."
Now, therefore, I, Abraham Lincoln, President of the UnitedStates, by virtue of the power in me vested as Commander-In-Chiefof the Army and Navy of the United States in time of actual armedrebellion against the authority and government of the United States,and as a fit and necessary war measure for supressing saidrebellion, do, on this 1st day of January, A.D. 1863, and inaccordance with my purpose so to do, publicly proclaimed for thefull period of one hundred days from the first day above mentioned,order and designate as the States and parts of States wherein thepeople thereof, respectively, are this day in rebellion againstthe United States the following, to wit:
Arkansas, Texas, Louisiana (except the parishes of St. Bernard,Palquemines, Jefferson, St. John, St. Charles, St. James, Ascension,Assumption, Terrebone, Lafourche, St. Mary, St. Martin, and Orleans,including the city of New Orleans), Mississippi, Alabama, Florida,Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, and Virginia (except theforty-eight counties designated as West Virginia, and also thecounties of Berkeley, Accomac, Morthhampton, Elizabeth City, York,Princess Anne, and Norfolk, including the cities of Norfolk andPortsmouth), and which excepted parts are for the present leftprecisely as if this proclamation were not issued.
And by virtue of the power and for the purpose aforesaid, I doorder and declare that all persons held as slaves within saiddesignated States and parts of States are, and henceforward shallbe, free; and that the Executive Government of the United States,including the military and naval authorities thereof, willrecognize and maintain the freedom of said persons.
And I hereby enjoin upon the people so declared to be free toabstain from all violence, unless in necessary self-defence; andI recommend to them that, in all case when allowed, they laborfaithfully for reasonable wages.
And I further declare and make known that such persons ofsuitable condition will be received into the armed service ofthe United States to garrison forts, positions, stations, andother places, and to man vessels of all sorts in said service.
And upon this act, sincerely believed to be an act of justice,warranted by the Constitution upon military necessity, I invokethe considerate judgment of mankind and the gracious favorof Almighty God.
