Murray's emancipation was the first large scale one in North America, over 100,00. So he was the first big emancipator. Lincoln's involved millions. Since only one person can have the title "the great" for something, I think it goes to Lincoln in terms of numbers. Also, in terms of heart I think it goes to Lincoln.
Murray, and Lincoln both had political and military objectives behind their emancipating. In his role as governor, he refused to sign a law against the slave trade. However, he knew most of the key revolutionary leaders in the Southern colonies were large plantation owners: Washington, Jefferson, Henry, Randolph, etc. His emancipation hit them where it really hurt and provided him with a source of highly motivated soldiers. We're not really sure if Murray's heart was really in it one way or another. I think it was just a means to an end.
Lincoln would do the same some 80 plush years latter. The emancipation proclamation gave a deadline that if a rebelling state returned, they were exempt. Also, the slave states in the union were exempt as well. This was actually more or a legal restriction than anything else. Supreme Court rulings before the war held Slavery as constitutional and legal anywhere in the United States. As President, Lincoln couldn't just free slaves held in loyal US territory by loyal US citizens. However, he could seize slaves belonging to rebels since it was well within the law for the armed forces to seize the property of enemy citizens, and as commander in chief of the armed forces, Lincoln had ultimate authority on what to do with such seized property.
However, if you look at Lincoln's writings as the war goes on, they take on a deeply spiritual tone. He philosophizes how both sides claim God is on their side yet God can only be one side. He seems to come to the conclusion that God will not take a side and let the war end so long as both sides are willing to allow slavery to continue. He sees all the blood on the battlefield as God's punishment for all the blood of slaves taken by the slave-owner's whip. In a way, the blood of the young men killed in the war is washing away America's original sin of slavery as Christ's blood washed away Mankind's original sin. However, the blood would continue to be called for if he didn't take the step to renounce slavery.
So, I think he gets the prize in realizing it was not just politically the right thing to do but also morally the right thing to do.
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Murray's emancipation was the first large scale one in North America, over 100,00. So he was the first big emancipator. Lincoln's involved millions. Since only one person can have the title "the great" for something, I think it goes to Lincoln in terms of numbers. Also, in terms of heart I think it goes to Lincoln.
Murray, and Lincoln both had political and military objectives behind their emancipating. In his role as governor, he refused to sign a law against the slave trade. However, he knew most of the key revolutionary leaders in the Southern colonies were large plantation owners: Washington, Jefferson, Henry, Randolph, etc. His emancipation hit them where it really hurt and provided him with a source of highly motivated soldiers. We're not really sure if Murray's heart was really in it one way or another. I think it was just a means to an end.
Lincoln would do the same some 80 plush years latter. The emancipation proclamation gave a deadline that if a rebelling state returned, they were exempt. Also, the slave states in the union were exempt as well. This was actually more or a legal restriction than anything else. Supreme Court rulings before the war held Slavery as constitutional and legal anywhere in the United States. As President, Lincoln couldn't just free slaves held in loyal US territory by loyal US citizens. However, he could seize slaves belonging to rebels since it was well within the law for the armed forces to seize the property of enemy citizens, and as commander in chief of the armed forces, Lincoln had ultimate authority on what to do with such seized property.
However, if you look at Lincoln's writings as the war goes on, they take on a deeply spiritual tone. He philosophizes how both sides claim God is on their side yet God can only be one side. He seems to come to the conclusion that God will not take a side and let the war end so long as both sides are willing to allow slavery to continue. He sees all the blood on the battlefield as God's punishment for all the blood of slaves taken by the slave-owner's whip. In a way, the blood of the young men killed in the war is washing away America's original sin of slavery as Christ's blood washed away Mankind's original sin. However, the blood would continue to be called for if he didn't take the step to renounce slavery.
So, I think he gets the prize in realizing it was not just politically the right thing to do but also morally the right thing to do.