In January 1862, Thaddeus Stevens, the Republican leader in the House, called for total war against the rebellion to include emancipation of slaves, arguing that emancipation, by forcing the loss of enslaved labor, would ruin the rebel economy.
I januar 1862 opfordrede Thaddeus Stevens, den republikanske leder i Repræsentanternes Hus, til at den totale krig mod de oprørske stater skulle medføre frigivelse af slaver, idet han hævdede at frigivelse af slaverne ville berøve disse stater arbejdskraft og ruinere deres økonomi.