A review of the sinner-saint cycle suggests why Abraham Lincoln remains an everlasting contemporary. If minority groups have a difficult time contending with a myth than their abuse and misuse of the Lincoln standard should not be judged too harshly. The African American's views were not the only ones important to the proclamation, the views of the soldiers who were fighting for their freedom were just as important.
With regard to the soldiers" view the emancipation proclamation raised the question: "What effect did Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation have on the soldiers" vote?" (Williams 113). This was the most dangerous subject that any leader had dared to ponder with. Lincoln's worst fear was that the proclamation would create a bond between the troops and McClellan because many soldiers opposed emancipation and letting black troops into the union military. An army surgeon remarked, "His Proclamation, issued last month has caused considerable discontent among the regiments of Maryland, Virginia, Pennsylvania, New York, and the West" (Williams 114). The soldiers did nothing but openly scorned the Proclamation. "Some officers engaged in "headquarters bluster," saying that the army should march on Washington to insist on revoking the president's Proclamation. McClellan himself had earlier warned Lincoln against such a move" (Williams 114). Despite the opposing views of the union soldiers, there were some men in the military that had a better understanding than those officers. A Massachusetts Private wrote, "I am glad more than ever that I enlisted sence [sic] I have read the President's Proclamation because I think the fight is freedom or slavery" (Williams 114-115). Each union soldier's views were obviously different from the next soldier. When the presidential election of 1864 came around, the emancipation issue had lessened with the northern soldiers. The union soldiers, who had to fight, recognized that the emancipation was their strongest weapon against the south.