lincolns approach was so careful and judicious and so absent of any will to persuade, swett felt hispresence was less of lincoln's event as a witness to the president's mental operations. and on and on it went. lincoln debating with himself, and with others, preparing for what would be what only could be a gamble, the greatest gamble of his life, the greatest gamble perhaps of his young nation's life. i'd like to read you two excerpts from the book at the first is from when lincoln issued the preliminary emancipation proclamation. let me explain this big there are three versions of the proclamation but the verses one to lincoln lincoln is working on a telegraph office. he brings it to a cabinet meeting in late july 1862 and reads it aloud. that story is told the best ideas to put in your pocket, ma wait for a moment of union victory and issue it. so we does. he puts in his pocket, starts, works often on. he gives us some attention. rivalry still a telegraph office presumably and then in september as he nears the end of the month in september during the battle of antietam. right befor