Lincoln's Last Card

Richard J. Ellis is the Mark O. Hatfield Professor of Politics, Policy, Law and Ethics at Willamette University in Salem, Oregon. His previous books include Old Tip vs. the Sly Fox: The 1840 Election and the Making of a Partisan Nation, Presidential Travel: The Journey from George Washington to George W. Bush, and Presidential Lightning Rods: The Politics of Blame Avoidance.

“The story of the Emancipation Proclamation has been told many times. In a well-written and argued book, Richard Ellis has provided a new and important interpretation of Lincoln’s historic decision for emancipation. He writes that the Emancipation Proclamation was a ‘painful last resort’ by Lincoln to achieve his antislavery objective after his attempts at persuasion had failed. Anyone interested in the ending of slavery and Lincoln’s pre-eminent role in it should want to read this book.” - William C. Harris, author of Lincoln Illuminated and Remembered“This book offers a detailed, nuanced, and unique analysis of Abraham Lincoln and the Emancipation Proclamation. Ellis gives the reader a much-needed assessment that breaks through the longstanding narrative of ‘heroic myth’ most often associated with this historic and momentous presidential decision. This pragmatic look at the various stages of decision making allows the reader to appreciate the historical significance of Lincoln’s action while also understanding the inherent weakness within and limitations of the office of the presidency.” - Lori Cox Han, author of Advising Nixon: The White House Memos of Patrick J. Buchanan“In Lincoln’s Last Card, Richard J. Ellis retells the story of Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation in a fresh and powerful way, by highlighting the extraordinarily difficult constraints under which Lincoln acted. Emancipation by presidential proclamation was Lincoln’s ‘last card’ because he had already exhausted every less risky course of action. Ellis persuasively shows how Lincoln’s greatness lay in his willingness to try, and fail, and try again.” - James H. Read, author of Sovereign of a Free People: Abraham Lincoln, Majority Rule, and Slavery“Students of the presidency as well as those of the Civil War will find this study of the Emancipation Proclamation of great interest for Ellis treats Lincoln’s issuance of it as a case study in Richard Neustadt’s theory of the presidency as drastically limited in its power to command. As Ellis argues, the Emancipation Proclamation was less Lincoln’s great achievement than his ‘last resort,’ something he was more or less forced into by his inability to secure the end of slavery by what he considered far preferable means.” - Michael P. Zuckert, author of A Nation So Conceived: Abraham Lincoln and the Paradox of Democratic Sovereignty“Richard Ellis tells a tale of limits and failure; yet the tale is gripping and even oddly reassuring. By following the twists and turns on the way to the Emancipation Proclamation, Ellis demonstrates that democratic statesmanship is not about command, but persuasion. If Lincoln was not the Great Emancipator, was he then the Great Persuader? Not exactly, for despite the undeniable force and beauty of Lincoln’s words, they too usually failed. And yet, emancipation was achieved. Lincoln emerges from Ellis’s account as a president who understood the limits of his office and who was capable of patiently navigating the political labyrinth.” - Diana Schaub, author of His Greatest Speeches: How Lincoln Moved the Nation