when did president abraham lincoln issued the emancipation proclamation in 1863 the specified that freedom was not extended to slaves in the neutral border states of missouri kentucky maryland or delaware. what is the most accurate reasoning behind his decision to allow these states to retain their slaves

When President Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation in 1863, it specified that freedom was not extended to slaves in the neutral border states of Missouri, Kentucky, Maryland, or Delaware because those states were a part of the Union.

The Emancipation Proclamation put forth that the Southern states that seceded the Union must return and rejoin the Union by January 1, 1863 or their slaves would be freed through the federal government.

He decided to allow these states to retain their slaves because these border Union states depended on the South and their slaves geographically, economically, politically, and socially. The border states would need to go through significant processes and readjustment after losing their slaves. This area never left the Union and would not be punished as if they did.