Wonderful NY times article on the triggering event that ended slavery.

[podfish]

This article (click...) is fascinating not only for itself, but because it's a beautiful example of how the sausage of politics is made. The description of the Lincoln administration's actions and motivations could be used with only slight modifications to explain a lot of what's going on with the issues of today. When you have an issue that hits people's unquestioned internal beliefs while having major social and economic implications, apparently you're going to get deja vu all over again.

[maryoconnor]

This is a fantastic article, and a very important one to read in this time....it really speaks to the fact that the most tremendous change is the result sometimes of the most simple act of a single person...great read! I recommend that everyone who is interested in the miracle of unexpected events read this.