150 years ago today Republicans freed the slaves and rejoiced.

The Emancipation Proclamation came into effect today, one hundred and fifty years ago.  Democrats were outraged, calling it "an outrage of all constitutional law, all human justice, all Christian feeling" and “a proposal for the butchery of women and children.” How did this get turned around to make Republicans the bad guys?  Report at Gateway Pundit.

The proclamation was a wartime executive order from Abraham Lincoln, didn't apply to the five non-rebel slave owner states, didn't make slavery illegal in itself and applied to Confederate held lands, not to Yankee lands!  It did however confirm the freedom of ex-slaves , offered them a chance to join the army, and became a framework for the actual outlawing of slavery three years later.

Amended:  151 years ago.