Arkansas, Texas, Louisiana (except the parishes of St. Bernard, Plaquemines, Jefferson, St. John, St. Charles, St. James, Ascension, Assumption, Terrebone, Lafourche, St. Mary, St. Martin, and Orleans, including the city of New Orleans), Mississippi, Alabama, Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, and Virginia (except the forty-eight counties designated as West Virginia, and also the counties of Berkeley, Accomac, Northhampton, Elizabeth City, York, Princess Anne, and Norfolk, including the cities of Norfolk and Portsmouth), and which excepted parts are for the present left precisely as if this proclamation were not issued.
Those above mentioned EXCEPTIONS were the areas under FEDERAL CONTROL!
>>>>>>> Those above mentioned EXCEPTIONS were the areas under FEDERAL CONTROL! <<<<<<<<<<<<<<
Correct.
And since they were under the control of the Federal Government, and not technically in rebellion, Lincoln could not free the slaves in those locations.
He could only free the slaves in the areas that were in active, armed rebellion BY PROCLAMATION.
All of the states and ares that were within the Union and obeying its laws had to have the slaves freed CONSTITUTIONALLY.
This he did by getting the 13th amendment through Congress.