"The Proclamation does not, indeed, mark out exactly the course I should myself prefer. But I am ready to take it just as it is written, and to stand by it with all my heart"

Salmon P. Chase's quote is referring to the Emancipation Proclamation, which was provided by President Abraham Lincoln in 1863. The Proclamation declared that all slaves in the Confederate states were to be released. Chase was revealing his support for the Proclamation, although it was not exactly what he would have chosen. He was willing to accept it as it was composed and to stand by it with all his heart. This quote shows Chase's dedication to the reason for emancipation and his determination to put aside his own individual preferences in order to support the Proclamation. It likewise shows his dedication to the cause of freedom and justice for all.