It was only in January, 1865, that the situation had ripened to a point when Congress could propose to abolish slavery for ever by a constitutional amendment, and the war was already over before this amendment was ratified by the States.

• 只是到了1865年1月，形势才成熟到一定程度，国会可以提议通过宪法修正案永远废除奴隶制，这个修正案还未获得各个州的认可，内战已结束了。