Lincoln came to believe the only way he could save the Union is if he did what?

In a rare public response to criticism, he articulated his policy by stating, “If I could save the Union without freeing any slave, I would do it; and if I could save it by freeing all the slaves, I would do it; and if I could save it by freeing some and leaving others alone, I would also do that.”

Explanation:

rhetoric is the art of effective, persuasive speaking or writing.