Fremont journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County [Ohio]) 1853-1866, 1862-07-04
interview win me Prc.Iaens ON nsnann-
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! A delegation from tbo Religious Society
Of Progressive Friends, consisting Of Tho
mas Garrett, Alice Elm HambIetop, Oil
yer johnson, Dinah Mendenhan, VIM.
Barnard, and Eliza Agnew, Appeared bo-
fore the President on Friday morning, to
present memorial, prayiug him 70 decree
the emancipation Of the slaves. The dep
utation was introduced BY Senator wilmot,
and accompanied by Messrs. Kelley, Davis
CambeIl Of the Pennsylvania delegation in
the House. Mr wilmOtbaving announced
the objects Of the delegation, Oliver John
son said.
Ma. PREsIDESr: We appear before you
by your kind permission, not to solicit Office
for ourselves or our friends, nor 10 ask for
any party or personal favor, but in the in
terest OF the country aud Of humanity
Our clients are 100000 slaves, who can
not speak for themselves, out only lift mp
their chained hands in mute but agonizing
supplication for the freedom which il is in
your power in this solemn crisis Of the ma
tons fate to confer upon them. Mr.. john
son then read the memorial.
The memorial embraced tho following
point:
That in his speech delivered at Spring
field, before his election 10 the Office Of
Chief Magistrate, the President expressly
declared, IA house divided against itself
cannot stand. l believe this Government
cannot endure permanently half slave and
half free. l do not expect the Union 10 be
dissolved-I do not expect the house 70
fall-but do except il will cease to he di-
vided. 1t will become all one thing, or all
the other"
The New York Tribune has the follow
ing report of what followed:
The President said that, as hc had not
been furnished with copy of the memorial
in advance, he could not be expected to
make any extended remarks. II was a re-
lief to be assured that the deputation were
not applicants for Office, for his chief trouble
was from that class of persons. The next
most troublesome subject was Slavery. Ho
agreed with the memorislists, that Slavery
was wrong, but in regard to the ways and
means Of its removal, his views probably
differed from theirs. The quotation in the
memorial, from bis Springfield speech, was
incomplete. It should have embraced an
other sentence, in which be indicated his
views as to the effect upon Slavery itself of
the resistance TO its extension.
The sentiments contained in that passage
were deliberately uttered, and he heidthem
now. If decree of emancipation could
abolish Slavery, John Brown would have
done the work efFectuaIly. Such decree
could not be more binding upon the South
than the Constitution, and that cannot be
enforced in that part of the country now
Would proclamation be any moro effec-
tive?
Mr.. johnson replied as follows:
"True, Mr.. President, the Constitution
cannot now be enforced at the South, but
you do not on that account intermit the
effort to enforce it, and the memoraIsts are
solemnly convinced that tho abolition of
Slovery is indispensable to your successes"
The President further said that he felt
the magnitude Of the task before him, and
hoped to be rightly directed in tho very
trying circumstances by which he was sur
rounded.
Wm Barnard addressed the President in
few words, expressing sympathy for him
IN all his embarrassments, and an earnest
desire that be might, under Divine guild
anee, be led to free the slaves and thus save
the nation from destruction. In that case
nations yet unborn would rise up TO call
him blessed, and better still, he would SO.
cure the blessing of God.
The President responded very impress
slvely, saying that he was deeply sensible
OF his need of Divine assistance. He had
sometimes thought that perhaps he might
be an instrument in Gods hands of accom-.
plishlng a great work and be certainly was
not unwilling to be. Perhaps, however,
Gods way of accomplishing the end which
the memorialists have in view may be diff
ferent from theirs. 1t would be his earnest
endeavor, with firm reliance upon the
Divine arm, and seeking light from above,
to do his du'y in the place to which he had
been called
The deputation thereupon withdrew,
much gratified by the character of their re-
ceptioD.