Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1880-08-06

AS1IEi n OF THE GREAT WAR GOVERNOR OF
MASSACHUSETTS FOR EMANCIPATION.
\ From The Boston Transcript
The memoir of Gov. Andrew, which
has recentfw been prepared by his friend
Peleg W. Chandler, for the Massachu
sets historical society, contains the fol
lowing account of a memorable scene IL
the official life Of the great war governor
which has flavor of Cromwell and the
English commonwealth:
.:Amopr the goSernor's friends was a
Young merchant of Boston, and Will let
him tell the story in hNs own way 1T
was in the summer of 1SAS, when eman-
cipation was being talked on Z great deai;
We had not had any great sucSesses, and
everybody had a notion that Nhancipa'
ton ought TO come. One day the. COVER
nor sent for me to come up to the s,a',
House. L went up to his room, alfa
never shall forget how l met him. ne
was signing some kind of bonds, standing
at a tall desk in the council chamber, IL
his shirt-sleeves, his fingers all covered
with ink. He said, ''How do you do
want YOU to go to Washington. Why,
governor" said /, Il can't go to Wash
ington on any such notice as this l an
busy, and it is impossible for me to go.
'.All my folks are serving their country,
said he, and he mentioned the various
services the members of his staff were
engaged in, anu said with emphasis
Somebody must go to Washington.
"Well, governor, | don't see how | can.
SAID he, Il command you to go" ''Well,
said |, governor, put it in thai way, ano
I shall go, of course" There is some
thing going on, he remarked. This II
a momentous time" He turned sudden
" towards me and said ''You believe il
prayer, don't you?" l said, why O
course. Then let lis pray" and ht
knelt right down at the chair that wa:
placed there we both knelt down, and
never heard such prayer in all my life
never was SO near the throne of God
except when my mother died, as | wal
then. | said to the governor, 81 an
profoundly impressed, and will star
this afternoon for Washington. | soor
found out that emancipation was in every
bodys mouth, and when / got TO Wash
ington and called upon Sumner, he he
gan to talk emancipation. He asked Int
to go and see the President and tell hlm
how the people Of Boston and New Eng
ldld leIalutu IL went 10 lllc W Ali'
House that evenings and met the President
We first talked about everything bu
emancipation. told him what | though
of it, and said Gov Andrew was SO ia
interested in it that | had no doubt h
lad sent me there TO post the Presiden
in regard to what the class of people
met III Boston and New York thought q
it, and then | repeated to him, as ha
previously to Sumner, this prayer of tn
governor, as well as | could remember II
The President said when we hay
the governor Of Massachusetts to send Il
= troops in The way he has. and when "
Nave him to utter such prayers for us,
i.ave no doubt that we shall succeed.
In September the governor sent for M
He had a dispatch that einancIpatio
would be proclaimed, and it was done IL
next day, You remember the Presidei
made PROCLAMATION in September to tai
effect ia January. Well, he and | were t.
getheE alone again in the council chan
ber. Said he, ''You remember when
wanted you to go to Washington %
said, '.Yes, / remember it very we'll
"Well, said he, Il didn't know exactl
what / wanted you to go for then. No
/ will tell you what let's do you sill
Coronation, and I'll join with you. 5
We sang together the old tune, and ais
Praise God from whom all blessinl
fiow." Then l sang cold John Brown
he marching around and joining in ii
chorus of each verse >"