The weekly Panola star. [volume] (Panola, Miss.) 1857-1881, 1881-05-07

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IN The same direction Mr.. slnn.
ton, The Secretary or War. togcih.
cr with Niee.presidem lIamlin.
had frequently urged Upon prcsi.
dent Lincoln the advisabiity Of
organizing regiments Of colored
troops. The President. however.
did not 1t first look lavofably upon
the proposition, and Mr.. Stanton
had almost given up hope Of bring-
ing him to his way Of thinking.
One evening while this was the
situation dcputation of ten army
officers. all brave. well-inlormcd
and earnest men. though none of
them of particularly high rank
went to the Vicc-Prcsidcnts lodg-
ings and begged him to urge the
President to authorize the arming
OF negroes.
"lf such a thing can be done,
said Mr.. lIamlin after hearing
them through, would you and 9TH
er men like you be willing to com
mand the colored troops:'
"Ycs, sir, gladly they replied
almost in a breath.
Every we'll" was the decisive
response of Mr.. IIamlin,' "il' YOU
are willing to undertake the task,
| will see TO it that YOU have an
opportunity Of presenting your
views to the President" Saving
this, though it was 10 O'Clock at
night, he sent a messenger TO the
White House, asking when it
would be convenient for Mr.. Lin
coin to see him and his army
friends. The President, without
delay, fixed an interview for eight
O'Clock the next morning.
At that hour Mr.. Iiamlin, with
the ten officers, went to the White
House. The latter presented the
case fully to Mr.. Lincoln. When
they had done so, he turned to
I1amlin and said, evidently much
perplexed:
"What is your best judgment
about this?"
II think, was the reply. THAT
theseaagcntlemen are entirely right.
If they are ready to move; if they
and other good men like them arc
ready TO give up their present po-
sitions and take places in negro
regiments. am sure it is but right
that you should give them author
ity to do so.'
YES, yes, repeated the Prcsi-
dent three or four times, and then
with the exclamation, 81 suppose
| the time has come he turned to
/ his desk and for Il few moments
wrote rapidly. Then turning to
| IIamlin he said: "lIere is an or
der to Secretary Stanton author
ling the arming of colored troops.
"May be your messenger to
the Secretary eagerly asked
Mr.. lIamlin.
"Yes, yes" said the President
smiling in his own quaint way (;
"take it to Stanton. take it to STAN
ton; | am glad to know that You
are both satisfied
Without a moments delay the
IVice-President hurried to the war
office. found the Secretary in his
private room and hastily told him
what had occurred.
mo. no; it can't be possible,
exclaimed Stanton, with suppress.
cd excitement, and hardly daring
to believe that one of his pc
T schemes was about TO go into
effect
"IIere is the Presidents order,
was Ilamlin's simple response
Hastily the Secretary took anc
read il, was silent for moment
and then throwing aside his usua
grutiness Of manner, his real deep
/ earnest, impulsive feeling came t.
: the surface, great tears welled u
/ into his eyes and flowed over hi
: careworn face. Then convulslye
: ly throwing his arms about Ham
n lin. he cried out with all the earn
: estness of a deep, strong nature
e "Thank God for this thank Co
It for this y"
J.
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