The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1885-08-13

7 was present at the inauguration OF
Mr.. Lincoln on the 4th Of March. 1860.
felt then that there was murder In the
air, and kept close to his carriage on
the way to the Capitol, for felt that L
might see him fall that day. 1t was 6
vague presentment. At that time the
Confederate cause was on its last legs,
as il were, and there was deep feeling.
/ could feel it in the atmosphere here.
do not know exactly what it was, but
1 just felt as if he might be shot on his
way to the Capitol. / cannot refer to
any incident, in fact to any expression
that heard; it was simply q PRESENT.
ment that Lincoln might fall that day.
/ got right in front of the east portico
of the Capitol, listened to his inaugural
address, and witnessed his being sworn
in by Chief Justice Chase. When he
came on the steps he was accompanied
by Vice President johnson. In look
ing out in the crowd he saw me stand
ing near by, and 1 could see he was
pointing me out to Andrew Johnson.
Mr.. Johnson, without knowing. per-
haps, that l saw the movement, looked
quite annoyed that his attention should
be called in that direction. So / got q
peep into his soul. AS soon as he saw
me looking OF him suddenly he assumed
rather an amiable expression of coun-
tenance. felt that, whatever else the
man might be, he was no friend TO my
people. heard Mr.. Lincoln deliver
this wonderful address. 1t was very
short, but he answered all the objec-
tions raised to his prolonging the war
in one sentence. 1t was remarkable
sentence; "Fondly do we hope, fondly
do we pray, that this mighty scourge of
war shall soon pass away. Yet if God
wills IL continue until all the wealth
piled up by two hundred years of bond
age shall have been wasted, and each
drop of blood drawn by the lash shall
have been paid for by one drawn by the
sword, we must still say, as was said
three thousand years ago, the judg-
ments of the Lord are true and right
eous altogether"
For the first time in my life, and L
suppose the fiist time in any colored
mans life, l attended the reception of
President Lincoln on the evening of
the Inauguration. AS L approached the
door l was seized by two policemen and
forbidden to enter. / said to them that
they were mistaken entirely in what
they were doing; that if Mr.. Lincoln
knew that was at the door he would
order my admission, and bolted in by
them. On the inside l was taken charge
of by two other. policemen, to be con-
Quoted, as L supposed, to the President,
but instead of that they were conduct
ing me out the window on plank.
"Oh," said /, this will not do, gentle.
men, and as a gentleman was passing
IN, l said to him: "Just say to Mr..
Lincoln that Fred Douglass is at the
door" He rushed in to President Lin
coin, and almost in less than half
minute | was invited into the East
Room of the White House. A perfect
sea of beauty and elegance. too, it was
The ladies were in very fine attire, and
Mrs. Lincoln was standing there. L
could not have been more than ten feet
from him when Mr.. Lincoln saw me;
his countenance Lighted up and he said
in voice which was heard all around:
Here comes my friend Douglass" AS
/ approached him he reached out his
hand, gave me a cordial shake, and
said Douglass, L saw you in the
crowd to-day listening to my inaugural
address. There is no mans opinion
that l value more than yours: what do
you think of it?" "Mr. Lincoln, can
not stop here to talk with YOU, as there
are thousands waiting to shake you by
the hand" But he said again: what
did you think of it," SAID, Mr. Lin
coin, il was sacred effort" and then /
walked off. Il am glad you liked it, {"
he said. That was the last time l saw
him to speak with him.
In all my interviews with Mr.. Lin
coin, l was impressed with his entire
freedom from prejudi;e against the
colored race. He was the first great
man that L talked with in the United
States freely who in no single instance
reminded me of the difference between
himself and myself-of the difference
of color and thought that all the
more remarkable because he came from
a State where there were black laws. L
account partially for his kindness to
me because of the similarity with which
/ had fought my way up, we both
starting at the lowest round of the lad
der. 1 must say this for Mr.. Lincoln,
that whenever L met him he was in a
very serious mood. l heard of those
stories he used to tell, but he never
told me O story.
There was one thing concerning Lin
coin that l was impressed with, and
that was that a statement of his was an
argument more convincing than any
amount of logo. He had happy fac
ulty of stating a proposition-of stat
ing it so that it needed no argument.
1t was a rough kind of reasoning, but
it went right to the point. Then, too,
there was another feeling that / had
with reference to him, and that was
that while felt in his presence l was
in the presence of very great man-as
great as the greatest felt as though
1 could go and put my hand on him if
/ wanted TOTO put my hand on his
shoulder. OF course 1 did not do it,
but felt that could. / felt as though
was in the presence of big brother,
and that there was safety in his at
mosphere. Fired Douglass Reminis-
ce1ceS.
English Wars.