New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1885-08-30
ABRAHAM LINCOLN.
HIS pE1ATIoNs TO SLAVERY.
.o,,r "REMINISCENCES BY NJ. D. CONWAY.
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Copyright isSo
sS,averv Ia wrongw These were the first words
ever heard from Abraham Lincoln. was walking
son,srard on a summer evening in 1853. through
x;ft,,-st market-place in Cincinnati. along the
st;rt Of a crowd, when these words brought me 10
:. nause. hiss surgel mp against the orator. VINO
stood on balcony, but broke in laugh wien some
listener groaned out, Oh Lordw ~Thats o ken-
tuckiap.n said Lincoln. with quiet hnmor' ou'
added more solemniy. You can't hiss down the
w ais of iusticer drew near, and listened 10 soo
sentences which, in that city. from whose s'ree''
slaves could be seen at their toll impressed INC 40
pure elooueuce. When in the next year INC iano"s
debate between Lincoln and Douglas appeared rs
comna;cn document. looked for some OF THESE
sentances in vain: they had been pared away IN
tbe political lathe that shaped INN INTO ca".o"'
candidate I tried to write some OF tnem rum
memory but could only feel certain OF rev OIL lis
expressions. Be sure that no compromise no
noItieaI arrangement with slavery. will be salts
factory or will ever last which does not deal win
n as a great wrong.r sEvery man that cones INTO
This world has a mouth to be fed and a back to be
clothed: by notable coincidence every man has
two hands infer that those hands were meant to
feed that month aud clothe that back and-marK
a. brother Kentuc X ans ANY institution when
interferes with the right of those hands so TO 40
win be sure sooner OF later. TO come tninnhhg
about those who uphold it." "There is room LOT US
ali 10 no free IL cannot wrong the white man that
tho negro shoud be free. but it does the majority Oh
white men that the negro should not be free
sDouclas's gur-reat per-rinciple as he calls A. OF
Popular Sovereignty amounts TO THIS ii one man
chooses to make slave OF another man, neitner
the enslaved man anybody else las right 10 Cd
iect. There is a real principle OF Popular
Sovereuntv-that each man shall do as he pleases
ILL oil
elus,yely concern him" often thought of the I'M
n,ess;on made upon me that evening by that man.
for whom nv first vote was cast. and it is now con-
rected in nv memory with an anecdote told me some
wears later by Emerson. After Emerson had dc
liyered q lecture at The Smithsonian. urging the
need of emancipation to eud the War. he rsited the
President Mr. Lincoln extended his hand cordially
and said: sDfr Emerson, i remember having
heard Won give lecture in the West some years
azo. in which you rem arked that every Kentuckian
has An AIR about him which seems to say. Here
am IL Won don't like me. so much the worse for
you,n He seemed to me. like Brownine's hero,
three parts sublime to grotes1ue" out there IN
the moonlight, handling halfcayilling crowd WIN
fine art and infinite good humor
In January. 1862. I went to Washington to give q
lecture at the Smithsonian Institution and visited
the President In company with the late William
Church IN Washing ton. Mr.. Sumner prepared our
vav. and our appointment Mt in the morning.
In the ante-room there was woman with little
child. who now and then wept: the President saw
her first and rhe came out radiant. No doubt some
prisoner was that day released Mr.. Charming hav-
ing begun by expressing his belief that the oppor-
tunity of the Nation TO rid itself of slavery had ar
rived Mr.. Lincoln asked how he thought they
might avail themselves of it. Claiming suggested
emancipation with compensation for the slaves.
The President said he had for been IN favor OF
that plan. When the President turned to me-
asked whether we might not look to him rs the
coming Deliverer of tho Nation from its one great
evil. What would not that man achieve for man
kind who shonld free America from slaveryf He
said: SPerhaps we may be better able to do some
thing IN that direction after while than We are
now I said: aMr President. do you belive the
masses of the American people would hail you as
tbeir deliverer IT, at the end of this War; the Union
should be surviving and slavery still in 1t " Yes
If they were to see that slavery was on the down.
hill" ventured to say "Our fathers com ro-
missed with slavery because they thought II on the
dovnhill: hence war to-day" The President said
q think the country grows in this direction daily
and am not without hope that something OF the
desire of you and your friends may be accomplished
When the hour comes for dealing with slavery
trust shall be willing TO do my duty, though it
costs my life And, gentlemen, lives will be lost'
These last words were said with smile. yet with
sad and weary tone.
ing the conversation Mr.. Lincoln REQUIRED
several times to Channing's suggestion Of pecuni
ary compensation for emsncipatea slaves. and ex-
pressed profound sympathy with the Sontherncrs
who by no fault of their own. bad become socially
and commercially bound mp with their peculiar
tufio I ranaml.er with what eimptipity he
had addressed the Southerners. in his speech at
Cncinnati,-a We mean to remember that Won are
as good as we that there is no difference between
rs other than the difference of circumstances We
mean to recognize and bear in mind that yon have
as good hearts in your bosom as any other people,
or as claim to have aud trust you accordingly"
Being Virginian myself with many dear relatives
and beloved companions of my youth In the Con-
federate ranks. / responded warmly to his kindly
sentiments toward the South. albeit feeling more
than he seemed to be against the institution
proving upon that land like ghoul. I forget
whether it was on this occasion a subsequent
one when was present that he said, in parting:
q We shall need all the anti-slavery feeling in the
country. and more; you can 90 home and try to
bring the people to your views: and you may say
anything yoG like abcut me- if that will help
Don't spare mew This was said with some
laughter. but still in earnest.
twas in July of that year s62) that learned at
Cincinnati, where I resided. that tie negroes
belonging TO my father were wandering homeless
abou. the woods and camps OF Stafford, Virginia
Fastening to Washington, begged permission of
Secretary Stanton to pass through the lines of the
Potomac Army. with freedom to search for the
negroes and bring them TO the District of Columbia
Mr. Stanton did not like that more negroes should
be imported into the District and raised other
objections In the end appealed to the President.
He warned me Of the dangers Of the Journey. which
had been fully considered. and then became
nervous lest the incident should have some public
effect the relations of the Administration with
the slaveholding Border States daily becoming