New-York tribune., 1885-07-05
ABRAHAM LINCOLN.
FREDERICK DOUGLASS'S "REMINISCENCES.
(CopWtoh. 1851

al n
known by countless thousands of Americans VINO
Ia mat the man. But an quite willing to give
NV recollections of him and the impressions made ny
him upoa my mind as to his character.
INV first interview with him was in the summer
of s6, soon after the Confederate States mad de-
cared their purpose to treat colored soldiers rs m
surcents and their purpose not to treat any such
soldiers as prisoners Of war subject to exchange
like other soldiers. My visit to Mr.. Lincoln was In
reference to this threat OF the Confederate STATES
Twas at the time engaged in raising coorod troops
md desired scno assurances from fresiuen1 Li"-
con that such troops should be treated as soldiers
of the Unitel States and whom taken prisoners OK
chan ged like other soldiers that when any OF the
were hangci or cnsaved the President shouiu re-
talats. was introduced to Mr.. Lincoln on this
occasion by Senator Pomeroy, of Kansas met him
at the Executive Mansion. l was somewhat troubled
with the thought of meeting one so august ana heh
in authority, especially as had never been IN tne
White House before and had-never spoken 10
President Of tho Unitol States before. But my en-
barras,nsnt soon vanished when met the face OF
Mr. Lincoln When entered he was seated IN
law chair surroun led By multitude OF books ana
papers his feet aal legs were extended IN 'front.' Oh
his chair. On my approach he slowly drew his lee'
in from the different parts OF the room into WHICH
they hid straycl, and ho began to rise, ana con-
tnuei to rice until he looked down upon me- ana
EXTENDED his hand and gave me welcome. Dc
gan. with somc hesitation, to tell him who was
and what had besn doing, but he soon stopped me.
saving in a sharp cordial voice; You need not tell
mo who you are Mr.. Douglass know who you are,
Mr.. Sewell has toll III, all ahout you He then
inviteI me 70 take a seat beside him. Not wishing
to OCCUPY his time and attention. seeing that he was
busy stated to him the object OF my call at once
said " Mr. Lincoln am recruiting coorcd troops
have assisted in fitting up two regiments IN MaSS''-
chusetts and AN now at work IN the same way III
Pennsylvania. and have come to say this 10 yo"'
sir if you wish to make this branch OF the service
successful you must do four things
First, You must give colored soldiers Tue sanio
pay that you give white soldiers.
Second. YOU must compel the Confederate.States
to treat coiored soldiers. when taken prisoners as
prisoners Of war;
.sThird, when any coored man or soldier performs
brave merltorious exploits in the iicld you must
enable me to say to those that recruit that they
will be promoted for such service, precisely as
white men are promoted for similar service
Fourth in case any colored soldiers are mur
derod in cold blood and taken prisoners Sou snouiu
rctaliate in kind'
To this little speech Mr.. Lincoln listened with
earnest attention and with very apparent SYM
pathy and replied to each point in his own peculiar
forcible way. First he spoke of tho opposition 60
orally to employing negroes as soldiers ut ALL OF tue
prejudice against tho and OF tho advantage 10
colorel people that would result from their being
employed as soldiers in defence OF their country.
He regarded such employment as an experiment,
and spoke of the advantage it would be to the
co,ored race il the experiment should succeed. lie
said that he had difficulty in gctting coorcd men
into the United States uniform that whc tue pur-
pose was fixed to employ them as soldiers, several
different uniforms proposed for them, and
that II was something gained when 1t was finally
dctcrmincl to clothe them like other soldiers.
Now, as to tho pay. we had to make some conces-
sion to prejulice There were threats that II we
male sollicrs of thom at all white men wonld not
enlist, would not fight beside them. Besides, it was
not beloved that negro could make good soldier.
as good soldier as a white man, and hence it was
thought that he should not have the same pay as
white man. But said he, I" assure you. Mr.. Doug
lass that in the end they shall have the sam pay
as white soldiers" As to tho exchange ard general
treatment of colored soldiers when taken prisoners
of war; nc should insist to their being entitled to
all privileges of such prisoners. Mr.. Lincoln al
mtted the Justice of my demand for the promotion
of coorea soldiers for good conduct IN the held but
on the matter OF retaliation he differed from me
entirely. I shall never forget tho bengnant
prcsson of his face the fearful look of his eye and
the ouiver in his voice. when he deprecated resort
to rctaiatory measures. "Onco begnn, SAID he.
.I do not know where such measure would STOP"
He said he could not take ont and kill them III
cold blool for what was done by Others. If he could
get hold Of the persons who were guilty OF Killing
the coored prisoners in cold blood, the case would
he different but he could not kill the innocent for
the guilty.
Before leaving Mr. Lincoln, Senator Pomcroy said
aMr. President, Mr.. Stanton is going to make Doug
lass Adiutant-(ieneral to General Thomas and is
going to send him down the Mississippi to recruit"
Mr. Lincoln said in answer to this: IL will sga
sny commission that Mr. Stanton will give Mr..
Douglass" At this point we parted.
z Imet Mr. Lincoln several times after this inter-
view. | was once invited by him to take tea with
him at the Soldiers Home. On one occasion while
visiting him at the White House. he showed Inc
letter he was writing to Horace Greeley in reply to
some Of Oreeleys criticisms against protracting the
war; He seemed to feel very kecnly the reproachcs
hcaped upon him for not bringing the war to a
speedy conclusion; said he was charged with
making it an Abolition instead of a war for the
Union and expressed his desire to end the war as
soon as possible While / was talking with him
Governor Buckingham sent in his card, and was
amused by his telling the messenger, as we'll as by
the way he expressed 1t, to tell Governor Buckng-
ham TO yait want to have long talk with my
friend Douglass. He used those words l said :
sMr Lincoln will retire." "Oh, no, no. you shall
not. want Governor Buckingham to wait" and
he did wait for at least half hour. When he came
in was introduced by Mr.. Lincoln to Governor
Buckn ghsn aud the Go oyernor did not seem to lake
It amss at all that he had been required to wait.
/. was present at the Inauguration of Mr.. Lincoln
the 4th of March, 1865. fclt then that there was
murder in the air. and kept close to his carriage on
the way to the Capitol for felt that might soc him
fall that day. 1t q vague prcscntiment. At
that time the Confederate cause was on its last
legs. as it were. and there deep feeling. could