The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1893-10-11

to Mr.. Lincoln just as it had occurred.
"Mr. Davis has been very kind to
me-" he said, "and I did this as much
to help him as to help myself. This
war is nearly over. 1 believe that
your people will succeed. What you
will do to Master Jeff I do not know.
But am going to do my best to keep
his wife and children from starving"
The story touched Mr.. Lincoln
deeply. "Why," he said, "do you
mean to tell me that you have been
Mr.. Davis's private secretary all these
years ?"
II do not know what you would call
it Mr.. Presidcnt,' the negro replied,
"but for thirty years I have written
his business letters, looked after the
affairs of the plantation, carried large
sums of money to New Orleans and to
Cincinnati for him, and have had his
fullest confidence in every way. In all
his life he has never spoken to me an
unkind word
"Do you know of any other such a
case as yours, Montgomery p said the
President, walking up and down the
room.
"No, sir, do not, said the other,
"but I dare say there are other such
cases. Now, Mr.. President, what l
want you to do is this want you to
give me writing directing all mill
tary and civil officers to protect me in
the possession of my property
The President sat down at his desk
and then and there drew a legal arti-
Gle which it is pity the country
could not see. It enjoined upon all
military, naval and civil officers the
protection of Benjamin Montgomery,
the owner of three plantations, that
were named, and directed that he be
given any assistance he might require
in furtherance of these orders. 1t was
signed abraham Lincoln, and dated
about August l, 1863.
''I am glad to have met you, said
the President; as Montgomery rose to
70, "and Lam particularly pleased to
hear what you have to tell me OF MIR.
Jefferson Davis.
''May God bless you and yours.
said the negro, holding out his hand, /,
which the President shook warmly.
"And if Master Jeff. does fall into
your hands remember what the Great
Master Of us all said, Blessed are the
merciful, }, for they shall obtain
IT will not forget that Montgom
cry" the President said, "and if ]
can do anything more for you write
directly to me. y
When Montgomery got back he al
once showed his letter to the com
handing officer at Vicksburg, who is
sued orders that Montgomery shoulc
be protected in the possession of his
property. The President directed tht
Secretary of the Treasury to instruct
his cotton agents to let Montgomery
alone, and he was never thereafter dis
turbed.
In 1865, when the war ended, h
had about 1000 bales Of cotton OF
hand. Judge Gresham, the presen
Secretary of State, was in command O
the department Of the Mississippi
By order of Gen. Grant he allowed
Montgomery to ship his cotton to New
Orleans. It sold for a very handsome
price, and nearly all Of this money h
gave to Mr.. Jefferson Davis, who wa
thus enabled to make his European
tour, and to live abroad for almost
year after he was released from For
Monroe.
Montgomery continued to plan
with great success until 1873, when h
asked Mr.. Davis to take the property
back. The latter insisted that Mont
gomery should retain about 5000, 600
which was justly due him for his car
of the estate, and it's preservation a
time when, but for his presence o
mind and intelligence, it would prob
ably have been lost.
No planter reputation or credi
was higher after the war than wa
Zen Montgomery's with the commits
sion merchants at Vicksburg and Ne'
Orleans. He had two sons, whom h
endeavored to bring up and train as h
had been trained. One still lives il
Mississippi and the other has gone t
South Dakota, where he purchase
10, 900 acres Of land for a wheat farm
He says it is too cold out there for hin
though, and he thinks he will retur
to his old home.
Nine years ago Ben Montgomer
died. His funeral was attended b.
Mr.. Davis and by all the prominen
planters within twenty-five or thirt
miles. In an address he. made at tn
grave Mr.. Davis said: II have had il
my life many true and faithful friends
but none more faithful than hir
whom this day we have laid down t
Sleep"
There were probably not more tha
three or four instances during tn
slave era of the South where ncgroe
were trusted to the degree that Be
Montgomery was. But he never tail
ed in anything, and in all his lit
never disobeycd an order nor told
secret which was not his to tell. Hi
history is one Of the most interestin
romances of the slave period in tn
United States. AS showing the 10y
atty of the negro to his white owner
there never was an instance know
during the four years of the wal
while the men were all at the front an
no one at home but women and CHI
dren of an attempt at violence upo
the women, which crime, in the las
year or two, has become too commo
throughout the South. This is a tea
ture of the past which the Souther
white man can never forget.
S1OO Reward S100.