The sun., 1893-05-21
EMANCIPATING THE SLAVES.
JUDGE HAMILTON WARD RELATES A
CONVERSATION WITH EDWIN
NJ STANTON.
Now Mr.. Lincoln Prepared IIi- Memorable
Proclamation of Freedom.
Prom n, Lo,ipo,f Journal.

He was an intense radical Republican. and was
active in all the m movements which led TO the
Impeachment OF President Johnson. and his
trial, and the anne ndm ents to tho Constitution
which followed the war.
Come. Judge" we said. give us some
"reminiscences OF the reconstruction period" T"
Perhaps" he said. after moments rciiec-
tion. "the history OF n night OF mine with Sec
retary Stanton might interest you rs much rs
anything could tell you.' and ho proceeded:
II was one OF the committee TO prepare the
articles OF impeachment against President
johnson. and l had several conferences with
the Secretary. and with others. as the affair
proceeded. Republican Senators and members
advised the Secretary by all means to retain
tempted removal was illegal. and that pos
eibly the safety OF the country was involved in
his retaining his position until ths de'srmina,
after he took uron III sell this voluntary i'm.
prlsonment y the War 0f1cs. was permitted
several nights. the most important OF which
.The Secretary was q stout. well-bnlt m an.
with q most i'm pressive and interesting coun-
tenance. a massive head and brow: and the
sa% ab bens 'g gs IN
tion. after Ieposing Tor viii 10 upon lounge
that he had in the otilce-for he slept with his
Soused up. seemingly refreshed. and besan
pleasant conversation with mo ABOUT some
tary.. viii yon allow ma to ask your opinion OF
President Lincoln: Was, he really great
WIS he man OF the h,shs,t h%, ,9 1raer n oi
loyal and nliing in a large measure nil the
requirements Of his great place and his deli,
ABOUT him-l mean some OF the things that do
not get into the books or tho paners. that
with him during the trying hours Of tho re-
bsllion.' He said: Abraham Lincoln was Il
r.
passed, He seemed in touch with every sol;
every regiment. and his broad apprehension
Of military affairs nstounded me-
that look ed out iowa rd the White House Vlhis
was the old wnt ot1lee) He said; M. Night after
oe tho ne nf GAYS Was
Issued. tho President would como over to tho
Var 0ilse in his n. tslPpeers and in ar old,
sometimes very late at night talking over the
sltlntion demonstrate! with him for this.
and go alone at night thnt lie should not do it
hnd would have TO- put guards !I; around him.
the Word d4 Ans said 'ea The an secretsry eees
IN was ,bs Sqna so1y toT % bs this Pes1SSs
Ihe only weak ness that had ever noticed In
the President 4 weakness you may call it. was
Joyous. Jolly nature which sonetimes led hum
lures reactions Of sadness and erie: always
come: but De that Ms 1t may. there were times
In ,1S dark hours when the rresident would
ton. can't ,.we stop this Slaughter Of noSIo
householIs Of our lard and yet save our coun-
try2r You can now understand, said the
would never let us hang a deserter or punish
with the extreme penalty anybody violating
the rules OF war: his heart was SO tender
THE EMANCIPATION PROCLAMATION.
But said. Mr. Stanton. you spoke OF
the dark days before the emancipation pro:lh
mation. Why, was hat so long de,ayed'' Tho
and half. and W It always % seemed d'i 10 me that that
the commrncement OF tn. struggle. SO as to
have weakened the enemy at their homes nEd
In their domestic affairs ut the threshold
well, be said. I thought so. TOO, en-
ter q 1852. and from, that time on to Septem-
ber tho war dragged the results were discour-
and IN the snring OF that year began totaik to |
the President about proclaiming freedom to |
s sss syss as w Whr 1 ia nIpher
that foreign Intervention was imminent: that |
Louis Napoleon. then Emperor Of France and
an unmistakable alliance to assist in every
way. short OF an open rupture with us. the
eminent. In fact, the crowned heads OF Fu-
rope. dreading the example OF a successful
rspublic here here, were secretly hopinG and pri.
OF the Government in France and In England
were openly saying that the war IL, America
was fighting for. power and the South for
independence: that the freedom of the slaves
fore Intervention on behalf OF the south was
not an Intervention in behalf OF slavery as the J
Est,ional Nat, o T. G9yernmeht protected slavery as
him the folly OF permitting the three millions
9f slaves to be Indifferent to the tate OF the
freedom. but slavery. and that the conclusion
tS t which they would naturally come would be
IN remaining with their masters and loyal to
them; that II the slaves were free We could
%rfs k ths ths Po, sTaGbs as sodsrs
needed friends the most. urged such other
considerations upon, him ~ l thought proper.
:" He finally said to me that tho country was
not ready Tor SO radical step; that large
were insisting that tho war was not Icing
waged ;n iGr thS preservation Of the Union. but
Hone OF the North there was a strong slavery
iseling especially on the border: that in, Dor.
der States themseves there We're many loyal
men who wore lighting III our armies and n
strong sentiment for tho Union in many places
oi which % would 10 utterly 1tlitcraied' il tho
hAnd upon my shou der nnd said: Don't
Az to me M Hny % more about 4: stanton; for the
ind the weary, spring months passed and tho
s1mmer months passed.
lhe war was more disastrous than successful
20 us. Public sentiment had forced an early
.dyance uSon Richmond: the seven DAYS
pght before RLchmond had occurred in tho
latter mart Of June and the fore part Of July.
Ind the Union army had retreated: Shiloh had
Pssn fought and Malvern Hill and Fair oaks:
Lee had won his victory at Manassas on Aug.
" at the very doors Of the Capitol September
,Ame: the fight had been transferred from the
Iates OF Richm ond to the borders OF the North
,rn states In August draft had been Or
'ered for 30OO0U men: South Mountain was
e1ght gsE on the 18th q september., and on the
doubtful results. and the Army of the Ioto-
mac instead Of capturing Richnond. had re-
leded to the held Of Antietam and fought an
,nceStain battle on the very borders OF the
was more discouraged after Antietam
nan at any other period. and tho future seem
q more obscure to mo then than ut any pre-
tous time. But kept on my daily work. and
% me "a Of September. lsG2. had - sudden
nd hs wsI,a wGseIT,emptory call 10 Cabinet meeting at
Iuire me to attend those meetings. M my
!uties were SO exaGting had TO be constant
at my post. and II was only on rare and i'm
,ortant occasions that was called to such
9eetings. l went Immediately to the White
ionse. entered the room and found the his
or1c war Cabinet of Abraham Lincoln assem-
led. every mem her being Drespnt Tha prasi.