Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1902-10-15

dlleT lSll, 1ooo, Oil
agent of the United States treasury
department appeared at Brierfield tt
take possession of the goods. chattels
and movables on the plantation, pre-
paratory to formal confiscation Of tht
property by the United States. The
agent Travelled in state, escorted by
troop Of cavalry, only to be met by
Montgomery, who mildly asked hi:
! business.
II have come" said the agent, "tt
take possession of all movable good:
and stores on Jefferson Davis's plan
tation."
"Mr. Davis owns no plantation II
this section Of the country" Mont
gomery rejoined.
"Then to whom does this place be-
These three plantations,' answered
Montgomery, calmly, consisting of tht
Hurricane, Palmyra and Brierfield es
tates, are my property"
"You don't suppose that I'll believe
such a story as that, do you?" asked
the agent.
1.-The story that I have told you /:
true in every respect" said Montgom
cry. IF you will come into the house
I will show you all the papers, and yor
can decide upon their legality"
The agent was lawyer, and, wher
he looked over the deeds, he saw tha1
a correct legal transfer had been made
But he said, in triumph
"At the time this sale was made, yor
were a slave. You could not hold rea
estate in Mississippi"
Thereupon Montgomery, with
smile, handed the agent his free papers
made out and legally verified foul
days before the title to the real estate
was passed.
"Now," said Montgomery, "this coun'
try is under the protection Of the
United States, is it not?"
"Why, yes" said the officer, "it is"
"And I am entitled to all the right:
and privileges of citizen Of the Unit
ed States, am I not?"
II suppose you are," was the reluct.
ant reply.
"Then, sir, under the Emancipation
Proclamation of President Lincoln, anc
by virtue Of these free papers made be:
fore that proclamation was issued,
am a citizen Of the United States, with
all the rights and privileges that any
citizen has, You are especially enjoin.
ed by that proclamation to see that
and all Of my race are protected In oul
legal rights, are you not?"
"Yes," replied the officer, who saw
that he was cornered.
"Then I request that you leave my
property untouched, for otherwise
shall call upon the president Of the
United States to know whether or not
this proclamation is more than an emp
ty FORM"
The agent and his escort went back
to Vicksburg. Montgomery at once ad-
dressed a letter to the commanding Of
ficer at Vicksburg, setting forth that
he was a free man Of color, the legal
owner of certain plantations, which
were specified by name; that an officer
Of the United States had called upon
him and endeavored to deprive him of
his property without due process of
law, and he demanded Of the COM
manding officer his protection and that
Of the United States. Still, the spoil
was too rich to be relinquished by the
treasury agents without fight, and
in despair, Montgomery decided upon
a great stroke. He called upon the
Federal commander at Vicksburg and
asked that a lieutenant and guard be
put in charge at Brierfield for ten days
time. and also for leave to travel on a
government boat bound for Cincinnati.
He had resolved to visit Washington,
see President Lincoln, and lay the case
before him personally. He chanced to
know Judge Holt, then judge advocate
of the army. When he arrived in
Washington, he at once went to see
him, and asked to be taken to the pres
ident.
I'm free man. now judge" he said.
You have known me for many years.
want you to take me to Mr.. Lincoln
and tell him what my character is for
I have important business with him."
Judge Holt went with Montgomery to
Mr.. Lincoln.
"Mr. President" he said "this is Ben
Montgomery, who for 30 years. has been
the private secretary Of Jefferson Da-
Wis"
Private secretary" queried Mr.. Lin
coin.
"Yes," said Judge Holt, "that is what
I said. He is an honest man, and what
he says Is true. He wishes to see you
on important business, and I will leave
you and him to transact it,"-and
Judge Holt left them alone.
"Well, what can I do for you, my
friend?" asked Mr.. Lincoln, after the
judge had gone.
Montgomery related what had occur
red. "Mr. Davis has been very kind to
me-" he went on, land I did this as
much to help him as to help myself.
This war is nearly over. I believe that
your people will succeed. What you
will do with Master jeff. do not know;
but I am going to do my best to keep
his wife and children from starving"
Mr.. Lincoln was deeply moved. do
you mean to tell me-" he asked, that
you have been Mr.. Davis's secretary all
these years?"
II do not know what you would call
it. Mr.. President" the Negro replied,
''but for 30 years I have written his
business letters. looked after the affairs
Of the plantation, carried large sums of
money to New Orleans and Cincinnati
for him. and have had his fullest con-
fidence in every way. In all his life he
has never spoken to me an unkind
word"
do you know of any other such case
as yours, Montgomery" asked the
president, as he rose and paced the
floor.
mo, sir. I do not" was the reply:
"but. doubtless. there are such cases.
Now, Mr.. President, what I want you
to do is this: I want you to give me a
writing directing all military and civil
officers to protect me in the possession
Of my property"
The president sat at his desk, and
then and there wrote an order which
enjoined upon all military, naval, and
civil officers the protection Of Benjamin
Montgomery, the owner of three plan
tations that were named, and directed