PRIVATE COUNCIL AT WASHINGTON.
The 6th of February, 1865, found him in Washington, for the purpose
of having an interview, if possible, with President Lincoln and the
secretary of war. To his friend, the Rev. Henry Highland Garnet, whose
guest he was, he made known the principles on which he based his
intended interview.
Mr. Garnet, living in Washington, and cognizant of every measure
inaugurated among the colored people relative to the war, and
remembering their ill success with the executive, at first attempted
to discourage him. Mr. Garnet said to him, “Don’t aim to say too much
in that direction. While your position is a good one, yet I am afraid
you will not see the president. So many of our men have called upon
him of late, all expecting something, and coming away dissatisfied,
some of them openly complaining, that I am fearful he has come to the
conclusion to receive no more black visitors.” To this he replied,
“Mr. Garnet, I see you are mistaken in regard to my course. I am here
to ask nothing of the president, but to offer him something for the
government. If it suits him, and he accepts, I will take anything he
may offer me in return.”
His friend, still persisting, responded to him: said he, “Doctor, I
see you are on the ‘right track,’ but I am fearful, after all, that
you will not get to see him.” On Major Delany proposing the secretary
of war as a medium through which to reach the president, Mr. Garnet
exclaimed, “My dear sir, you have made matters worse. I have been
abroad; I have been near the persons of nobility and royalty; but
I never saw personages so hard to reach as the heads of government
in Washington.” This information by no means deterred him. It was
impossible for a host to turn Martin Delany from his task, determined
as he was to continue it to the end.
He remarked to the reverend gentleman that “the mansion of every
government has outer and inner doors, the outer defended by guards; the
security of the inner is usually a secret, except to the inmates of the
council-chamber. Across this inner lies a ponderous beam, of the finest
quality, highly polished, designed only for the finest cabinet-work;
it can neither be stepped over nor passed around, and none can enter
except this is moved away; and he that enters is the only one to remove
it at the time, which is the required passport for his admission. I can
pass the outer door, through the guards, and I am persuaded that I can
move this polished beam of cabinet-work, and I will do it.”
Mr. Garnet, becoming convinced by his persistency, that if that
strength of will and perseverance of a most untiring character, which
had contributed so much to his successes on other occasions, could
avail, then his friend’s success in this case was certain. Turning to
his lady, who was present, he said, “I believe he will do it. Go, my
brother,” added he, “and may God speed you to a full accomplishment
of your desires.” The lady’s response, “Of course he will,” was not
without effect, coming when most needed, and ratifying a faith in
perseverance.
He set himself to work to devise some means by which to gain the
desired interview, and succeeded so far, that on Monday, 8th of
February, he sent his card up to the president, and on the same
afternoon, about three o’clock, while visiting the patent office, a
message was received by him, that an audience was granted for the next
morning at eight o’clock.
The auspicious morning dawned upon him, and the appointed hour found
him advanced within the “outer gate.” The president was absent, at
the war department. But not unmindful of his engagement, he left a
messenger to be sent after him.
In the appointment of Martin Delany, it was for no holiday service, or
for conciliatory measures towards the colored people and their friends,
for that could have been more easily and consistently effected by
promoting some from among the gallant soldiers already in the service.
Their heroism and endurance in the field, their discipline and manly
bearing in the camp, are the nation’s household stories. Familiar to
all is the splendid martial fame acquired by the colored regiments of
Massachusetts, while their repeated refusal, to a man, _for nearly one
year_, to receive from the government less than the fulfilment of its
pledges, under which they enrolled as soldiers of Massachusetts, has
passed into the history of our country, furnishing an attitude of the
moral sublime unparalleled amid the many glorious achievements of our
war.
But the new appointment was made to carry out certain policies of
the administration, which remain undeveloped in consequence of the
termination of the rebellion.
If the rebellion had continued, these measures would have been
developed of necessity, and like all other good measures of the war,
would have been approved by a generous public sentiment. But the war
having ceased, they remain on record, to the honor of the two great
heads and hearts that conceived them and anticipated their adoption.
In speaking of Mr. Stanton, he says, “The secretary of war ever stood
side by side with the great and good President Lincoln, in every
advanced measure. He stood foremost in the cabinet in the interest of
the colored people. Now that the president has passed away, I trust
that the noble war minister will receive the reward due to him by a
grateful people.”