“It would be a very fitting occasion to make a response at length
to the very appropriate address which you have just made. I would
do so if I were prepared. I would promise you to make a response in
writing, had not experience taught me that business will not allow
me to do so. I can only say now, as I have often said before, it
has always been a sentiment with me that all mankind should be free.
“So far as I have been able, so far as came within my sphere, I
have always acted as I believed was right and just, and done all
I could for the good of mankind. I have, in letters and documents
sent forth from this office, expressed myself better than I can
now. In regard to the great book, I have only to say, it is the
best gift which God has ever given man.
“All the good from the Saviour of the World is communicated to us
through this book. But for that book we could not know right from
wrong. All those things desirable to man are contained in it. I
return you my sincere thanks for this very elegant copy of the
great book of God which you present.”
After some time spent in the examination of the gift, which drew out
many expressions of admiration from the President, the party withdrew,
Mr. Lincoln taking each of them by the hand as they passed out.
Caroline Johnson, an estimable colored woman of Philadelphia, an active
nurse in the hospitals during the war, who had once been a slave, as an
expression of reverence and affection for President Lincoln, prepared,
with much taste and ingenuity, a superb collection of wax fruits,
together with a stem-table, appropriately ornamented, which she
desired to present to the President. Through a friend an opportunity
was secured, and she went to Washington, with her minister, to attend
personally to the setting up of the stand and fruit.
The result is given by a correspondent of the “Anti-Slavery Standard,”
in her own words:--
“The Commissioner, Mr. Newton, received us kindly, and sent the box to
the White House, with directions that it should not be opened until
I came. The next day was reception day, but the President sent me
word that he would receive me at one o’clock. I went and arranged the
table, placing it in the centre of the room. Then I was introduced to
the President and his wife. He stood next to me; then Mrs. Lincoln,
Mr. Newton, and the minister; the others outside. Mr. Hamilton (the
minister) made an appropriate speech, and at the conclusion said:
‘Perhaps Mrs. Johnson would like to say a few words?’ I looked down to
the floor, and felt that I had not a word to say, but after a moment or
two, the fire began to burn, (laying her hand on her breast,) and it
burned and burned till it went all over me. I think it was the Spirit,
and I looked up to him and said: ‘Mr. President, I believe God has hewn
you out of a rock, for this great and mighty purpose. Many have been
led away by bribes of gold, of silver, of presents; but you have stood
firm, because God was with you, and if you are faithful to the end, he
will be with you.’ With his eyes full of tears, he walked round and
examined the present, pronounced it beautiful, thanked me kindly, but
said: ‘You must not give me the praise--it belongs to God.’”