A Woman's Life-Work — Labors and Experiences of Laura S. HavilandHaviland, Laura S. (Laura Smith)
Religion
A Woman's Life-Work — Labors and Experiences of Laura S. Haviland
Haviland, Laura S. (Laura Smith)
Freed persons; Haviland, Laura S. (Laura Smith), 1808-1898; Underground Railroad
The following day was the Sabbath, and I accompanied my friend to the
penitentiary, where he opened the Sabbath-school and invited me to
teach a class of thirty men. There were nearly five hundred inmates in
prison. As we were leaving the yard a request from the warden reached
me to conduct the funeral service of the woman I had visited. She died
within a few hours after I left. Three o'clock P.M. was the hour
appointed. I met them in their chapel, that was well filled, some
ladies of the city being present. Many of the convicts were much
affected. They also manifested great interest at the meeting on the
previous day.
On the following day I arrived at Washington. I found the White House
perfectly besieged with pardon-seekers from ex-slave States. I called
on a number of the officials, who said that the severity of Thomas
Lean's sentence made the case look dark. I told them of one who had
robbed the mail of five thousand dollars and was pardoned in three
years, whose term was ten years. But he had wealthy and influential
friends to intercede for him, while this man robbed the mail of
forty-two dollars and had served over seven years of the fifteen, and
was poor. Besides, his wife was in poor health, and was supporting
herself and two small children. I was advised to take the letters, with
petition, to Postmaster-general Dennison, from whom I secured a
recommendation for his pardon. From thence I went to the capitol and
secured the names of Hon. F. C. Beaman, Member of Congress, Senator Z.
Chandler, and all other Michigan members of both Houses to my petition;
and through Mr. Wade, the President's house-keeper, I secured an
audience with the President, who took my letters with the petition and
said he would refer them to the Attorney-general, and do what seemed
best in the case. I then left him with his room crowded with Southern
pardon-seekers.
While in the Postmaster-general's office the chief clerk said, "Come
into this, office at nine A.M., next Wednesday, as I think that will be
his pardoning day, and you will learn the result." I waited until
eleven A.M., fearing for the worst. As I opened the office-door the
clerk threw up both hands, crying, "Your man is pardoned! your man is
pardoned! Come and see the notice in this morning's paper." A hearty
hand-shaking followed the good news.
I told him I did not know that he had taken such an interest in my
cause. He replied, "I have had an interest in this case from the first
time you came into this office." A few days after I received a note
from the pardoned man conveying his tearful thanks. Here was another
burden laid aside, for which grateful thanks were tendered to the
Healer of broken hearts.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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