5. _Resolved_, That we believe the future peace and welfare of this state depends very materially upon the protection of the interests of the colored men and can only be secured by the adoption of the sentiments embodied in the foregoing resolutions. The week of the thirteenth came and went. Douglass scanned the papers in vain for any mention of the petition or of anything concerning the “new citizens” of South Carolina. In October came a letter from Francis Cardoza, whom Douglass had met but did not know very well. He said, “I wish to thank you for giving publicity to the petition sent in by our people on St. Helena. Your co-operation strengthened their hearts. As you know, as yet nothing has come of it, nor of the longer document drawn up and presented by 103 Negroes assembled in Charleston. I have a copy of the Charleston petition. Should you be in Washington any time soon I’ll gladly meet you there with it. These men are neither to be pitied nor scorned. They know that they are only at the beginning. With the ballot they will become useful, responsible, functioning citizens of the state. Without the ballot--sooner or later, there will be war.” Douglass immediately got in touch with certain influential men. “I propose,” he said, “that a committee go to Washington and lay the matter of the freedmen’s enfranchisement squarely before President Johnson.” His face darkened for a moment. “Perhaps I misjudge the man,” he added. “He is faced with a gigantic task. It is our duty to give him every assistance.” They rallied round, and a delegation of colored people from Illinois, Wisconsin, Alabama, Mississippi, Florida, South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, New York, the New England states and the District of Columbia was called together. George Downing, of Rhode Island, and Frederick Douglass were named spokesmen. A letter was dispatched to the White House requesting an interview with the President. After several weeks, the answer came. The President would receive the delegation February 7. Douglass sent off a note to Cardoza saying when he would be in Washington and suggesting the home of “my dear friend, Mrs. Amelia Kemp” as the place of meeting. An account of Johnson’s interview with the “Negro delegation” has gone into the historical archives of Washington. It received nationwide publicity both because of what was said and because of Frederick Douglass’ gift for rebuttal.