They declared that it would so end, and although many died without the sight, yet it did come, to the glory of the God in whom they trusted.
During this long and fearful struggle, that drenched this Southland with some of the best blood of the nation, there lived an old slave woman who fully believed in the providence of God. She was born in Campbell county, Va., and was the slave of a Mrs. W. P. Rucker, who at the close of the war, possibly, lived at Marietta, Ohio.
Charlotte Scott at this time was about sixty years old. Her father was named Thomas Scott. When the news of Lincoln's proclamation was flashed over the country Charlotte Scott, with four millions of her brethren, rejoiced. When the news of the death of the immortal hero was heralded throughout the country she, with the rest of her brethren, was sad.
It was through this proclamation that she had been declared free, and now, unlike the nine that were cleansed, she desired to return and "give thanks," for she knew he had died in the cause of justice. When her former owner informed her of this sad fate of her immortal deliverer and friend, she exclaimed, "The colored people have lost their best friend on earth; Mr. Lincoln was our best friend, and I will give five dollars of my wages towards erecting a monument to his memory." She was first to propose a monument and first to contribute to the carrying out of her proposal to erect the famous Lincoln Monument which now stands in Lincoln Park, Washington, D. C., and was unveiled by General U. S. Grant, April 14, 1876. It cost $20,000.
