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THE PRESENTATION OF THE MONUMENT.

Prof. Langston then introduced Mr. James E. Yeatman, president of the Western Sanitary Commission.
Mr. Yeatman said: The Rev Wm. G. Eliot, of St. Louis, to whom had been assigned the presentation of the monument for the acceptance and approval of those who had contributed the funds for its erection, and to give a short historical account of the same, has been prevented from doing so, and it has only been within the last few hours that I received notice that he could not be present, and that I was requested to take his place, which I am but poorly qualified to do. Asking your kind and considerate indulgence, I shall proceed to do so, as the representative and president of the Western Sanitary Commission, to who was intrusted the contributions of freedmen, and the expenditure of the same for the erection of the freedmen's memorial at the national capital.
It is perhaps proper that I should tell you how it was that a sanitary commission came to be intrusted with this work. This commission, composed of Rev. Wm. G. Eliot, George Partridge, Carlos S. Greeley, Dr J. B. Johnson and James E. Yeatman, well known Union citizens of St. Louis, were appointed by General John C. Fremont, and afterwards ratified by Secretary Stanton. Their duties principally were to look after the sick, fit up and furnish hospitals, provide competent nurse, &c. But as the war progressed their duties were greatly enlarged. The care of the families and orphans of soldiers, Union refugees, the freedmen; in short, all the humanities growing out of the war came under their charge. For these purposes large sums of money, clothing, &c., were contributed and sent to them, and I can say honestly and judiciously expended. Their total receipts amounted to over four and a quarter millions. The whole of which was the spontaneous gift of individuals in all parts of the country, from San Francisco to Maine, and without the aid of a single organized auxiliary association.
And finally, after the war was closed; after the lamented, honored and loved Lincoln had been so foully assassinated in this city, five dollars was sent to us— the contribution of Charlotte Scott, a poor slave woman, who, on hearing of the assassination of President Lincoln, went in great distress to her mistress— that had been, for she was then free— and said to her: "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." This money; this five dollars; this grain of mustard seed, contributed by Charlotte

Scott in gratitude to her deliverer, was sent to us by her former master, Mr. Wm. P. Rucker, through the hands of General T. C. H. Smith, then in command of the military post of St. Louis, having received it from Mr. Rucker, who was a Union refugee, from Virginia, having sought safety for himself and family in Marietta, Ohio, taking along with him Charlotte Scott, and perhaps others belonging to him. It was this five dollars that was the foundation of this beautiful and appropriate memorial which we now see before us. General Smith addressed a letter to me, conveying it, which was as follows:

ST. LOUIS, April 26, 1864.

James R. Yeatman, Esq.:
MY DEAR SIR: A poor negro woman of Marietta, Ohio, one of those made free by President Lincoln's proclamation, proposes that a monument to their dead friend be erected by the colored people of the United States. She has handed to a person in Marietta five dollars as her contribution for the purpose. Such a monument would have a history more grand and touching than any of which we have account. Would it not be well to take up this suggestion and make it known to the freedmen?

Yours truly, T. C. H. SMITH.

In compliance with General Smith's suggestion I published his letter, with a card, stating that any desiring to contribute to a fund for such a purpose, that the Western Sanitary Commission would receive the same and see that it was judiciously appropriated as intended. In response to this communication liberal contributions were received from colored soldiers under the command of General J. W. Davidson, headquarters at Natchez, Miss., amounting in all to $12,150. This was subsequently increased from other scources to $16,242.
From the liberal contributions made in the first instance, we were led to believe that a very much larger sum would have been donated. But, as our determination was to have a free will offering without solicitation we determined to rest with what was voluntarily contributed. This prevented the execution of a design made and submitted by Harriet Hosmer, one of America's most renowned sculptors. The design was one of great beauty and merit, and could it have been executed, it would have been one of the grandest and most beautiful monumental works of art ever erected in this or any other country. I mention this now as the design and its adoption by the commission was gener-