'Recognizing me, even
before I reached him, the president exclaimed, so that all around could hear
him, “Here comes my friend Douglass.” Taking me by the hand, he said, “I am
glad to see you. I saw you in the crowd today, listening to my inaugural
address; how did you like it?” I said, “Mr. Lincoln, I must not detain you with
my poor opinion when there are thousands waiting to shake hands with you.” “No,
no,” he said, “you must stop a little, Douglass; there is no man in the country
whose opinion I value more than yours. I want to know what you thought of it.”
I replied, “Mr. Lincoln, that was a sacred effort.”’
- Frederick Douglass, Ex-slave, White
House reception after Second Inaugural Address
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