Henry Highland Garnet was born into slavery in New Market, now Chesterville, in Kent County, Md. He escaped to freedom with his family to Delaware and Pennsylvania, and became a resident of New York City. He became educated and was ordained a Presbyterian minister. Garnet was an active abolitionist and during the Civil War helped the Black soldiers in the Union Army. He was later appointed to serve the 15th Street Presbyterian Church in Washington, D.C.

When he was invited to preach in 1865, Garnet became known as the first African American to address members of Congress. His sermon to them was an eloquent appeal to fulfill the mission of emancipation, presenting a to-do list that, today, is still waiting completion.

This sermon, “A Memorial Discourse: Delivered in the Hall of the House of Representatives, Washington City, D.C., on Sabbath. February 12, 1865” was printed along with a biography by his childhood friend James McCune Smith, M.D., “Sketch of the Life and Labors of Rev. Henry Highland Garnet.” The volume also includes Garnet’s 1843 speech to the enslaved people of the United States.

The following are excerpts from Smith’s account of Garnet’s life during the Civil War, and passages from Garnet’s sermon in the chapel of the House of Representatives.

Smith’s Account

Smith praised Garnet’s steadfast support for abolishing slavery in the face of strong opposition:

“He did not hesitate fearlessly to expose the national sin, and to declare the whole counsel of God to an unrepentant people. He was utterly unselfish.”

In the dark days between 1855 and 1864, there was aggressive opposition to the abolition of slavery by the national and state legislatures that enacted oppressive laws. Businessmen and the church were opposed to abolition. The press reported on the violence toward Black people during the draft riots of 1863 in New York City.

But Smith declared: “Throughout this frightful time, there was at least one Black man who neither cowered nor flinched. The tall form of the pastor of Shiloh [Garnet] always in front, where the blows fell thickest, seemed rather to dilate with the joys of battle, and his voice became as a trumpet’s call. By his eloquence, his high-hearted manhood, his conduct, and example, he cheered his people, not only his immediate flock, but all who heard him throughout the land.“

The mobs hunted for Garnet during those riots.

As Smith recorded, “They rushed down 30th Street where he resided, loudly calling him by name. By the lucky forethought of his daughter who wrenched off the door-plate with an axe, his house escaped sacking, and his own life and that of his family were preserved by the kind acts of some White neighbors.”

Five days later, there was a great turnabout by the merchants of New York, who organized a committee for the relief of the Black riot victims.

“They established an office at 350 Fourth Street, to which all applicants for aid were directed to apply. They wisely engaged the services of the Rev. H.H. Garnet at this office, in order that he might examine and report on each case that came up. Not less than 6,392 persons passed under his supervision, and were relieved.” The report that Garnet wrote was published in this same volume.

When the Civil War began, Garnet volunteered as chaplain to the Colored troops assigned to a military base on Riker’s Island. Smith wrote: “He served in this capacity until the 20th, 26th, and 31st Regiments of the United States Colored Troops marched to the field. During this time without interruption of his pastoral duties, he organized a Ladies’ Committee for the Aid of Sick Soldiers, and established a hospital kitchen on Riker’s Island.”

There were many problems to solve just to keep the men fed and healthy. Smith again: “The runners kidnapped boys and old men, cripples and maimed, and by collusion with the proper officers, forced them to Riker’s Island. Here the sutlers charged when he was invited to preach in 1865, after Emancipation, 50 cents for a cup of coffee, a dollar for a canteen of water; in the cold month of February they were thrust into old and worn cotton tents, compelled to sleep on the earth without even a camp-stool.” Garnet heard the complaints of the recruits and persuaded General Dix, the commanding officer of the base, to right them.

Garnet’s Sermon

On February 12, 1865, when he was pastor of the 15th Street Presbyterian Church in Washington, D.C., Garnet was invited to give a sermon to the representatives in Congress who attended the religious service held in the chapel of the Capitol. He brought his choir from the church. This was a moment in the concluding months before the official end of the war in April 1865, and within days of the adoption of the 13th Amendment to the Constitution that banned slavery.

Garnet’s sermon was titled, “Let the Monster Perish,” the monster being slavery. For many Whites, slavery was, and still is, referred to not as the monster but as the “peculiar institution.”

He addressed his sermon to the hypocrisy of leaders who did little or nothing “that accorded with the law of righteousness.” He based his speech on Matthew 23:4 which was a rebuke of the failings of the Scribes and Pharisees:

“For they bind heavy burdens and grievous to be borne, and lay them on men’s shoulders, but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers.”

Garnet opened his sermon saying this about the Scribes and Pharisees: “In theory, they were right, but their practices were inconsistent and wrong. They knew their duty, but did it not. The demands which they made upon others proved that they themselves knew what things men ought to do. In condemning others, they pronounced themselves guilty. They demanded that others should be just, merciful, pure, peaceable, and righteous. But they were unjust, impure, unmerciful — they hated and wronged a portion of their fellow men and waged a continual war against the government of God. We have modern Scribes and Pharisees, who are faithful to their prototypes of ancient times.” 

Garnet recounted the many ways throughout history that led Americans to declare that “the best possible condition of the Negro is slavery.”

He recalled his own early recollections of slavery: “The first sight that met my eyes was a Christian mother enslaved by professed Christians, but thank God, now a saint in heaven. The first sound that startled my ear and sent a shudder through my soul were the cracking of the whip and the clanking of chains.” He rejoiced that Maryland is “now the free home of their liberated and happier children.”

Then he tackled the monster. “Let us view this demon, which the people have worshipped as a God. Come forth, thou grim monster, that thou mayest be critically examined! There he stands. Behold him, one and all. Its work is to chattelize man, to hold property in human beings. Slavery destroys families and feeds hate and prejudice. It promotes strife and internal division in the nation. It has caused the bloodiest civil war recorded in the book to time.”

Garnet pointed the way forward: “Let us here take up the Golden Rule, and adopt the self-application mode of reasoning to those who hold these erroneous views.”

Then he recounted the anti-slavery views of sages and famous men in Western history, from Plato, who said, “Slavery is a system of complete injustice,” through the ancients to Thomas Jefferson, “There is preparing, I hope, under the auspices of heaven, a way for a total emancipation,” and George Washington, “It is among my first wishes to see some plan adopted by which slavery in this country shall be abolished by law. I know of but one way by which this can be done, and that is by legislative actions, and so far as my vote can go, it shall not be wanting.” Garnet went on to list many other men who spoke out against slavery.

He concluded, “Let the verdict of death which has been brought in against slavery by the 38th Congress be affirmed and executed by the people. Let the gigantic monster perish.”

Then Garnet gave his audience of legislators his assessment of when the “demands of the reformers” could be considered fulfilled — his to-do list.

• “When all unjust and heavy burdens shall be removed from every man in the land.
• When all invidious and proscriptive distinctions shall be blotted out from our laws, whether they be constitutional, state, or municipal laws.
• When emancipation shall be followed by enfranchisement, and all men holding allegiance to the government shall enjoy every right of American citizenship.
• When our brave and gallant soldiers shall have justice done unto them.
• When the men who endure the sufferings and perils of the battlefield in the defense of their country, and in order to keep our rulers in their places, shall enjoy the well-earned privilege of voting for them.
• When in the army and navy, and in every legitimate and honorable occupation, promotion shall smile upon merit without the slightest regard to the complexion of a man’s face.
• When there shall be no more class legislation and no more trouble concerning the Black man and his rights than there is in regard to other American citizens.
• When, in every respect, he shall be equal before the law, and shall be left to make his own way in the social walks of life.”

“Let slavery die. It has had a long and fair trial. Now speedily finish the work which God has given you to do. Emancipate, enfranchise, and educate every American citizen.”

And addressing them directly, he blessed the senators and representatives for their legislation of emancipation and assured them of the gratitude of many people.

Jeanette E. Sherbondy is a retired anthropology professor from Washington College and has lived here since 1986. In retirement she has been active with the Kent County Historical Society and Sumner Hall, one of the organizers of Legacy Day, and helped get highway /historical markers recognizing Henry Highland Garnet. She published an article on her ethnohistorical research of the free Black village, Morgnec.