Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1857-03-19

care as we'll as pride of their burden, came
an open carriage. The horses were of the
rarest breed, their beautiful limbs seeming
to disdaiu the ground and court the air, and
yet at the slight touch of the driver, when
the procession closed, they paused motion
less, as if suddenly transformed into stone
As this vehicle passed on, the sound of the
music was drowned by cheers that seemed
to shake our city to its centre. Superb flow
ers fell in and around this equipage, hand
kerchiefs and banners waved from every win
dow, and amidst flashing uniforms and ex-
uting music-such as might have hailed an
Emperor-the President elect of nation of
freemen passed along. 1t was impossible
not to discern in the acclamations of the peo-
pie an enthusiasm, ardent and genuine, of
the description that does not come at a ssaL
and which it would be impossible to coun-
tcrfeit. The prancing of the horses, the
ringing of the hoofS upon the stones, the
dazzle of the uniforms, and the tossing to and
fro Of the standards, presented one of the
gayest and most brilliant spectacles. Nothing
could exceed the hustle, the animation, the
flow and flush of life, as the multitude swept
on.
Within an hour, the vast miscellaneous
crowd were at the capitol gates, marshalled
in long lines on either side-leaving a broad
space in the centre-awaiting the order of
their leader to enter The music struck up
louder and gladder strain as the appointed
marshals made way with difficulty for the
more distinguished to enter within the gates
first. The rush and press to obtain admit
tance, was such that scarcely were these ad-
mitted, ere the crowd poured headlong in,
and took their way to the East Front of the
Capitol, which was to be the scene Of the
Inauguration; here a platform was erected
over the steps of the East wing. On this,
but high enough to be in sight of all the
concourse, was placed table, on which clear
and prominent was copy of the Holy Bible.
Around this were the high officers of the
country, and seated around were all the mark
ed personages of our city-the judges, Sc
cretalies, foreign legations from the lofty
rank of full minister to the inferior grade of
attache The nodding of plumes-the gilt
ter of jewels-presented scene that none
could behold without sparkling eye and a
swelling heart.
The space below the platform had been
crowded for several hours previous to its ar
rival, by such persons as were not entitled to
appointed and special seats. AS the crowd
poured in, stream after stream, murmur of
impatient expectation began to agitate the
human mass. There WAS struggle to gain
access to the one particular spot round which
the crowd was wed dged thick and dense
Some pressed eonfusedly on each other, yet
preserved wonderful good humor While
they were pushing-scrambling-the hub
bub suddenly ceased, as commanding fig
ure, with slow and majestic steps, came to
the front of the platform. His whole ap-
pearance was on noble scale; he seemed
formed for prominence; and to his conspicu-
Gus position was as well proportoned as a
cedar tree to Mount Lebanon,-a "grand
seigueur' the Manor born. His head
was barred, and as he looked steadfastly
around, the high and thoughtful repose of
his majestic countenance, its deep and SOL
emn gravity, hushed the impatient crowd
There was second of intense quiet, then
cheer after cheer rent thc air.
Never was there more striking subject
for the painter genius than the scene cxhib-
tied. The tall, erect figure ofthe President
elect, dressed with his habitual precision in
suit of black, towering above the crowdins
throDg ofhiS applauding countrymen. Above
his head, the sweeping arches Of the capitol
rose, grand and high; the dome looming
against the deep, blue sky the bright sun
casting the whole edifce into the strongest
relief of light and shade, while far in the
back ground rose that marble anthill, des-
tined, we fear, like the Cathedral of Cologne,
the Church of st. Genevieve, and the Palace
OF the Louvre, to be immortal in Incomplete
ness. Dim in the distance rose the spires
and roofs Of our city, while below, bathed in
sunlight, and canopied by the limpid sky,
lay the capitol grounds in all their beauty.
Around breathlessl y reposcd the monuments
of his countrys greatness. Stately groups
of sculpture looked mutely down FROM their
pedestals Before him grandly rose the
statue of Washington, in all its marble ma
jesty-the uplifted arm seeming unconscious
ly to point, with greater 81 gnitcance, above.
Greenough's noble group, with its stony fig
urcs, rose one above the other, like some
slumbering monster, while the rugged and
naughty brow of the God Of War, and the
still form OF the Goddess Of Peace, looked
from their inches upon the imposing scene.
An inexplicable sensation Of solemuity and
grandeur seemed to elevate the speaker, as
his eye rested upon the sea Of human faces
before him.
Although but short distance from where
he stood, we could only hear the faint sound
of his voice as nc commenced his inaugural
address; we could only perceive in the sub
ducd, yet mOyin" sea of human beings that
spread around, the effect created upon all
who drank in the stream Of his thoughts -
At length cheer, more earnest, more pro-
lonrcd than the irst-bctoke the close OF
his speech. The Chief Justice in his robes
of State approached with the Bible, and in