Indiana State sentinel. (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1861-03-13
washington correspondence,

most feeling appeal to the memorable ex-Sherif
who held him in his custody.
Washington correspondence.
The Incidents oftie C0r0ndtion-A Military Ladugurd-
fion-A Moo IN The Seqate-Ihe Decision Of Senator
Douglas the Occasi0n-7he DisreDutd6Ee Conduct
Of andy johnson.
WASHINGTON, March 6, 1861.
To the Editor TIE Daily State Sentinel:
My last letter was written so hurriedly that
entirely forgot to give you any of the details of
the Inauguration, rather coronation of King
Lincoln. 1t was, indeed, a coronation, not an
and incidents of the occasion. On the evening of
the Sd, the U. S. troops were served with ttrenty
four rounds of ammunition and ordered to hold
themselves ready for action at a moments warn
ingl Bugle signals were sounded throughout the
night, and the horses of the dragons were kept
saddled, and their riders standing beside them till
daylight A file of thirty-six soldiers were
placed in the Treasury building at various points,
on guard during the night, without even consulta-
ton with the Secretary At midnight he went
into the building, and, to his SURPRISE found the
soldiers there. He inquired the cause, and was
told that they had been placed there by the order
of their superior officer.
On the 4th, the soldiers were all under arms
regulars and volunteers, except Capt. Schaffer's
volunteers; they, being Democrats, were omitted
from the programme. Files of soldiers were
placed on each side of Mr.. Lincoln as he passed
from Wizards to the Capitol to take the oath of
Office. His carriage preceded and followed
by dragons and foot soldiers, and he himself was
hid from public view in hollow square of cavalry
three or four deep. Sharp shooters and mus
keteers occupied the tops of the houses, at con-
venient points on each side of the avenue, with
loaded rifles and muskets in their hands, to oucr-
look the crowd below They were also posted on
the top of the Smithsonian Institute, with carbine
and telescope, to look out for the approach of the
enemy Signals were arranged so that the whole
military force could be concentrated at any given
point at the shortest notice. The flying artillery
were stationed, after the procession passed, OPP
posite the Treasury building, in Pennsylvania
avenue, loaded with grape and canister, and with
their muzzles pointed across the avenue A sim
liar precaution was taken at the Postoice and the
Patent Office buildings. Even while the oath of
Office was being administered to him, Mr.. Lincoln
stood surrounded by bayonets The same pro-
gramme was observed as he returned to the W hite
House.
This is the first time in our history that Pres
ident of the United States was inaugurated, sur
rounded by an armed soldery, with loaded pieces
and fixed bayonets / hope never to see such
sight again. In all this display nobody
hurtr Yes, American honor was wounded, and
Inundated, and the country was disgraced and
''hurt." Louis Napoleon, when he usurped the
liberties of France, was inaugurated with Just
such demonstrations. Victoria, who through her
Minister, with high hand, trampled upon the
rights of the poor people, and with a rod of iron
rules and Expresses the Irish nation, was crowned
at the point of the bayonet. The Austrian ty
rant, and the Russian Autocrat, together with the
other Kingly despots of the Old World, were at
tended on their coronations, with sabre, and gun,
and cannon. But Mr.. Lincoln is the first Presi-
dent, who, either guided by timidity and nervous
ness, or Unsuitable thirst for pomp and parade,
has dared to spit upon and insult the genius of
our American institutions by following their hated
examples Alas! we have fallen upon evil times.
The expiring hours of the last session of Con-
gress witnessed scenes never before enacted in
those Chambers. A mob composed of Wide
Awakes took possession of the Senate galleries
and for some time, interrupted the proceedings
and defed the power of the Senate. They com
menced cheering occasionally when Andrew
johnson, of Tennessee, was speaking in reply to
Gen. Lane. Regardless of the decorum due the
place and occasion, one of their number proposed
"three cheers for Andy Johnson" which were
given with fury. At this point. Mr. Kennedy
(American) of Maryland, denounced the disorder
in the galleries as degrading to the Senate, anC
demanded that they be cleared. Mr.. Crittender
seconded the motion, and said that such conduc
was grossly insulting, and that it was due to tn,
dignity of the Senate that they be kept cleared
At this stage, the Wide Awake ruffians set NJ
such yell as would have induced any one to be
{ lieve that the internal regions had broken loose
Mr.. Douglas asked if the Sergeant-at- Arms
had been directed to clear the galleries?
The President said he had.
Mr.. Douglas asked why it was not done. III,
! said he should move to clear the galleries en-
tirely. He was not to be controlled by a mob
The crowd still remaining in the galleries, Mr.
Douglas said:
If the Sergeant at Arms don't do his duty,
will move we elect another one who will SCI
! him on the floor now when he ought to be in thu
, gallery doing his duty. The President said tn
Sergeant alarms reported that it was impossible
to clear the galleries.
! Mr. Douglas-Then | move we elect one VIII,
will not report that it is impossible to do his duty
Mr.. Douglas moved to clear all the galleries
He said they were trying to get vote on amend
ments to the Constitution, but objections wer
a made on the other side of the chamber, while tn
mob in the galleries were the friends of those WIFI
object"
Loud and repeated Kisses greeted Mr.. Dougla
4 while he was speaking, but when they saw tina
1 he was in earnest and that he intended to hav
6 the galleries cleared with "three cheers for And
johnson" and "three cheers for the Union," tn
+ drunken rowdies left the galleries shouting swear
r ing, throwing up their hats, &c.
This is the first time in the history of our coun
i. try that the Senate has been menaced bv a mob
But what is more humiliating still, one Senate
was found so lost to decency and shame and s
= given to play the demagogue, as to lend hi
cOuntenance to the mob by addressing himself i
u the most infiammatory language to them. Tha
> Senator was Andy johnson, of Tennessee, an
IS his conduct on this occasion disguised eveTybod
; except the mob itself. He actually directed hi
discourse to the fanatics in the galleries. and i
. the most vehement style, as if he were addressin
e the people from the stump, talked to them o
A every hand his conduct is severely condemned
I, The truth is, Andy is a very small man but bi
demagOgue. he comes under the category, nc
n cording to Col. Benton, of those "who have neve
l crossed their legs under the table of gentle
: man." Low in all his instincts and feelings.
is incapable of enacting any other part than tina
of a demagogue. His course towards Mr.. Bel
V last Congress, showed him to be utterly unfit {
! PLAY the part of gentleman. If any body do
sires to see Andy johnson delineated in his tru
character let him get the debate between Bell an
a johnson on that occasion, and read the coars,
vindictive and vituperative speeches of the latte
and the gentlemanly but exposition of hir
IS by the former
had intended to say something in reference
the inaugural and other matters, but find tbs
this letter is sufficiently long already So, in tn
> classic language of Lincoln, al come to close.
:. Pen.