The weekly Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1861, 1861-02-27
mr. Lincoln at New York.


which none but those having the privilege Of
entry to the Governors room were admitted.
at lo3 O'Clock large crowd Of persons hsd
assembled in the Park, awaiting the arrival
OF the President elect.
| A few minutes before ii o'clock, Mayor
{ Wood, accompanied by the members OF the
common council, and of the city press, took
up their position in the Governors room,
and shortly afterwards the shouts of the peo.
ple outside announced that Mr.. Lincoln had
reached the City Hall. He soon appeared,
accompanied by the committee OF the COM
mon council appointed TO meet him in Al
bany, and was introduced by the Chairman,
Alderman Cornell to Mayor Wood. The
Mayor stood on one side of q table that oc'
cupied the upper end of the room, and Mr..
Lincoln took up position Immediately OPP
posite to them on the other side OF the table.
The appearance of the two men was most
striking. The Chief Magistrate OF the city,
dressed in his usual tOste. in a suit of black,
a black Cvercoat, buttoned tightly across his
breast, looked ct his distinguished visitor and
never re moved his eye from him during the
delivery OF the two addresses. The Chief
Magistrate OF the nation, also dressed In
black, taller by head than the Mayor, look.
! ed calm and collected, but did not return the
steady goze that was fixed upon him. Mr..
! Wood, in q clear, distinct voice, spoke as
| follows:
Mr. Lincoln, as The Mayor Of New York,
! il becomes my duty to extend to you an tth'
cial welcome, in behalf of the corporation.
In doing so, permit me to say that this city
has never offered hospitality to a man cloth
ed with more exalted powers, or resting un-
der graver responsibilities, than those which
, circumstances have dcvolved upon you
Going into office with a dismembered Gov
ernment to reconstruct, discontended or
hostile people to reconcile, it will require a
high patriotism, and sn elevated comprehen'
sion of tie whole country and its varied To-
terests, opinions and prejudices, to conduct
public affairs as to bring it back again to its
| former harmonious condition. 1t l reIer to
this topic, sir, it is because New York is
deeply interested. The present political di
vision has sorey eff1icted her people. All
her material interests are paralizad, her CON-
mercia greatness is endangered. She is
the child of the American Unior; she has
grown up under its maternal care, and been
iostered by its poternal bounty; and we ica'
that il the Union dies, the present supremacy
of New York may die with it. To you
therefore, chosen under the forms Of tht
Constitution as the head of the COnederacy
we look for restoration of trieHdly rela-
tions between the States, only to be accom-
plished by peaceful and conciliatory means
aided by the wir4om OF Almighty G d.
When Mayor Wool ceased speaking
murmer Of half suppressed applause passe
J ground the room, and Mr., Lincoln replie
readily, with a Fl m, slow utterance, as fol.
lows:
Mr. Mayor: 1t is with a feeling Of deel
gratitude that make my dcknow.e .edgemen
for the reception which has been EXTENDED
to me in this great commercial city of New
York. ! can but ember, that such a re-
ceplion is rendered by the people and not by
a political party. 1t is more grateful on thit
account, because it is an evidence that in
support OF the great principles that underlit
, our government, the people are nearly o
quite unanimous in regard to the dfficultie
which encompass us at this time, and o
which your Honor has thought fit to speal
go becomingly and so justly. As | suppose
| can only say thst agree with the senti.
ment expressed by the Mayor, in my devo-
ton to the Uuion. hope am not behin
any man within the Union; but in wisdom
necessary to so conduct affairs as to secure
the preservation Of the Union, fear that
may be deficient, and that too great conf
dencs may have been reposed n.ms. an
sure, however, at least bring heart de-
voted TO the Union. There is nothing which
| ,.1I hrin Von 70 NJ 80 kn lac
truction Of that Union, under which not a
lone the great commercial city of New York
but the whole country, has acquired great
ness, unless it should be the loss of that fo
which the Union itself was made. AS un
derstand it, the ship ia made for the carriage
and preservation OF the cargo, and 30 long a;
the ship can be saved with the cargo, i
should never be abandoned. We shoulc
never cesse in our efforts to save tso Ions
as it can be done without throwing overboart
the passengers and cargo. SO long as tht
prosperity and liberty of this people can bt
preserved in the Union, it will be my pur-
pose, and shall be my effort at all times, tt
preserve that Union.
And now, MIR. Mayor, again thanking you
for the reception that has been given me al
low me to close my remsrks.
The utmost order and silence prevailed
during the delivery Of Mr.. Lincoln's reply
At the close the members Of the Common
Council and of the State Government wert
introduced to the President elect, and ther
police regulations below were relaxed, the
restraining chains removed, and the people
allowed to invade the City Hall with rush
and to fight and scramble their way to the
door of the Governors room, where two OF
three policemen were stationed, whose duty
soon became extremely ardueus, the crowc
bearing them forward into the room, and the
noise and confusion outside being beyond
description. The scene inside of the Gov
ernor's room was ludicrous in the extreme,
Supt. Kennedy exerted himself to the ut.
most to beat back the crowd, who were ad-
mtted at the door at the head of the main
stairs, and found egress through the ante.
chamber at the other end of the room. Men
we're pulled in by main force out Of tht
crowd by the police, utterly unable to hell
: themselves, with coats torn and hats demol
ished and lost.
In the heat Of the excitement, femal
made her appearance, and was drngge
through the doorway with hoops and boune
O materially damaged. When introduced
# Mr.. Lincoln, she told him she was rom Il
Iinois, and though she had experienced
rough voyage, she would go through tighte
squeeze to see him. The croud was mo
D ley one-rags and broadcloth being indis
csiminately mixed and filing into the rocl
side by side to shake the presidential hand