The Burlington weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington [Iowa]) 1860-1876, 1861-03-09
Al Especial Dispatch to the Hawk-Eye.]
Last Hours or fCongress-.Inaugurat {
tho new Rfe9adents

Especial Dispatch to the Hawk-Eye.l
mo new President.
WAsHlsorox, March THE day was usher
ed on BY most exciting session Of the Senate,
J that body sitting II hours from Z o'clock last
evening till this morning. As the dial Of the
clock pointed TO IL O'clock and the Sabbath
gave way to Monday, 4th Of March, the Senate
Chambers presented : curious and animated ap-
pearance. The galleries were crowded to r..
pletion, the ladies' gallery resembling, from the
gay dresses of the fair ones there congregated,
some gorgeous parterre Of flowers, and the gen.
tlemen's gallery seemed one black mass Of surg
ing heaving masculines pushing, struggling, and
almost clsmbering over each Others backs in Or.
der to get good look At the proceedings. Some
Of the most ludicrous scenes were the result Of
the intense desire Of tho outsiders to geta peep
into the Senate Chamber and the pertinacity
with which the applicants for admission to the
overaowing galleries, urge that he had come all
the way from 1udiany or some other place,
afforded the seated ones intense amusement.
On the floor, Messrs. Crittenden, Trumbull,
Wigfall, Wade, Douglas and others, kept up
running fire of debate. while those not engaged
in discussion betook themselves to the sofas for
. comfortable nap during the session, which was
known would last all night.
As morning advanced the galleries and floors
became gradually cleared out in the gray morn
ing light.
The Senate took recess till 10 O'Clock to-day
few minutes after I o'clock. But few remained
The morning was clear and beautiful; the pub
lie buildings schools, places of business, &C.,
were closed throughout the day. The stars and
stripes foated from the City Hall, Capitol, War
Department, and other public buildings, while
not few citizens flung out flags from their hou-
ses or across the principal avenues. The streets
were thronged with the volunteer soldiery has
tening to their respective rendezvous. Three
or four hours elapsed before there was the least
chance of entering the Capitol.
Pennsylvania Avenue was thronged with peo-
pie vending their way to the famous East front.
For four hours the crowd poured on towards the
Capitol in one continuous stream of old and
young, male and female.
A large majority were Northern men, and but
few Southerners, judging from thedack of long
haired men in the crowd.
The order of arrangements, as settled by the
committee, was as follows:
To the left Of the Vice President were the
Committee of ofArrangements. Immediately be.
hind them was the heads of the various Depart
lnents of the government, Senators, members and
members elect of the House, officers Of the army
and navy, Governors Of the States and Territor
les, Comptrolefs, Auditors, Registers, Solicitors
Of the Treasury. To the right of the Vice-Pre.
sident were the Judges of the Supreme Court,
Senators, members Of the Diplomatic Corps,
ex-Governors of the States, Assistant Secretarys
of Departments, Assistant Postmaster Generals
Assistant Treasurers, Commissioners, Judges and
the Mayors of Georgetown and Washinton.
Previous to the arrival of the procession the
Senate Chamber did not present very animal
ed appearance, many of the ladies waiting to see
the display, did not arrive until late and the
officers with Government uniforms and flashing
epaulettes, relieved so well the sombreness Of
the national black, were with the Presidential
cortage during the passage of the procession to
Willard's hotel and the march thence to the
Capitol.
Senator Bright killed. in the most approved
manner, a certain Gas bi to wit: Talking it
to death. This not proving very interesting
matter, waxed somewhat dull. In the interim,
at five minutes to II o'clock, Vice President
Breckenridge and Senator Foote, of the commit.
tee of Arrangements, entered the South Cham
Der escorting the Vice President elect, Hon.
Hannibal Hamlin, whom they conducted to a
seat Immediately to the left of the Chair of
the President of the Senate. As the hands of the
clock pointed to the hour of IL, the hammer
fell, and the Second Session OF the seth Con-
gress came to an end. Vice President Breckin-
ridge bade the Senator farewell in we'll chosen
and touching terms. Mr.. Breckenridge then ad
ministered the oath of Office to Vice President
Hamlin. Mr.. BreckinrIge then announced the
Senate adjourned, without day, and left the
Chair, to which he Immediately conducted Vice
President Hamlin. Hon. Mr.. Clingman was
then sworn in as Senator for the State of Nortl,
Carolina, Clark for New Hampshire, Chase for
Ohio, Harris, for New York, Harlan, for Iowa,
Holmes, for Wisconsin, Breckinridge, for Ken
lucky, Lane, for Indiana, D. Smith, for Oregon,
and Mitchell for Arkansas.
At this juncture the members and members
elect of the House of Representatives entered
the Senate Chamber, filling every available
pace to the left of the Vice President. The
Corps of Dplomatists also entered the Chamber
at the same time, occupying seats to the right of
the Chair. 1t was a subject of general remark
that the Corps never was SO fully represented
as on this occasion, perhaps to be the last time
all to be again assembled. The ministers, at
taches, and others, numbered in all some fifty
and over, and, in orilliancy of dress, the nam-
Der Of decorations, &C., added much to the im-
posing nature of the scene Some of the court
uniforms were gorgeous, and attracted much at
tention. The scene in the Senate, while waiting
the arrival of the Presidential party, seemed to
realize the lying down of the lion and the lamb
together, of the mingling Of oil and water
Aessrs. Chase, Wigfall. Crittenden, Wilson and
others were opposite, hob-nobbing with the ut
most cordiality. Senator Breckenridge con-
versed famiiarly with the EXTREMIST men of the
Republicans, while ladies of all political afinities
Mrs. Hamlin among them, looked smlingly
down on the animated scene below. The at
tendance of tho Senators was unusually full -
the only absences noticed being those Of Hon.
Mr.. Mason and Hon. Mr.. Hunter, of Virginia.
At Is minutes to /, the Judges of the Su.
preme Court of the United States were an
nounced by the door-keeper of the Senate. On
their entrance all on the floor rose, and the
venerable Judges, headed by Chief Justice Ia.
ney, moved slowly to the seats assigned them
Immediately to the right of the Vice President,
each changing salutes with that officer in passing
the chair.
At ten minutes after o'clock, an unusual stir
was occasioned in the chamber, and the rumor
spread like wild.fre, that the President elect was
IN the building. At Is minutes past o'clock,
the Marshal in Chief, Maj B. B. French, entered
the Chamber, ushering in the President and Pre-
sident elect. They had entered together from
the street, through private covered passage
way on the north side Of the Capitol, police Of
hcers being in attendance to prevent outsiders
from crowding after them. The line of process.
sion was then formed in the following order:
Marshal of the District of Columbia, Judges
of the Supreme Court, Sergeant.at-A Arms of the
Senate, Committee of Arrangements, President
OF the United states aud President elect, Sec.
retary of the Senate, Senators, Diplomatic
Corps, Heads of Departments, Governors and
others in the Chamber
When the word was gwen for the members of
the House to fall into the line of procession
violent rush was made for the door, accompan-
led by loud out-cries, violent pushing and great
disturbance.
After the procession had reached the plat.
form, Senator Baker of Oregon, introduced Mr..
Lincoln to the assembly. On Mr.. Lincoln's ad-
vancing to the stand, he was cheered but not
loudly. Unfolding his manuscript in loud and
| clear voice, he read his message, us follows:
MIR. LINCOIN.S
INAUGURAL, ADDRESS
FELLow-CITrzESs OF THE UNITED STATEs:-In
compliance with custom rs old as the Govern.
i unavt stuolc hofNro vot, Tn addraos yo,,