Muscatine weekly journal. [volume] (Muscatine, Iowa) 185?-1890, 1864-03-25
Inauguration Of the First Free
state Governor Of Louisiana.
GRAPHIC ACCOUNT OF THE AFFAIR.

inauguration Of the First Free
State Governor Of L0uisiana.
GRAPHIC ACCOUNT OF THE AFFAIR.
New ORLEANS, March 9Th, 1864.
Nh. EDlTos-Dear Sir: have long been
threatening to write to the JOURNAL, and
now I make it no longer mere intention.
The fourth Of March, 1854, which gave
birth to the exercises inciden: to the inaugu-
ration of Hon. Michael Hahn a. the first Free
State Governor of Louisiana, With the attend
ant ceremonies, will long be remembered a.
one Of the most imposing and grand events
ever witnessed on the American continent.
The large and beautiful square called La
fayette was fitted up in imposing STYLE
From tall liberty pole, standing in the CEN
ter, ropes wreathed with evergreen, stretched
in regular angles to the circumference, from
which gracefully foated flags Of al sizes, rep
rssenting the different arms Of our army and
navy, interspersed in every direction with
faunts of the red, white and blue. One
whole side Of the square was taken up by
seats, arranged in theatrical form over this
hung large pieces Of canvass, encircled with
neatly embroidered evergreen, each repre-
senting one of the States of the Union, while
one from the center bore the significant title !:
"Loulsiana as she was in 1860, and she is
to-day - to which all the others hung in
greeting posture. In short, the whole
square presented scenery that lived and
spoke volumes.
AT ten o'clock A. n. all the seats, arranged
to hold ten thousand persons, were filed
mostly by children, many Of whom were
dressed entirely in colors. The square was
filled to overlooking, and all the streets sur
rounding were literally blocked by people,
This sea of living humanity could not be
numbered, but was variously estimated at
from $4,000 to 10000.
The programme opened by prayer by the
Rev. Mr.. Chubbuck. Next came music
"Hail Columbia" This was conducted by
Mr.. P. S. Gilmore. The air opened by a full
burst of music from all the brass bands BE-
longing to the department, brought together
for the occasion. The second time full
band, accompanied by the voices Of about six
thousand children, broke upon our ears
Was there discord? MOI Mr.. Gilmore,
standing upon an elevated table, throwing
both soul and body into the performance,
beat the time, and as if by some magic wand
controlled the whole affair. Now raising it
into magni6cence by the tolling of all the
bells in the city, 10y electric wiresO Ginning
with the air and chorus, and now, again,
swelling into grandeur beggaring all descrip.
ton. came the blast Of fifty pieces of artil.
lery, fired by electricity by the hand Of
him who beat the time, and chimed them in
to the tune of Hail Columbia" and all with
an accuracy that would have done credit to
any music teacher in small audience.
am not such a fool as to try to describe the
effect. can hardly conceive how the stream.
ing lightning of heaven or Gods own thun>
der could have added anything to the grand
eur of the scene. The deep-toned rumol,ng
of the tremulous earthquake might only
have added to its sublimity.
LUG V0tb VI V.IOO WhO INV &OLuItlSI6Vctl
to the Governor elect and other State officers.
Then came the "Star Spangled Banner -
with the former accompaniment, and the
addition Of a great gun loud enough to
speak to all the people of Louisiana, declar-
ing that our glorious old banner in triumph
does Ware!
Then the Governor read the inaugural ad-
dress, which could be heard by only small
portion of the vast crowd; but the loud and
prolonged cheering which came up from the
people when he closed told how deep was the
patriotism and Union sentiment that hailed
him as the first Governor of people rising
up, and, with one blow, freeing themselves
from the double curse of secession and slave.
~.
Then came music performed by the full
band, and forty time beaters on anvils, and
fifty pieces of artillery. Next came an ad.
dress from Major General Banks, which, from
the emotions exhibited by those who could
hear, had telling effect. could not hear,
but saw it. Then came music" Our Flag
is Still There"-pe rformed as before. Then
prayer by the Rev. Mr.. Horton Then the
grand finale" America"-when all the au-
dience were invited to join in the grand
chorus, accompanied by the firing of several
regiments of musketry and all the artillery
they had, and one would have thought more
too. The celebration IS over. As stand
here can but ask what is thiss Is it the
rattle of the roar of cannon, the peal of
church bells. the voice of women and chill
dren, all Ginning in together, emblematic Of
the energies Of our struggle. and now mutu-
ally calling into requisition all the powers of
our fallen humanity to proclaim the triumph
of right. l look back to Champion Hill,
Shiloh, Vicksburg and Fort Hudson, and ask,
is this the sanguinarv, coarse and furious
passion of war being swallowed up and los.
ing itself in the heaven guarded social ele
ment now ratifying the justice of our conflict,
greeting the triumph OF its heroes, and bu.
rying the heroes of war beneath the soften
ing influences of it. social power? Yes, its
the hoarse voice of war dying away along
the uprising promptings of the nobler God
given powers Of our race. IT'S the falling of
the first drops Of peace from the God of ma
tons, waking the first notes Of jubilee over
the triumph Of right that seals the doom I, I
slavery forever. Oh /! thai it might stretch
over the land and let the shower come.
have no more time We and the Oath
Iowa start on tour westward, and are now
packing up. All are in good condition.
Yours, hastily,
.ft IT. SIMMONS,
Chaplain, 28th Iowa.
The Committee on the Conduct of the
War has found the principal witness who
gave the information regarding the alleged
interview between Mcclellan and Lee, after
the battle of Antietam, wholly unreliable,
ond dismissed hin, - M,,s~oS:s,. Zo,s~un7