The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1865-03-11
THE INAuauRATIoN

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On Saturday last, Abra ham Lincoln and An
drew johnson were inaugurated as President
and Vice President Of the United States FOR the
next four years. In spite Of the unfavorable
weather large crowd was in attendance. Tie
ceremonies took place in the Senate Chamber.
The oath of Office was administered to Mr.. John
son bytheretring Vice President, Mr.. Hamlin,
and to Mr.. Lincoln by Chief Justice Salmon P.
Chase. After taking the oath of Office, the
President delivered the following fa lHl
- INAUGURAL ADDRESS. af
Fell0w Co,ntrymen: h5 f3tt stt
At this second appearing to take the
oath Of the Presidential Office, there
occasion for an extended address than there
was at the first. Then statement, some-
what in detail, of a course to be pursued.
seemed fitting and proper ,. .N.. F.
Now, at the expiration Of four years, du-
ring which public declarations have been
constantly called forth on every point and
phase of.the great contest which still abb
serbs the attention and engrosses the en-
erges of the nation, little that is new could
be- presented. ,.,..,v-,e,,,.4.s Iaia.
The progress of our arms upon which all
else chiefly depends, is as well known TO
the public as to myself, and it is I trust,
reasonably satisfactory aud encouraging to
With high hope for the future, no pre-
diction in regard to it is yentured. On the
occasion corresponding to this, four years
ago, all thoughts were anxiously directed
to an impending civil war. All discarded
it; all sought to avoid it.
Whiln fhn IN t M L. :, u Z roee mos l1o;rn
delivered from this place, devoted altogeth-
er to saving the Union without war, sinsur4
gent agents were in the city seeking to de-
stroy it, without war seeking to dissolve
the Union and divide the effects by negotia-
ton.
Both parties deprecated war. But one
of them would make war rather than let
the nation survive, and the other wouldac-
cept war rather than letit perish, and the war
came. One eighth oftbe whole population
were colored slaves, mot distributed over
the Union, but localized in the Southern
part of it. These slaves constituted Pc
culiar and powerful interest. - o.,,ts.-
All know that this interest was somehow
| the cause Of the war9 4. = e4ruslr slrthon, ,3or.
| petuate and extend this interest was the
object forlwhich the insurgents would rend
the Union even by war; III -al t3f
While the Government claimed no right
to. do more than to restrict the terri
torial enlargement of it, neither party
expected by the war the magnitude or the
duration which it has already attained -
Neither anticipated the cause of the con-
flict might cease with or even before the
conflict itself should cease. Each looked
for an easier triumph, and result less fun
damental and astounding. Both read the
same Bible and pray to the same Lord, and
invoke His aid against the other.
1t may seem strange thafany man should
dare to add just Gods assistance in
wringing his bread from the sweat of other
mems faces, bullet US judge not, that we
be not judged. The prayer ofboth couldnot
be answered-that of neither has been an
swered fully.
The Almighty has his own purposes
'sWoe unto the world because of offences
for it must needs be that offences come,
but woe to that man by whom the offence
cometh."" five should suppose that Amer
ican slavery is one of these offences, which
in the providence of God must needs come,
but which having continued through his
appointed time He now wills to remove,
and that lie gives to both North and South
this terrible war as the woe due to those by
whom the offence came, shall we discern
therein any departure from those Divine
attributes, which the believer in living God
always ascribes to Him? ..f,
Fondly do we hope -fervently do we pray
that this mighty scourge of war may speed
lily pass away, yet, if God wills that it con-
tinue until all the wealth filed by the bond
mans two hundred and fifty years Of unre-
Quilted toll shall be sunk, and until every
drop Of blood drawn with the last shall be
paid by another drawn with the sword, as
was said three thousand years ago, SO still
it must be said, "the judgements of the
lord are true and righteous altogether.
With malice to none with charity for all,
with frmness in the right, as God gives us
to see the light, let us strive on to finish
the work we are in, to bind up the nations
wounds, to care for him who shall have
borne the battle, and for his widow and his
orphan, to do all which may achieve and
cherish just and lasting peace among our
selves and with all nations.
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