Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1865-03-13
THE INAUGURAL HUMILIATlON
Ihe Scene iu the senate Chamber on
Ihe Inauguration Of Vice President
Johnson.


ste-C Chamber of United the States, on the
Inauguration of Vice President johnson,
from the correspondence Of the New York
Herald. After describing the address of
Ms. Hamlin, and the entrance of Mr.. Lin
coin, the Supreme Court and the foreign
ministers, it says:
During all this time Andrew johnson
for such he simply was then, not having
taken the oath of Office would to heaven
that it could be said in behalf of the coun-
/ try that he is still only Andrew Johnson)
continued his speech. Such q speechl
It might have been appropriate at some
hustings in Tennessee; but it certainly was
far from being appropriate on this occasion.
1t was not only q ninety-ninth-rste stump
/ speech, but disgraceful In the extreme.
He had not proceeded far when Senators
on the Republican side began to hang their
heads, sink down in their seats, look at each
other with significance, as much as to
say, Is he crazy, or what is the mst-
terP' They exhibited in every feature great
unessiness. There was no mistsking the
fact that the Senators were mortified in the
extreme The Democratic Senators leaned
over and appeared to be chuckling with
each other over the figure made by the Re
publican party through their Vice Presi-
dent elect The Foreign Ministers showed
unmistakeable signs OF smazement as the
| incoherent sentences came from Mr.. john
sons lips. Republican Senators moved
around in their seAts, unable to sit still
under the exhibition before them. Some
of the Senators sat sidewise others turned
their backs, as if anxious to hide them
selves.
Luckily for the members of the House of
Representatives, they did not reach the
Senate until several minutes after twelve,
and they were subjected to but s small
portion of this scene.
The speech was disconnected, the SEN
tenees so incoherent that it is impossible to
give any accurate report of the speech.
As his sentences came up in the reporters
gallery, the statements that iYour Presi-
dent IS a plebeian-I am q plebeian, glory
in it-Tennessee has never gone out Of the
Union-I am going to talk two minutes
and half on that point-I want you TO
hear me-Tenneseee always was loyal-we
all derive our power from the people,
want you TO hear me two minutes on that
point-you, Mr.Stanton, Secretary of War,
derive your authority and power from the
people" (SWho is Secretary of the Ma
vy2' was then heard, in voice of less vol
ume) This was the strain and tone of
the whole speech, mixed with lecture to
the State on the action of the Senate on the
rebellious States.
It was impossible to give full report
sitting in the gallery. The constant ciat.
ter Of voices in the rear, declaring, "Whst
shame" Has he no friends 2" "Tell
him TO stop and save the country from dis
grace we're so numerous that it entirely
prevented a full report being made. The
only full report was that of the official re-
porters of the Globe. The Senators, how
ever, were so chsgrined st the speech that
they notified the Globe reporter to suppress
his copy and wait until Mr.. johnson could
write out speech, that the affair might
not go before the world in that form. It is
charitable to say that his condition was
such that he wss unfit to make speech.
BE evidently didno shun Bourbon county,
Kentucky, on his way here.
Mr. johnson finally concluded his speech,
whereupon Vice President Hsmlin admin
istered to him the oath of Office. Mr.
I
| Mr.. johnson repeated it after him, The
effort of the Vice President elect TO 90
through with the form of repeating the
sentences as read by Mr.. Hamlin was
painful in the extreme. He stumbled
stammered, repeated portions of it sew
eral times over. The moment ne had
concluded the task Mr.. johnson
turned to the audience and commenced an
other speech, giving TO those assembled
his idea of the oath which he had lust
taken. He had uttered but two or three
sentences when some of the officials stand
ing near him had the good sense to stop
him, ne having already occupied nineteen
minutes in his former speech, and delayed
the proceedings beyond all ussges. They
were unwilling that they should be any
longer delayed by the lncoherent remarks
of this new official. 1t has heretofore been
the custom to cl lose all speeches the moment
that the judges Of the Supreme Court and
diplomatic corps reach the Senate Cham
Der. Mr.. Hamlin in accordance with this
usage, closed his speech in time to give Mr..
johnson some thirteen minutes to make
his remarks before the arrival of the above
| dignit8ries. But MIR. johnson did not ap-
pear to understand the usage on such oc-
cssions, or else was net inclined to follow
it. for the diplomatic gentlemen heard
the bulk of his speech, and, unfortunately,
the worst part of it. The moment that
| the new Vice President had been silenced,
Mr.. Hamlin declared the old Senate ad-
journed. Thus expired the Senate of the
Thirty-eighth Congress, at fifteen minutes
pest twelve o'clock.
Mr.. johnson Immediately called the new
Senate to order. The Clerk of the Senate,
John W. Forney then read the proclama-
tion Of the President convening the Senate
in extraordinary session. The newly elect
ed Senators were ordered to approach the
Clerks desk and take the oath of office as
their names were announced. The follow
ing gentlemen in response TO this call step
ped forward
Messrs. Anthony, Fesscnden, Crsgin,
Howard, Yates, Norton, Guthrie and Lane
| and took the oath. Here Vice President
johnson msde another
- FAUX PAS. ,-
he stepped forward with the Bible; held
it out, and motioned to the new Senators
to touch the Bible, bow their head in as
sent, and then motioned them away with
out repeating the oath in any form. Most
of the Senators left the stand when the
muddle was discovered. The Senators
were recalled, and Mr.. Forney administer
ed to them the oath of Office. By this time
il became apparent that some one besides
Mr.. johnson would have to conduct the
business OF the Senate.
Without giving an opportunity for any
further disgraceful scenes, Mr. Forney an
nouneed that the procession would then be
formed to conduct the President elect to the
platform at the east entrance of the build
ing, where the oath Of Office would be ad-
ministerei.
The conduct of the Vice President during
the remainder of the day was equally un-
usual and extraordinary. After President
Lincoln was inaugursted, the ceremo-