M'arthur Democrat. (McArthur, Vinton County, Ohio) 1853-1865, 1865-03-09
The Inauguration OF PresI-
- dent Lincoln,

WAsAIxGToN, March 4th.-The
procession reached the Capitol at
about lE4O A. NJ, escolting the
president elect, at a subsequent pc
riOd the President and Vice Presi-
dent, together with the Justices Of
the supreme Court. members aud ex.
members OF Congress, Foreign Min.
isterS and other persons of distinction
assembled in the Senate Chamber
The Vice :, president elect took the
oath OF Office, preceding it by an ad
dress.
Chief Justice Chase administered
the oath of office on the eastern pOrti.
co, when the President delivered his
inaugural Address. There was II
very large attendance and the scene
Was one OF marked interest.
THE PRESIDENTS INAUGURAL.
Fellow CoUNTRYMEN: At this sec
ond appearing to take the oath Of the
Presidential Office, there is less oCca-
sion for an extended address than
here was at first. Then a statement
somewhat in detail, Of a course to be
pursued, seemed fitting aid proper.
Now, at the expiration OF four
years during which public decIara-
tions have been constantly called forth
on every point and phase OF the great
contest which still! absorbs the alten-
ton and engrosses the energies Of
the Nation. little that is new conld
be presented.
The progress of our arms, upon
which all else chiefly depends, is as
we'll known to the public as to myself,
and it is, trust, reasonably satIstac-
tory and encouraging to all. With
high hopes for the future, no predic-
tion in regard to it is ventured. On
the occasion corresponding to this
four years ago all thoughts were
anxiously directed to an impen'
ding civil war; sll dreaded it; all
sought to avoid it; while the inaug-
ural address was being delivered
from this place, devoted altogether
to saving tho Union without war,
Insurgents were in the city seeking to
destroy it-without war seeking to
dissolve tue Union and divide the
effects by negotiation. Both parties
deprecated war, but one Of them wo'd
make war rather than let the nation
survive, and the other would accept
war rather than let it perish, and the
war came,
One eigth Of the whole population
we're slaves not distributed generally
over the Union, but localized in the
southern part of it. These slaves
constituted a peculiar and powerful
interest. All knew that this interest
was somehow the cause of the war.
To TostreEgthen, perpetuate and ex-
tend this interest was the object for
which the insurgents would rend the
Union by war, while the Go vernment
claimed no righ to do more than
restrict the territorial enlargement OF
it. Neither party expected for the
war Ithe magnitude or the duration
which it has already attained.
Neither anticipated that the cause
OF the conflict might cease, even be-
fore the cause Ci the conflict itself
might cease. Each looked for an
easier triumph and result lees fund.
amental and astounding. Both read
the same Bible and pray to the same
God, and each invoke His aid against
the other.
1t may seem strange that any men
should dare to ask a just Gods assis-
tance in wripgiug their bread from
olLer mems faces, but lie. us Judge not
lest we be judged. The prayers Of
both should not be answered That
Of neither has been answered fully.
The Almighty has His own purpo
ses. Woe unto, the world because Of
its offenses, for it must needs be that
ofenses come; but woe unto the man
by whom the ofleuse cometh. Ii we
shall suppose that American slavery
is one OF these otfenSes which, in tue
Providence Of God, must needs come,
but which having continued through |
His appointed time, lie 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
oftnse come, SHALL we discern that
there is any departure from those
divine attributes which the believers
IN a living God always ascrbe to
himl Fondly do we hope, iervently
do we pray that this mighty scourge
nl war may speedily pass away; yet,
il God wills that it continue till all
the wealth piled by the bOudman's
two hundred and fifty years OF unre-
quilted toll shall b. sunk, and until
every drop oil blood drawn with the
.ash shHll be paid by. another drawn