Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1865-03-06
Saturday Evenings Edition.
THE PRESIDENTS INAUGURAL.
WASHINGTON, March 4.

The procession is now forming, though
heavy rain is falling, and the streets are
almost impossible from mud. The Avenue
is filed with dense mass of people. The
ceremonies will take place in the Senate
Chamber.
The following is the Presidents message:
FELLOW CoUNTRYMEN At this second
appearing to take the oath Of the Presi-
Dental office, there is less occasion for an
extended address than there was at the first.
Then q statement somewhat detailed, of q
course to beIpursued, seemed very fitting
and proper. Now, at the expiration of four
years, during which public declarations
have been constantly called for on every
point and phase Of the great contest which
still absorb the attention and engrosses the
energies of the nation, little that is new
could be presented.
The progress of our arms, upon which all
else chiefly depends, is as we'll knownto the
public as to myself, and it is, trust, rea-
| sonably satisfactory 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 snxiously di-
rected to an impending civil war.
All dreaded it, all sought TO avoid it,
While the inaugural address was being
delivered from this place, devoted alto
| gether to saving the Union without war,
insurgent agents were in the city, seeking
to destroy it without war, seeking to
dissolve the Union, and divide the effects
by negotiation.
Both parties deprecated war, but one Of
/ L. Al
Nation survive, and the other would accept
war rather than let it perish, and the war
came. One-eighth of the whole populs-
ten were colOred slaves, not distributed
generally over the Union, but localized in
the Southern part of it. These slaves
constituted 3 peculiar and powerful interest.
All knew that this interest was somehow
the cause of the wa. To strengthen, per-
petuAte and extend this interest, was the
object for which the insurgents would
rend the Union by war, while the Govern
ment claimed no right to do no more than
to restrict the territorial enlargement of it
Neither party expected for the war, the
magnitude or the duration which il
has already attained. Neither anticipated
that the cause of the conflict might cease
even before the conflict itself should cease
Each looked for an easier triumph and 8
result less fundamental and astounding
Both read the same bible, and pray to the
came Ged, and each invokes His aid against
the other. It may seem strange that any
men should dare to ask a Just Gods assist
ance in wringing their bread from the
sweat Of other mems faces. But let VI
Judge not that we bs not judged,
The prayers of both should not be an
sWered. That of neither has been answer.
ed fully. The Almighty has his own pur-
poses. Woe unto the world because o.
offenses, for it must needs be that ofensel
come, but woe to that man by whom the
offense coneth.
If we shall suppose that American
Slavery is one of these ofenses, which, II
the Providence Of God, must needs come
but which having continued through hi
appointed time he now wills 10 remove