Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1869-03-12

4
Court, two by two, and arm In arm, with
Chase and Clifford in front They took
the chairs assigned them at the Secretary's
right. The CHAIRS on the left, as before
stated. were to have been filed by Mr..
johnson and his cabinet, but they re-
NAMED vacant all day. Gen. Grant and
Mr.. Colfax, received from the procession
by Senators Cragin and McCreery OF the
committee, were in the rear rooms, and
now came in with Mr.. Wade and Mr..
Cragin, another Senator being in the chair
for the moment to relieve the presiding
officer. There was buzz of delight at
their entrance. which subsidized when Mr..
Wade took his place, raped to order,
and true to himself, instead of asking
Mr.. Colfax 10 come forward and take the
oath of office, directed him to advance
and be inaugurated. whereat there was
smile among the senators. Mr.. Colfax
took the oath modestly, and with feeling
said the few words he had TO say, and
then Mr.. Wade declared the Senate adj
iomned without date. Mr.. ColfaN took
up the gavel as it was laid down by his
predecessor. and at once called the new
Senate tn order. Gen. Grant, dressed in
plain suit of black. had taken chair in
front of the Chief Justice, facing the whole
house, and was apparently rs calm and
unmoyed as If in his own office. The new
Senators came forward in groups Of three
and were sworn, and then the Vice Presi-
dent directed the officers TO lead the way
Ia the rotunda and platform. The per-
sons on the floor went over ia accordance
with the order of the day. The galleries
rushed headlong down stairs. only To find
th.lt nobody could GO inside the line of
policemen until the floor was cleared. In
ten minutes. however, the chamber was
empty above and below, and the platform,
portico and rotunda were crowded The
ruin had ceased, and there were many
promising breaks in the clouds. Ii was
u thrilling view from the portico, but no
words can picture it 10 the readers eve.
The broad plateau in front Of the Capitol
was filled with infantry, cavalry, artillery,
civil clubs, and organizations Of all kinds
and many thousand citizens. From tho
roof of the Capitol, hundreds of men
looked down on the scene below. The
top of every house within quarter of n
mile was covered with spectators. Every
window was open and filed with eager
faces. and flags and banners were flying
in every direction. The flash of gold
braid. and the glitter of sabres and mus
kets caught every eye. A mass of hacks
and private carriages thronged the streets
on the right and left The House and
Senate porticos were as dense bodies oil
humanity, and ten thousand men and wo-
men were in the grassy park beyond the
military The wide street was filled rs
far as one could see. and near the railing
of the platform stood General Grant taking
the oath of Office as President of great
people. On the instant this ceremony
was completed, the new President and
the Chief Justice standing barehcaded.
the immense concoursc broke out into n
mighty cheer. the bells in all the neigh
boring churches rang out Joyful peal,
dozen military bands struck up ma
toual air, and battery of artillery roared
out it, glad welcome to the Chief of the
Armies, now become the Civil Ruler of
the Nation.