The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1869-01-06
An Hlstorical Incideut.-Anna Dickin-
sons First Appearnnce In WashinR On.

An Hnstorical Incident.-Anna Dickin-
sons First Appearance in Washing en.
In Mrs. Stanton's life of Anna Dickinson,
there is letter written from Washington on
the 18th of January, 1854, describing the scenes
attending Miss Dickinson's address in the
hall of the House of Representatives the even
ing before. The incident is historical, because
it marks an epoch in the progress of liberal
sentiment-the epoch when woman's opinions
on national affair were for the first time re-
garded as worth listening to, and it is interest
ing because of the association of the names of
persons whom the American people revere.
Long before the the hour designated in the
the newspapers for the commencement of the
lecture. the hall was filed, the capacious gal
lersy as well as the floor Seats for five hun.
dred persons had been arranged upon the floor,
and the tickets-one dollar each-were sold by
noon of Saturday.
A large number of Congressman. were pre-
sent with their wives and daughters, and
many OF the leading men of the Departments.
here ana there an opposition member was
visible, but so few in number as to make
those who were present unpleasantly conspic-
uous. At precisely half-past seven Miss Dick
inson came in, escorted by Vice. President
Hamln and Speaker Colfax. A platform had
been built directly over the desk of the official
reporters, and In front of the clerks desk,
from which the lecturer spoke. Mr.. Hamlin
sat upon her right and Mr.. Colfax on her left.
She was greeted with loud choors as she came
in, and Mr.. Hamlin introduced her TO the Sc
lect audianee ia a neat Speech in which he
very happily compared her to the Maid of Or
leans.
This scene was one which would evidently
test severely the powers oil a most accomplish
ed orator, for the audiance was not composed
of the enthusiastic mass of the people, but ra-
Their of louugers, ofice-hoders, orators, critics,
and men of the world. But the fair spesker
did not seem to be embarrassed in the least
not even by the movements of crazy man in
the galleries, who carried a flag, which he wav-
ed over her bead when she uttered any senti-
ment particularly stirring or eloquent.
At eight O'Clock Mr.. aud Mrs. Lincoln came
in, and not even the utterance of fervid pas
sage in the lecture could repress the enthusi-
asm of the audience. It was a somewhat
amusing fact that just as the President enter.
ed the hall, she was criticising, with some
sharpness, his Amnesty Proclamation and the
Supreme Court; and the audience, as if feeling
it to be their duty to applaud a just sentiment,
even at the expense of courtesy, sustained the
criticism with a round of deafening cheers -
The crazy man in the gal cry, as if electrified
BY the courage of the young woman, wave1
his flag to and fro with frantic delight. Mr..
Lincoln sat meekly through it, not in the least
dspleased. Perhaps he knew that sweets
were TO come nut Wnetnef ne old or not. tney
did come, for Miss Dickinson soon alluded to
him and his course as President, aud nomina-
ted him as his own successor in 1865. The pop
ularity Of the President in Washington was
duly attested by voleys of cheers.
The lecture itself was an eloquent one, aud
1t was delivered very finely. Miss Dickinson
has evidently made very favor BILE Impress
ion upon Congress and the people of WASH
ington. After the lecture was finished the
audience called Justify for Mr.. Lincoln to
speak, bat he edged his wav out of the crowd
to side door, telling the Vice President that
he was too much embarrassed to speak; which
statement made known to the people BY Mr..
Hamlin, caused mnch laughter. The "freed-
men" will obtain over one thousand dollars as
the solid result of the lecture; those present as
hearers were delighted; and Miss Dickinson
has the consolation of feeling not only that
she has aided good cause, but that she has
achieved fine personal triumph.