The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1869-03-06

came from the Senate galleries. Gen.
eral Grant advanced to the front anC
centre, followed by the Justices of the
Supreme Court, and seated himself by
the side. Of Mr.. Chase. Back of then
was crowded the Senate. In the real
of them such of Grants old associates
as Sherman, George H. Thomas, How
ard, his own staff, Sickles,. Terry, Han
cock and dozen others whose names
the country knows well. On the steps
nearly as large diplomatic corps, the
largest which ever appeared In public
on any one occasion in the capitol
Back Of his right was the old House oi
i Representatives and the fifty members
of the new. Representatives OF all the
leading papers in the country, tnclud-
ing the artists OF the pictorials, were
grouped on each side of General Grant
and along the front of the platform.
The Marine Band, in full numbers
was placed within the square on the
north side of the broad central flight,
where, in their scarlet dresses and
bright instruments, they looked like a
great vase of flowers set in the back
ground. Such was the platform and Its
occupants, lifted some ten feet above
the great level area in front. The SUR
rOundings watched the central portion
OF thesscene.
AT ten the clouds had opened, rain
had closed. The blue sky appeared
anu Iu6 sun SuOue OuG "dEm anu
bright. II seemed as II the storm and
rain were for the old, and the sunshine
for tho new. But that light fell on
such a company as the capital had
never seen before. From the whole
immense front of eight hundred feet
the platform could be plainly seen.
The steps Of either wing were trans
formed into great pyramids OF men,
Every window blossOmed with bonnets
and faces, with ribbons and gaily col
ored dresses. The balustrading around
the roof was fringed with faces, and
every cornice which would hold man
had its occupant. The building was
alive with eyes and f1uttering at every
crevice and from every fOothold with
all the gay, colOrs and airy textures
which fashion furnishes and which
crowds arrange into great wreathes.
Then there were flags above and flags
around the great pillars of the porch,
and flags from topic the ground, and
| around all the platforms. Looking
eastward the scene was one befitting
the occasion. All the tribes had come
up with rejoicing and were in waiting
with thanksgivings before the Nation
al Temple. Next the platform and fac
ing it were the long lines of soldiers.
First q regiment of gaily colored Zou-
aves with ii profusion of gold on dark
uniform and red knapsack; back OF
them regular soldiers; next Zouaves in
bright scarlet, then lines in cadet gray
and wblte trappings, then thousand OF
black boys in blue, with caps and capes,
and torches and stats, each surmount'
ed with q flag; then black ZouaVes In
brilliant uniforms, and then the lines
become mingled in the distance and
stretched away to the right beyond the
House wing to the left farther than the
Senate; while Philadelphia fremen and
the Washington fire brigade, with ma.
chinery Sparkling like gold work; a
ship full rugged, to typity the Ship of
State; gaily dressed omnibuses with
veterans of 1872, relieved the partial
monotony of the great sea of faces. The
park fronting the porch was full from
the east side to the west. The sitting
statue of Washington had many of the
fathers children to hold. The trees
with men, and all the strong branches
| looked in the distance like roOsts of
enormous birds. All roofs command
ing view of the Capitol front and the
great area were covered, till the multi
tude which looked on those Capitol
steps from the main building, the dome
| the wings, from the great streams, and
the acres upon acres OF life in front,
was past all numbering. The order
was per feet. There was little stir,
save where the outer edges were ex-
panding with the incoming current of
| life, which rolled in and became fixed
on the outer rim of that sea of humani-
ty. When the front doors leading from
the rOiunda were first opened, from that
great multitude went up shout which
carried with it the impatience of hours
of waiting, Then every one seemed
bnsy looking Tor the hero of the day.
Those acres were almost AS quiet as it
sown over instead with the graves of
Arlington.
THE COMING MAN
After the members OF the House, who
were the first to appear, had seated
themselves, there came down the broad
steps medium sized man in plain
| clothes, followed by the robed Justices
OF the Supreme Court. Upon this dark
back ground of black silk, the form,
the light features and the light hair OF
President Grant stood clearly out.
Then the deep silence was broken by a
shout springing from dome and roofs,
from centre and wings, from broad
areas in front and from the far hanks of
the crowded multitude. It rose and
| fell, and rose again, as II lifting the
atmosphere with its breath; and then at
signal from some one near the Presi-
| dent it sank into silence as plainly
felt as the shouting was. There SEEM
ed scarce a stir anywhere, except as gay
banners waved and torn ones nuttered
| their rags.
|
Chief Justice Chase rose, holding
| Washington's Bible in his hands, and
walked towards General Grant, who
| rose and at an intimation from Mr..
| Chase, held up his hand, and repeated
the oath Of Office after the Chief Justice.
AS his hand was lowered, that grand
shout OF the thousands rang out again,
thrilling all hearts with emotion that
few will ever forget, and with it came
the fast following thunders of the artil-
lery. To this many-tongued welcome,
the President, for he was President
then, only modestly bowed his thanks
and sat down with the Chief Justice.
INAUGURAL.
In a few minutes more he was stand
| ing alone before that vast audience,
reading to them and through the tele-
graph to all the land, brief words which
were to be the corner. stone OF the new
administration which had began.
INTENSITY OF THE SCENE.
Few of course could hear. But those
near never before gave such heed to
drank them in eagerly. The Senate
bent, personal partisan and opponent
alike, to catch their import. The House
strained every nerve to hear, while the
upturned faces along the front lines of
the great concourse were fixed by an
intense attention. There was a dead
silence around the reader, and no ap-
plause till he had finished, and then
those waves of sound rolled and beat
tiercely on all sides again.
VICE PRESIDENT CoLFAx
AS the President turned away, the
Vice President stepped forward and re-
ceived, if possible, still louder cheers,
bowed in response and followed the
President off the stand.