Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1873-03-05
ESTABLISHED MARCH 80. 1886.

1 UcAs DE8MG
was escorted into the Senate Chamber by
the Senate Committee of Arrangements
consisting of Cragin, Bayard and Logan,
and conducted to a chair directly in front
! of the clerks desk, and sat there facing the
audience, target for several thousand cur
ious eyes whose gazs be seemed to all ap-
pearances neither to avoid or to realize, but
| exhibited bis usual self. possession and un-
assuming demeanor. The members of the
House of Representatives headed by Speak
er Blaine, then entered the Chamber and
took seats in the body behind the diplo-
matte corps. Senator Sumner also entered
| just at this time, muffled up like an invalid,
but looking Unexpectedly well. The organi-
aztion of the new Senate having been COM
pleted in the course of about 20 minutes,
it was announced the Senate, Supreme
Court and invited spectators would proceed
to the
- East PorticO
of the Capitol to participate in the cere-
monies of Inauguration of the President
elect. A procession was accordingly
formed, and the late occupants Of the floor
of the Senate proceeded through the corri-
dors and rotuDda to the place indicated, in
the following order: Marshal of Su-
preme Court, and Ex-Vice
President, Supreme Cours OF the United
States, Sergeant-at-Arms, Senate Commit
tee of Arrangements, President elect, Vice
President and Secretary Of SeIlate, mem
bers of Senate, Diplomatic Corps, heads of
departments, ex-members Of House Of
Representatives, and members elect of 43rd
Congress, Governors of States, and other
persons who had been admitted to the
floor of the Senate chamber and the re-
served seats at the left of the Diplomatic
Corps, the latter composed principally of
Bureau officers of the various departments.
The Platform.
In front of the portico, but about 100 feet
lower, being on level with the front land
ing place OF the flight of marble steps, had
been constructed platform capable of &C
commodating, together with the steps, about
500 or 600 people. 1t had semi-circular
front, which was covered with American
flags, and tastefully decorated with wreaths
of evergreens. The national flag was also
interwined with twenty of the columns sup
porting the President on the portico, and
the general effect harmonized we'll with the
splepdor of the noble building. On reach
ing the platform the President elect took
blC scat PiOfl0Cu tOl ElLl3 ullCCb1J III
of the centre, Vice President Colfax, and
the Sergeant-at-arms in charge of the cere-
monies, sitting on his right, and the Chief
Justice of the Supreme Court on his left.
The Senate committee of arrangements
were near at hand, and next in the rear the
Associate Justices of the Supreme Court
occupied seats on the left, and the mem
bers and Secretary of the Senate on the
right. The diplomatic corps were to have
occupied seats in the rear of he Supreme
Court, but many of them were not suf6-
eiently alert to prevent themselves being
Crowded into the background
By members of the House of Representa-
tives and others who were pressed forward
by the general crowd behind. The cold
ness of the weather had the effect of max
ing the number of spectators on the capt.
tol grounds opposite, and the streets adjoin-
ing, much smaller to-day than on most of
similar occasions heretofore, but many
thous ands were assembled to witness the
ceremonies. Near Gen. Grant on the plat
form sal
Mrs. Grant,
accompanied by several of their children,
the Presidents brother Orville, Marshal
and Mrs. Sharp, and several other relatives
of the family. The appearance Of tha Pres
ident on the platform was greeted with
enthusiastic cheers and with bursts of music
from the bands. Ali the various civic and
military organizations which were drawn
up in line of battle filed the wide space
in front and extending the entire length of
the capitol. The noise of greeting was
hushed as the President elect and the Chief
Justice rose simultaneously, and the latter
commenced to recite the formula of the
Presidents
Oath of once,
which Grant took with his head uncovered
and resumed bis seat for few moments,
while the boom of cannon, the ringing of
bells and the shouts of the vast multitude
burst forth with deafening sounds. Partial
quiet having been restored the President
arose and proceeded to read his
Inaugural Address.
Fellow Citizens Under providence
have been called second time to act as
the Executive over this great nation. 1t
has been my endeavor in the past to main
tain all the laws, and SO far as lay in my
power to act for the best interest of the |
people. My best efforts will be given in
the same direction in the future, aided
trust by my four years experience in the
office. When my first term of the
offics of Chief Executive began, the
country had not recovered from the effects
of a great internal revolution, and three
of the former States Of the Union had not
been restored to their federal relations.
1t seemed to me wise that no new question
should be raised so long as that condition
of affairs existed. Therefore the past four
years, so far as could control events, have
been consumed in the effort to restore har-
mony, public credit, commerce and all the
arts of peace and progress.
1t is my firm conviction that the civilized
world is tending towards Tepublicanism, or
government by the people through their
chosen representatives, and that our great
Republic is destined to be the ggidiDg star
to all others. Under our Republic we sup
port an army less than that of any Europe
an power of any standing, and navy less
chan thag of either of at least five of them
there could be no extension of terri
tory on this continent which would call
for an increase of this force, but rather
might such extension enable us TO diminish
it. ..-
The theory of government changes with
the general progress. Now that the tele-
graph is made available for communicating
thought, together with the rapid transit by
steam, all parts of the continent are made
contiguous for all purposes of government,
and communication between the extreme
limits of the country is made easier than
it was throughout the old thirteen States
at the beginning of our national existence.
The effects of the late civil strife have
been to free the slave and make him a citi-
zen. Yet he Ia not possessed of the civil |
rights which citiz anship should carry with
it. This is wrong and should be corrected. |
To this correction l stand committed so
far as executive influence can avail. Social |
equality is [not?l subject to be legfsla,ed
upon, nor shall L ask anything to be done
to advance the social status Of the colored |
man except to give him a fair chance to
develop what there is good in him. Give |
him access to the schools, and when be |
travels let him feel assured that his con-
duct will regulate ths treatment and fare |
he will receive.
The States lately at war with the Gen. |
al Government are now happily rehabited |
and no executive control is exercised in any |
one of them that weuld not be exercised in !
any other State under like circumstances. |
In the first year of the last administra-
ton, the proposition came up for the ad- |
MIC sion NJ GaD nnYninon as a farr.t tory NJ |