The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1873-03-21
GRANT At THE INAUGURATION.
BY GRACE GREENWOOD.

Thousands of curious eyes were
fixed upon the President that was
and was to be, but little could make
out-his manner was one OF perfect
p!acidity, almost uncOncern. He
looked around the chamber and up
10 the galleries, talked little in his
iow-voiced, slow way, with friends
near him, listened inten;ly, but with
no show of emotion 10 the speeches,
and measured, with his cool, gray
eyes each new Senator as he was
sworn in. Evidently he saw moth
ing in the situation dramatic, won
dertul, or especially solemn. Very
quietly he passed out on to the plat
form, and confronted a vast assem-
blage of people standing in the Bit
ter air. The sun shone with genu-
inc holiday brightness, but the wind
was as fierce and vindictive as tho
blowing from one of Dante's frozen
hilla, and let loose especially for the
occasion by demons of democratic
aud secession antecedents. With
his venerable head barred to that
freezing blast, Chief Justice Chase
administered The oath. One could
proud nran's secret heart while be-
ing called on 30 assist, Iii this solemn
manner, for the second time, in the
elevation of that plain soldier to the
lofty civil position to which he had
so long aspired. Perhaps, though,
all feeling on this score has, ere this,
died out of nature too just and
honorable TO be bitter or envious,
and be is content with the great but
mouotonous duties of his own
grand position.
The people shouted as though
shouting for a continent, when the
President, having renewed his oath
TO serve them in the future as he
had served them in the past, turned
null on them that familiar, impas-
Sive-Ghat still, battling face, uncon-
cilia'iug but not uufriendly, betray-
ing by neither flush no. palor-by
neither tremor nor rigidity, q sense
Of exnltation or heavy responsible
ity, OF triumph or stern resolve. II
even wore, or seemed to wear, q
shade of sadness, prophetic or retro
spectiye. It may be that at that
supreme moment he thought of his
great, broken hearted rival, taking
the first rest of q busy Fife, and the
first peace after long, brave war,
fare, under chill blanket of winter
snow, with the faded flowers OF
November frozen against his breast
Again and again pealed forth thai
mighty shout of the people, aud il
seemed to me that while infinitely
| more impressive than the boom o.
cannon, aud more Joyous than the
peal of trumpets, Il was grand re
buke to politicians and demagogues
who Yaiuly spend their lives il
cunning piottings and mad strug
giles for the place and power tt
which this great soldier attained, by
simply doing his duty in quite an
| other line of business. That bust
ness accomplished. it cannot be saiC
he made his own way 10 his presen
position. He was lifted to it by tb;
win OF the people if .ver man was
He went up an elevator, smokin.
lleisurely all the way. Like a sol
/ der he now stood in the bleak al
! and read his inaugurai-happily 70
him aud his audience q short one
Thon there was more firing of bi,
| guns aud more music, the great pro
cession reformed and marched rap
idly down the hill, hardly stayin:
on the order of their going, au,
tbeTghole magnificent pageant fad
ed away like q dream.