The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1881-02-21
MONDAY MORNING, FEB. 21.
Lincoln's Inauguration.
One of the Most Exciting Episodes in Our
National History.

Washington Correspondence n. Y. Times.]
The inaugural procession of Franklin Pierce
moved through snow storm; but despite the
unfavorable weather, the ceremonies were
witnessed by very large crowd of people.
Buchanan, the last Democratic President,
was inaugurated in 1857, amid great rejoicing
of men like Capt. Rynders and the Empire
Club of New York city. The President rode
down the avenue, which had been deliberately
decorated for the occasion, his gray fabby,
putty like face smiling above wilderness of
white neck-cloth.
Four years afterward the same scene which
then occurred was changed to one of sup
pressed excitement almost indescribable. A
few days before March 4. 1861, Abraham Lin
coin, coming from Pennsylvania secretly and
by night had literally been struggled into the
capital of the nation whose people had named
him as their chief magistrate. War was i'm
minent, thong but few men knew the danger.
and the best friends of the man who was to be
the martyr to his cause feared that his life
might be sacrificed even befare his great work
was bagun. 1t during the early chill of dis
NAL March morning-most dismal in W ash
ington that President Lincoln was met Sc
cretly at the railroad station by his trusted
friends, William H. Seward and Elihu B.
Washburne. Together with these gentlemen
he drove over the rough pavement of the ave-
nue. quietly to his hotel. For time-indeed,
till the proper moment had arrived-it was not
known to half dozen persons sthat he had
entered the capital in safety. In fact, even
when the 4th of March had arrived, there were
those in Washington and out of it who pro-
fessed to believe that the President-elect had
not reached the capital. Punctually at IL
o'clock on that day, however, the Inauguration
procession, with the tall, gaunt form and
strong face of Abraham Lincoln. prominent in
the place OF honor, moved down the avenue
toward the national state house. The sturdy
Lieut. Gen. Scott, then at the head of our
armies, had done all be could by careful as
signment of the handful of men at his COM
mand to preserve the peace and protect the
President from molestation. Further protec-
ton, however, was doubtless afforded by the
presence in Washington on that day of tens
OF thousands of strong-limbed men from the
north and west, who thronged about the pres
idential party, who intimated by their very
presence TO any with reasonable intent that
the chief magistrate who was to be, should 60
unframed.
From the treasury building to the capitol the
avenue v as black with people. Every win
dow was filled, and many of the housetops
were crowded.
The inaugural ceremonies proper were ex-
ceedingiy Impressive. STANDING room was at
premium on the piazza on the east 'front.'
The air was filled with rumors, and even then
Lincoln gave evidence of the fact that he was
the man for the hour. There was no fear in
his voice as he stood there looking upon tnou-
SANDS of bis tellow-countrymen His brief in
augural address was delivered in a voice which
had no shrinking, no trembling, nothing but
bravery and honesty in it.
After the Inauguration, when the process
sion had disbanded at the White House, Mr..
Lincoln quietly received the congratulations of
his friends, and in the evening he attended
his inaugural ball, lat which there was also pres
emit his great competitor, the sturdy Senator
Douglas. At the!second Inauguration of the
man who must ever be remembered as the
signer of the emancipation proclamation, it is
memorable that negroes appeared in the pro-
cession as citizens and soldiers of the United
States. 1t was only too soon afterward that a
great funeral procession moved over the ave-
nue. to mourn his foul assassination.