The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1881-03-17
The Inauguration


had ever witnessed; but, alasi al the
last moment. the man who manages
the weather failed to come up TO his
contract-nay, worse still, the trail
tor even did all in his power TO de-
stroy the effect of what the others
were accomplishing. The sun that
shone SO gaily during the beginning
of the week gave way on Thursday
to a cloudy sky during the day, be-
seeching il to shine on the morrow,
but the clouds only frowned and
grew duller in reply. Nevertheless
the city presented a gay spectacle
on the third. Thousands of stran-
gers had arrived the day before, and
the man with the carpet-bag was
omnipresent, and every hour
brought trains loaded with fresh
arrivals. The military came by
thousands, and the city was enli-
vened all day by the gay uniforms
and martial music of the myriads of
troops who passed up and down the
street TO their quarters. Pennsyl-
vania Avenue was jammed from ear
" morning with a crowd of sight
seers that ebbed from the Treasury
at one end to the Capitol at the
other. The latter was of course the
first place of interest, and the inn
mense building was crowded, the
galleries of the House and Senate
the floor of both houses we're bois-
ferrous and confused in the extreme,
each member making mild endcav-
ors to get his pet bill through or to
have his friend confirmed. AS
usual, their haste only retarded mat
tiers, and dozens of bills-hundrsd
of combinations went over without
notice, much to the disgust of the
anxious oflice-seeker. From the
PANDEMoNIUM,
after inspecting the glories of
marble halls, statuary, painting.
carving, trescOing, thing and
all the combined art that goes
to make our Capitol the finest pub
lie building in the world-the wide
eyed, open-mouthed crowd went
first to the Treasury, then To the
Patent Office, the State, War and
Navy department, the Art Gallery,
and so on through the whole list of
Capitol lions. But the great event
of the day preceding the great
fourth, was the arrival of General
Hancock. He was expected by the
limited express four in the after
noon, and by three an immense
throng had already packed the de-
pot and the adjacent streets. All
the trains have been late for the last
two days, and that crowd waited
five hours for the express to arrive,
the weather in the meantime dispOrt-
ing itself in a manner wonderful
beyond precedent. At six
rain set in, shortly after a rafting
hail took the floor, this in turn re-
tired to give way to a thunder
storm, which, after raging awhile,
settled down to fine and driving
snow storm, which lasted for the
greater part of the night, but the
crowd was an invincible Demo-
cratic crowd, and laughed at the
widest efforts of the elements to
dislodge it, and at eight o'clock a
rousing cheer proclaimed that Gen.
Hancock had arrived. The greatest
excitement prevailed. Gen. Bradley
on the part Of the military recep-
ton committee. welcomed him ina
short speech.
GEN. HANCOCK
had only time 10 murmur n
few words of thanks when the
wild crowd caught him on their
shoulders and bore him to his
carriage, from which an effort
was made to unharness the horses
that they might draw him to the
hotel; but the Generals earnest
protest prevented this exhibition of
their enthusiasm. He was escorted
to Wormley's by the military, gay
music and cheering throng. En-
tering the hotel he soon made his
appearance on an upper balcony,
and Gen. Creswell presented him to
the crowd in the street, to whom
the idol of the hour made a short
speech. At his conclusion new scene
of enthusiasm, cheers, etc, was en-
acted during which Gen. Hancock
withdrew. A number of distin-
guished gentlemen met him inside
and an impromptu reception was
held. The ladies of the hotel gath
cred in the parlor awaiting notice.
Some one remarked: at is now in
order, General, for you to salute the
ladies'" at which Gen. Hancock
laughed, saying: "That would be in
ringing on the rights of my supe-
rior. Gen. Sherman is the only man
in the army who is privileged 10
kiss the ladies'" Gen. Hancock will
remain until Tuesday, reception
is to be rendered him previous TO
his departure. His rooms at
| Wormley's were transformed into a
veritable bower. Chief among
these floral tributes was one from
Mrs w. 4. Fields of Texas. 1t was
far into the wee sma' hours before
the gay crowds in the streets grew
weary and retired to recuperate for
the morrow-the fortunate ones TO
their bedrooms, the others (and
there were great many Others
to their resting places on billiard
tables, bar counters and like places
not generally supposed to be very
suitable for the purpose of sleep.
| THE FOURTH.
The morning of the fourth dis
played TO our waking eyes weather
more villainous if possible than The
preceding night, and the whole city
muttered imprecations, especially
that part of it who tried to circum-
vent the righteousness CT those
having windows to rent, and bought
seats on the frail-looking stands
erected along the line of march i'll
the open air. But, in spite
of the wretChed weather, every
body locked up his house, and
repairedsto Pennsylvania Avenue.
And here a glorious sight defied the
most vindictive sky to dim its beau
ty. Every building was gorgeous
in the national colors; the stars and
stripes hoated from every window
and festooned pillars and cornices,
even the whole buildings-they were
not structures of stone and brick
they were gay mountains of color
The gray clouds had much ado to
peep through the fluttering banners
that canopied the bright crowd i'll
the street; the air was billowy waves
of martial music, a dancing conflI-
sion of Haunting color, and the
brightest, gayest of all was the hap.
| ply, surging mass of patriotism that
tramped through the slusE and