The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-07-28
LINcoLN's FIRST INAUGURAL.
History of the Document with Which no
Entered office-The Concluding Parfsa
ErraDh

History of the Document with Which 40
Entered Office-The Concluding Pars,.
graph
Ben; Perley Poore, in Youths Companion
When Mr. Lincoln arrived in Washington
in advance of the announced time to escape
assassination. he brought mis- inaugural adj
dress with him in print, rather to the annov-
ance OF Mr.. Seward who, as Secretary of
State OF the new administration had hoped
to draft the production which was so eagerly
awaited by the country. Mr.. Lincoln had
written his inaugural at Springfield, and had
had it confdentially put III type by his
friend, the local printer. Four copies were
printed on foolscap paper, and wherever the
writer thought that paragraph would be eff
tectlve, he preceded it with typographical
INST. A carpet-bag, containing these printed
copies of the forthcoming inaugural was in
trusted by Mr. Lincoln to his eldest son
Bob" now Secretary of War, who was
so taken aback by the enthusiastic recep-
ton which they received at Harris
burg that he permitted a waiter to
take it and forgot all about it. When asked
for it by his father he was forced to confess
that he knew not where it was Mr.. Lincoln
Immediately started for the baggage-room
and strldlng over the barrier at the door, he
began overhauling without ceremony a large
pile of carpet-bags, until he was fortunate
enough to find the one containing the pre-
cious document After arriving at Washing
ton Mr. Lincoln gave one COPY of this inau-
gural to Mr.. Seward and another to the ven.
cradle Francis P. Blair, asking them to read
and crticise. Some changes were made of
no great Importance, which were given to
Mr. Nicolay, the Presidents private secre-
tarY, to write in fair hand on one of the
printed copies from which Mr. Lincoln was
TO read. Mr.. Nicolay corrected another copy,
which was furnished to the press and which
l now own. When Mr.. Lincoln came out on
the platform in front of the capitol, his tall
figure rising above those around him, the
usual genial smile was on his
angular countenanee, but he seemed
much perplexed to know what to
headed cane. The cane he put under the
table, but the hat appeared to be too good to
place on the rough boards. Senator Douglas
saw the embarrassment of his old friend, and
rising, took the shining hat from its both
cred owner and held it during the delivery
of the inaugural address. Mr. Lincoln was
listened to with great earnestness, and evil
IDENTIFY desired to convince the multitude be-
fore him, rather than to bewilder or dazzle
them. 1t was evident to all that he honestly
believed every word that he spoke especially
his concluding paragraph, which l copy from
the original print
i" as~I am 10th to close. We are not enc
mics, but friends We must not be enemies
Though passion may be strained, it must not
break our bonds of affection. Eg~Th mys-
tic chords of memory which stretch from
every battlefield and patriot grave to every
loved heart and hearthstone all over our
broad land will yet swell the chorus of the
Union when again touched, as they surely
will be, by the better angels of our nature"