Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1885-01-14
HOW BUCHANAN WENT IN.
Inauguration OF the Last
Democratic President.
A Timely Account of the Ceremonies
and Incidents Which Occurred

When Buchanan was inaugurated on
the 4th of March, 1857, Washington
was hardly more than a village, scat
tered over territory large enough for
IN immense city. 1t contained less
than sixty thousand inhabitants, and
what were then considered the finest
houses, were just below the capitol,
and above the avenue. The fashiona-
BILE northwest part Of the city was
swamp, and even the negro huts which
later sprung up had not yet appeared.
The whole country contained less than
thirty millions of a population. Still
The records state that 10000 stran-
gers came to see the Inauguration, and
on the night of the Sd of March,
thousands walked the streets to keep
warm, being unable to procure lodg-
ings. Several of the different hotels,
small as they were then, had eight hun
dred guests registered, and every
boarding house was packed, halls
cellar and garret.
March Sd was a bleak winter day,
and the president elect rose before
daybreak at his home at Wheatlands.
Pennsylvania, and as soon as he had
finished breakfast, he started for Lam
caster in his carriage. He had written
and rewritten his inaugural message,
and he made only one change in it
after he got to Washington. A crowd
of Lancaster citizens went to Wheat
lands to escort him to the depot, and a
band Of music played while he rode
into town with his private secretary,
Mr.. Henry, Harriet Lane, and another
young lady in his carriage.
AT the Lancaster station he found a
special car waiting for him, built for
the occasion by Robert Magraw, a
railroad friend of his. This car had
painted windows, and these represent
ed the scenes about Wheatlands, Pres
ident Buchanan's home. .All along the
road from Lancaster to Washington,
ovations were given the president
elect, but he arrived in Washington
two hours earlier than was expected
and the programme of his reception
here was rather thin.
lie was driven at once to the Ma
tional hotel, which still stands on
Pennsylvania avenue, half way be.
tween the capitol and the treasury
and here he was crowded with visitors
Nearly everybody was admitted, ant
politicians, office seekers, and disinter
ested parties pushed this way and that
to get at him. That night he received
invitations, says Gohight, to dine witt
President Pierce, Stephen A. Douglas
and others, and declined all invita-
tions.
All night of the Sd of March, 1857
congress was in session. The 4tf
broke bright and sunny, with ar
atmosphere full of the blandness O.
spring. AS it did so, hundreds o.
people were already at their stands t.
get an early watch-point for the pro
cession, and the city hall steps, wher,
it was to organize, were crowded A
II o'clock the procession was formed
and it marched to Wizards S hotel, a
the head of Pennsylvania avenue, nea
the treasury, where the two presidents
Pierce and Buchanan, were to meet
and go to the capitol in the same car
riage. President Pierce was few
minutes late. He came in private
carriage, and the crowds cheered as h,
and Buchanan shook hands at tn,
Fourteenth street door of the hotel
and entered the open barouche prepared
for them. With them rode Senator
Bilger, of Pennsylvania, and Foote, O.
Vermont. The procession was long
one. 1t was made up of military
organizations, citizens, and clubs, anC
in 1t were two Penusylvanians who
it was said, had walked sixty miles tt
be present at the Inauguration of "Olt
Buck" as they called him. On,
wagon represented peace, war, com
merce, and agriculture; and bore ;
liberty pole in its centre running W
seventy feet. with gorgeous liberty
cap on its top. The president elec
was near the head of the procession
and near him, throughout the ceremo
nies, was physician ready to admin
lister m odicines, should the little toucf
which he had caught Of the Natona
hotel diseaseprove dangerous. At tn,
capitol fifty thousand people wer,
present, and it is recorded that Beal
Hickman was among them, passing
from one to another and solicitin.
small loans. The inaugural address
was delivered on the east portico O
the capitol, and the president was du
ly sworn in. AS the oath was admin
istered, it is said it was as still as death
and at the close of the inauguration
there were cheers, salvos of artillery
and music by the Marine band. Tht
president then proceeded to the white
house, which ex-President Pierce had
vacated, and here Buchanan received
the people
The Inauguration ball that night
was held in a room prepared for it in
connection with the City Hall. and
thousands were present. As Buchanan