Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-03-01
PRESIDENT BUCHANAN.
FACTS ABOUT THE LAST DEMO
CRATIC INAUGURATION.

L nLOiUEA L DUOu AN AN
FACTS ABOUT THE LAST DEMO
CRATIC INAUGURATION.
UpsettIng or the Reception arrange
ments-The Weather, the Crowds and
the Incidents of the Great Day-The
Inauguration Ball.
WASHINGTON, Feb. 25.-Many changes
nave taken place in this city in the 2S
years since James Buchanan came here
% be sworn in as President. From a bad
ly-pavPd, rather shabby village it has de-
seloPsd into well-paTed, well-shaded, at
trachye city, not without village charac-
teristlcs, but with most of the convent
enees found in the best towns in the
country. Very few OF the public men
whs were prominent when the last Demo
cratic President was inaugurated Will be
conspicuous at the next Inauguration.
Th0=e who are not dead are too old TO be
useful in pubic life. Some OF them will
pe here, fun Of "reminiscences of the oc-
Casi0n briefly described in this letter. The
ilZ q the Democrat of 1885 will be incom-
parablv e,--@atar than that Of the Demo
Graf Of 1851, for the one ceIebraC,,' "hlF
-ue continuance Of his party in power,
while th other will give way to feeling
Of victory that mas been denied TO him by
many reverses at the polls.
In mark d contrast TO the preceding
two days the morning OF Wednesday,
March (. 1851, broke with skies clear and
bright, ana with sunshine which kept the
temperature bland and mild throughout
the dav. Il was the day that James
Buchanan was TO take the OATH OF office
as she last Democratic President of the
United states for quarter OF a century,
and Washington had rarely, If ever be-
fore, contained SO many persons as were
tn Witliu its limits. Monday, March
?. was an exceedingly cold and clustering
day. PresiJent-elect Buchanan rose very
cErIV IN the morning at his home at
Wheatluud, Pa, ana found the wind
sweeping over the country and bowling
IN the trCctO. S with an energy that prom
ised him m comfort. so far - the weather
was concerned, in his tedious journey to
thg national capital. While he was at
the breakfast table large number Of his
frio~ds arrived from Lancaster. They
had braved the intense cold IN order TO
escort Jneir distinguished neighbOr from
bis own home 20 their town, where he
was % JIke the cars for Baltimore. Mr..
Buchanan quickly finished his breakfast,
ordered his carriSge brought 10 the door,
and then pleasantly greeted his enthusiast
Gc friends. A few minutes later the car
-faSe appeared, the President-elect babe
farewell 20 such Of his household as were
% remain AZ Wheatland, and, stepping
into the vehicle. gave the order TO drive
on. In the carriage with Mr.. Buchanan
were his private secretary, Mr.. Henry,
his niece. Miss Harriet Lane, and young
lady friend Of the latter. PrecedeG and
followed by the friendly escort the party
drove rapidly TO the railway station at
Lancaster where they were received with
many and hearty cheers by several hun
dred citizens who had gathered to bid
Mr.. Buchanan gOdspeed as he went TO
take his place at the head of the nation.
A band played patriotic airs, and the peO-
pie thronged about him TO shake his hand
and personally express their good wishes
fOF the success Of the new admlnlstra-
tion. Then Mr.. Buchanan and those ac-
eOmnanying him stepped into special
car provided for the party, and at S:3O
O'Clock the Presidential train moved out
from the station.
the Journey from Lancaster to Baltl-
more occupied about five hours. Despite
the inclement weather crowds collected
at every stopping place on the route, and
the trim took on the nature OF a grand
ovation all the way TO the Monumental
CITY. Baltimore was reached at l:0O
O'Clock. Mr.. Buchanan and his cOmpan-
ious were met as they stepped from the
train by Mayor Swami and the city au-
rhOritjes and driven to Barnum's Hotel,
where. as guests of the city, they sat
down 10 a substantial dinner and APP
peased appetites sharpened by the keen
winds they had encountered during the
forenoon. Remaining in Baltimore little
longer than was necessary to ENJOY SO
good dinner, the Presidential party bur
* es,sf To-, nd - n ~
ed at once on the last portion OF their
joUsney. , n-,....
was not down on the programme OF the
tFiD as il had been announced, and the
result was a great disappointment Tor a
good many persons. IL was supposed
that Mr.. Buchanan would not leave Bal
timOre until about . O'Clock, and plans
for his reception at the capital had been
laid accordingly. Newspaper accounts
Of that date give no reason iOT the Change
OF programme. Washington at that time
was blessed with a municipal govern
ment, and the City Council had appoints
ed q committee to 90 Baltimore and, as
repres natives of the city, to escort him
10 the capital. The famous old Jackson
Association had appointed similar COM
mittee, and a third one Of the same sort
had been selected by the militia OF the
District of Columbia. These committees,
together with many private citizens,went
over 10 Baltimore 10 perform their pleas
ant duty Of escOTting the PTesident-elect
10 Washington. Mr.. Buchanan's decision
TO leave Baltimore at an earlier hour was
not proclaimed from the hOusetOps, and
very few OF the Washingtonians heard Of
il in time TO Join the travellers. Three
members of the City Councils commit
tee and two Of the Jackson Association
were the only official representatives OF
Tslis cftv who got wind of the matter soon
enough TO pay their respects to Mr.. Bu-
chanan in Baltimore and come WIN MIN
TO Washington.
The President-elect reached Washing
ton at O'Clock in the afternoon. win
him were his niece, Miss Lane, and one
or twOOther members Of bis family; John
&. Breckenridge, the Vice PresIdent-elect,
and Mrs. Breckenridge. eX-GOv. Porter.
William B. FOndney. William Carpenter,
anu Eskridge Lane, Str. Buchanan's
nephew. The Lancaster FencIDles, who
had accompanied Mr. buchanan 10 bSiti-
more as a guard of honor. came on a later
train, together with most OF the commit
teemen and other residents OF the CITY
who he'd missed the Presidential train at
Baltimore. As Mr.. Buchanan was not
expected before J O'Clock there were lew
persons TO greet him at the station. Inc
United States Marshal Tor the district
was on hand, however, and under his So
pervisiOn the President-elect and his In
mediate family were escorted 10 an open
barOuche and drawn by four horses TO
the National Hotel. where parlOrs had
been reserved for the party. ltwas avery
short drive. Otherwise, a covered car
riage would have been needed for protec-
tio1 against the biting winds. Mr.. Bu-
chsnan remained in the hotel during
Monday night and Tuesday, which, Ike
the day before, was marked by bitterly
cold weather. Hosts of visitors to the
President~elect called at the hotel and
very many were received. All day Tues
day large crowds gathered ABOUT the
doors OF his rooms, and at times tnere was
much more disorder and turmoil than was
dQponf