The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1885-01-15
HOW BUCHANAN WENT IN.
Inauguration OF the Last
Democratic President.
A Timely Account of tho Ceremonies
and Incidents Which Occurred

Nnen Ducnanan was lnaugurateu on
the 4th of March, 1857, Washington
was hardly more than village, scat
tered over territory large enough for
an 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 a
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 Ian
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,
MIR. 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.
He 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, and
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 with
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 4tt
broke bright and sunny, with ar
atmosphere full of the blandness o1
spring AS it did so, hundreds Of
people were already at their stands tt
get an early watch-point for the pro
cession, and the city hall steps, where
it was to organize, were crowded. A
IL o'clock the procession was formed
and it marched to Wizards 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 a few
minutes late. He came in privat
carriage, and the crowds cheered as h
and Buchanan shook hands at tn
Fourteenth street door of the hotel
and entered the open barouche prepares
for them. With them rode Senate
Bilger, of Pennsylvania, and Foote, o
Vermont. The procession was lons
one. 1t was made up of militar,
organizations, citizens, and clubs, an
in 1t were two Penusylvanians who
it was said, had walked sixty miles t
be present at the Inauguration of "Ol
Buck" as they called him. On
wagon represented peace, war, com
merce, and agriculture; and bore
liberty pole in its centre running u
seventy feet. with gorgeous libert
cap on its top. The president elec
was near the head of the procession
and near him, throughout the ceremo
nies, was a physician ready to admin
lister m ,dicines, should the little touc
which he had caught Of the Nations
hotel disease prove dangerous. At tn
capitol fifty thousand people wer
present, and it is recorded that Bea
Hickman was among them, passin
from one to another and solicitin
small loans. The inaugural addres
was delivered on the east portico c
the capitol, and the president was DIT
ly sworn in. AS the oath was admir-
istered, it is said it was as still as deatf
and at the close of the inauguratio
there were cheers. salvos of artillery
and music by the Marine band. Th
president then proceeded to the whit
house, which ex-President Pierce ha
vacated, and here Buchanan receive
the people.
The Inauguration ball that nigh
was held in room prepared for it i
connection with the City Hall. an
thousands were present. As Buchana
| oapna in at Q.20 tho hand strucL n,