Morris tribune. [volume] (Morris, Minn.) 1880-2000, 1889-02-27
LINCOLN -fihIE!GON,


ADEAu.,'i 49,, IN.
It is not with;.l tie p:,,r:.2e Of this article
to set forth the pc"t2cto':i events Just pre-
ceding the Inauguration q Abraham Lin.
coin; the fierce four SIDED campaign of 1860;
the long winter Of GnZiety anl gloom; the
successive retirement" ii congressman as seven
states seeded, tho ru!2oTs us Intended assas-
sination and tho secret night journey of Mr..
Lincoln to Washington. nevertheless, these
things must DO borne in mind by one who
would understand tho scenes Of that inaugu-
ration. Gen. WiEheld Scott, then lieutenant
general Of tho UGited States army, and in
command at Washington, was firmly per-
suaded that riot was planned for Inaugural
ton day, during which an attempt was to be
made to assassinate Mr. Lincoln He there
fore organized the militia OF tho District and
disposed of his available force of regulars as
seemed to him best calculated to prevent
bloodshcd.
On tho Al of March, lSGl, tho retiring
president, Buchanan, and MI Lincoln rode
together to tho Capitol, the president driving
to Wizards hotel for the president-elect.
They rode between double files of a squadron
of District of Columbia cavalry In front of
them marched q company of sappers and
miners, and benin! them c2nlo tho infantry
and rilcM2l Of Ito district. On the roofs of
all the highest houses along Pennsylvania av-
enue were placed squads of rihemen from the
regular army with orders to watch the win
dows on tie opposite side and fire upon them
in case any attempt sh0uil Eo made to fire
from those windows upon tho presidential
carriage. a small force Of regular caval-
ry, tho c;!ly cIe that could be obtained,
was detailed in squads to guard the street
crossings on Pennsylvania avenue, each squad
retiring by side streets as the presidential
carriage passed and taking up its position
ahead, SO that each street crossing was thor
oughly guarded A battalion of District Of
Columbia troops stood near tho steps of the
Capitol, and at the windows and wings
specially detailed rihemen were placed. In
addition to this, Oh the brow OF the hill, not
far from the north end of the Capitol, COM
handing both the approach end the broad
plateau to the east front, was stationed
battery of flying artillery, under the COM
mand of Gen. Scott himself.
When the presidential carriage reached the
east front, the two occupants passed arm in
arm to the senate chamber, already densely
packed with officers and civilians, where
the ceremony of swearing in the vice presi-
dent was soon performed Then the two,
surrounded by the justices of the supreme
court, the senate committee Of arrangements,
the outgoing president and the family of the
president-elect, the chief justice in his robes,
the clerk Of the court with a Bible took their
places on the front of the platform at the
east portico. Before them were perhaps 90
600 people, all in deep silence and every face
serious many apparently in deep gloom.
The construction of the great dome of the
Capitol was in progress, and in front of the
president-elect stood the bronze statue of
Liberty. Just before the ceremonies began
a strange historic group was accidentally
formed. On one side was Senator Douglas,
late Mr.. Lincoln's chief rival for the presi-
dency, holding Mr.. Lincolns hat. On
the other side, stood Chief Justice
fancy, author of the bred Scott
decision, and close to the latter
President Buchanan. To the front and
center stood Abraham Lincoln, president
elect, thus grouping together the principal
characters in the most momentous era Of
American history. When the loud and pro-
longed cheering had subsidized, Senator Baker
briefly introduced Mr.. Lincoln, and stepping
forward the president-elect in a firm, clear
voice, every word being heard by every one
of the audience, read that remarkable inau-
gural When he pronounced the closing
words, II am 10th to close-we are not en-
emies, but friends-we must not be enemies
though passion may have strained, it must
not break our bonds of Affection" etc., the
people broke into a loud and prolonged
cheer. Chief Justice fancy arose and took
up his Bible, and Mr.. Lincoln, pronounced
this oath:
II, Abraham Lincoln, do solennly swear
that 1 will faithfully execute the Office of
president of the United States and will to
the best Of my ability preserve, protect and
defend the constitution of the United States"
As the last word died away the battery, COM
manded by Gen. Scott, Numbered its salute,
Mr.. Buchanan and President Lincoln re-
turned to their carriage and the military
escorted them to the White House.
-Four years later there was crowd beyond
all previous experience of Washington, and
military display composed only Of soldiers
who happened to be there at the time; but
even the temporary surplus Of the army at
that time was greater than the whole regular
army before the war. The second inaugural
address of President Lincoln was not so
closely scanned as his first, for the policy of
the administration was already determined
1t was far more poetic and even more pathe-
tic than the first. Many sentences are now
familiar as household words, and the closing
paragraph has become an American classic,
as follows:
with malice toward none and charity for
all; with firmness in the right, as God gives
us to see the right, let us strive on to finish
the work we are in; to bind up the nations
wounds; to care for him who shall have
borne the battle and for his widow and or
phans; to do all which may achieve and
cherish just and lasting peace among our
selves and with all nations" The national
salute was then fired and Mr.. Lincoln, in q
barouche with Senator Foster, of the COM
mittee of arrangements, was escorted by the
military to the White House. On this occa-
sion and the next Chief Justice Chase adj
ministered the oath Of Office.
o. s. GRANT.
The Inauguration of Gen. Ulysses s, Grant
on the 4th of March, 1869, aroused a great
display of popular enthusiasm in which all
parties joined; but, contrary to the etiquette
of the occasion, the incoming president was
not escorted to the Capitol by his predecessor,
Andrew johnson, this being the third time
that this occurred in the history of the gov
eminent, as that of 1929 was the second. The
crowd in Washington surpassed all previ-
ously known, except that at the military re-
view in May, 1865. A little before II
o'clock Gen. Grant issued from his
headquarters and seated himself in the
barouche beside Gen. Rawlins, his chief Of
staff and friend. In the carriages following
were the vice president elect, the reception