The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1893-03-05
MEMORIES OF MARCIA
How Buchanan Was Led to At
tend Lincoln's Inauguration.
ANDREW JOHNSON WAS DRUNK.
Grant Refused - Ride Win His Pre-.
dsesssor-In 1883 Cleveland Held
N Umbrella Over Hsrrison.


revolutionary government was established
at Montgomery. senators and representa-
tives had abandoned their seats in con-
gress. cabinet ministers and army officers
had resigned, the loyalty of the president
himself was suspected: forts and arsenals
had been seized at the South and there was
apprehension for the safety Of the capital.
Lincoln arrived in Washington City BY
night and in disguise, for Gen. Scott and
Mr.. Seward had been warned Of plots To
waylay and assassinate him as he passed
through Baltimore. But military prepara-
tons were made to secure . peaceable i'm
augurat;on and more regular troops were
collected in Washington City than had
been seen there since the war of 1872
Buchanan was violent in his opposition
to Republicanism and did not intend to DO
present at the Inauguration of his sue
cessor. but Mr.. Seward found way to
change his determination. He allowed .
copy OF Lincoln's inaugural speech to DO
seen in advance by Daniel Z. Sickles. who
was at that time congressman and con-
fidant of Buchanan, and intimated that
the contents might be made known to the
president When Buchanan discovered
that the address was pacific and statesman.
like instead of warlike and exasperating,
as he had expected, he declared he would
go to the inauguration; and he kept his
word, though not without risk, for there
were threats and possibilities Of danger to
Lincoln and any who might be near him.
But Buchanan drove with him to the
capitol and stood by his side while the i'm
augural address was delivered, and, as he
heard the passages which Sickles had re-
peated to him, he turned his purbIind eye
to the congressman and murmured under
breath, Thank God! that means peace"
Lincoln, as every one knows, was tall in
figure and urgainly in bearing; he WAS
clad this day in black with a frock coat
and high hat, but as he turned to the
crowd to deliver his speech he. of course,
uncovered and then stood awkwardly with
his hat in his hand, not knowing what 70
do with it. His great antagonist. Stephen
A. Douglas, who had competed with him
for the presidency, was . staunch Union
man as soon as the Union became sndan-
gered. and made it . point to be present
and close at hand at the Inauguration to
show his acceptance of the result and to
share any personal danger. He saw Mr..
LincOln's embarrassment, and stepping
forward took his hat and held It while
his successful rival read the speech
which he had himself hoped to deliver.
The tremendous emergency dwarfed not
only political antagonism but personal
feeling in both Buchanan ana Douglas.
Both rose to the situations they accom-
panied their enemy to the scene Of that
triumph which both had endeavorsd to
prevent; they stood by his side in his sx-
altation and his danger; and the trio Of
great Americans at that exciting moment
in the nations history were worthy Of
their country and Of their own positions
as its representatives. Whatever men Of
other views may think of other acts in
their careers. Buchanan and Douglas on
that day showed themselves the compeers
Of Lincoln in courage and patriotism. for
they risked their lives and swallowed their
pride to accompany him.
Lincoln's second Inauguration occurred
while the issue of the war was still I'M.
determined. The result was indeed very
generally anticipated, but Richmond stu
held out. Lees army was defiant, john
ston was yet in front of Sherman, and tho
end might be long deferred. Lincoln had
triumphed again at the polls, this time
over q Union general, but he was by no
means the unanimous choice Of tho nation.
Still he had won the political battle, and
he must have felt that his armies would
eventually win in the field. It was at this
course which makes one think of blessed
are the peacemakers," and to US who know
what was TO follow, recalls the charity
and long suffering Of Lincoln's Master
before He was crucified. With 'malico
toward mono and charity for all" upon his
lips on the eve OF assassination, he may
surely be liksned without irreverence to
that divlner martyr who murmured:
Father, forgive them, they know not
what they do" Was indeed glimpse Of
the future vouchsafed to the long.limbed
patriot a. he stood up there before his
countrymen? Did he foresee the blow
that in a month was to place him forever
among the sacred figures in the history.
not of one people alone, but Of oil the suf.
fering children Of humanity3
Lincoln was reelected for four years.
but in FORTY days there was another presi-
Johnson was elevated to the vice presi-
dency on the day OF Lincoln's second in
auguraton, his conduct in the senate, Of
which he then became the president had
mortified the nation. He made . ram
bling, incoherent speech that plainly
showed he was intoxicated. His friends
declared he had been i'll and liquor admin
isiered for medicinal purposes had unex-
pectedly affected him, but the re-
proach remained. This man was
the legitimate successor OF Lincoln,
and within an hour after the martyr
breathed his last, the high officers of state,
who had stood by his bedside. waited upon
johnson at his hotel. In the presence Of
a score of people, the chief justice admin
istered the oath. and the Western loyalist,
the tailor. who, II is said, was taught to
read by his wife after their marriage, the
man who had been hunted for his life
from town to town in East Tennessee be.
cause Of his devotion to the Union, took
the seat that had been occupied by WASH
ington and Jefferson, and Jackson and
Lincoln.
The next inauguration was that OF
| Grant 1t was a second triumph Of those
| who had won in the Held. Four years be-
| fore Grant had been at the head Of the
| armies; eight years before he was carrying
| parcels as a clerk in Northern Illinois. He
| had ouarreled bitterly and personally with
| Johnson, and wnen the arrangements were
! making tor the inaugural procession he
| refused positively to sat in the carriage
! with his predecessor. 1t had been usual
| for the retiring and incom ng president to
| accom- pany each other 20 the capitol. but
| Grant declined TO accept any honor from
| the man who. he said, nad given him the
/ lie Accordingly the procession did not
| include M. Johnson, " ho rem famed xt the
| WHIT. House signing papers until the can.
| non announced that there was another
| president. Then he left the executive
| mansion-a private citizen.
Grant went ia citizens clothes to the
| capitol, for he was 10 take a val Office
| higher than the military one he then aid
| down. but his stan followed in their uni
| forms. The oatn Was administered ny
! Chief Justice Chase, who had aspirei 10
| the presidential nomination under both
/ Lincoln and Johnson, and made further
! eff,rts 10 alta n it under Grant. nut he