The National tribune., 1907-02-28

The address concluded with these
momentous words:
I'm your hands. my dissatisfied fell
low-countrymen. and not in mine, Is
the momentous issue Of civil war. The
Government will not assail you.
"You can have no conflict without be-
ing yourselves the aggressors. You can
have no oath registered in Heaven to
destroy the Government; while I shall
have the most solemn one to preserve.
protect and defend it.
IT am loath to close. We are not
enemies. but friends. We must not be
enemies. Tho passion may have strain
ed. II must not break, our bonds of af-
fection.
The mystic chords of memory.
stretching from every battlefield and
patriot grave to every living heart and
hearthstons all over this broad land,
will yet swell the chorus of the Union.
when again touched. as surely they vii!
be. by the better angels of our nature" "
After the conclusion of the address.
the troops marched back in the same
order to the White House. Upon ar
irving Mr.. Buchanan walked to the
door with President Lincoln, bade him
welcome to the White House, and
wished him good morning." The in
fantry and cavalry escorted the ex-
President to the home of Mr.. Ould, and
the Administration of Abraham Lincoln
began.
LineoIn's Cabinet.
Next to his inaugural address, the
| greatest public interest was iolt in the
| men with whom President Lincoln
| would surround himself al his cons,i-
tutional advisers. Lincoln's official ex-
psrience was limited. and was confined
to q single term as Whig member OF
| he nP TO a,,rf a
which time he had little opportunity to
display the remarkable qualities that
were In him. It was supposed that
naturally distrustful Of his own abili-
ties. he would surround himself with
men OF wide experience who would
really be the Administration. with him
a. titular head. Mr.. Lincoln seemed
time, rose to the hight Of magnenimit,
In inviting his principal competitors for
the Republican nomination to take
! places in the Cabinet. When the fam
Gus second Republican Convention mo-
as Chicago. nearly everyone had sup.
posed that the nominee would be either
Senator VIM. H. Seward. OF New Yorx
or Senator Salmon P. Chase. OF Ohio
Both were men OF the highest abilit,
and long end successful experience ir
public affairs. Both had been eloquent
logical and effective in the leadership Of
the forces opposed to the extension %
slavery, both had hosts Of enthusiast,
J admirers adj over the country, and botf
wanted the Presidential nomination
with that keen. mordant hunger which
only veteran IN public life can fee
for the highest Office In the land. An
other competitor for the nominatio,
} was Edward Bates, of Missouri. a vsc.
able and widely noted lawyer, and on,
OF the leaders of the Free Sellers o
Missouri. 1t had been thot that tn
} nomination should 90 to him, as {
would be polite as we'll as just to nom
mate q native Southern Free Soiler
> Both Seward and Chase felt deepl.
; Inundated that after their long year
, Of conspicuous public service the,
, should be set aside In favor of a home
ly, unpublished country lawyer from tn,
: prairies Of Illinois. Mr.. Lincoln invited
Seward to become Secretary Of Stato
and he accepted, making to his friend
no coneealmsnt OF his expectations o
l being the power behind the throne. ant
! the real President Of the United States
\ Mr.. Chase was offered the Secretaryshil
Of the Treasury. and accepted It with
: the same personal feeling that actuatet
Mr.. Seward. There was this differenc,
between the men. however, that Sewart
came speedily t. recognize Lincoln