Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1909-02-10

stood within few yards OF Pres.
ident Lincoln when he delivered his
drst inaugural address from the east
portico Of the Capitol in Washing ton.
writes q correspondent. was news
paper writer and had come with him
from his home in Springfield to re-
count to my paper the incidents of his
Journey. Washington looked on the day
day a. a momentous one. and was not
FREQ from a sense Of peril. No pre-
yious inauguration day had been 80
ushered In.
The Senate sat all the night pre-.
vious. not adJourning till after mid
night. Crittenden, Douglas, Trumbull,
.Wigfall and Wade laundering against
each other In their final debate. which.
after all, was not loud enough to keep
all their colleagues awake, as many Of
them lay stretched out on the sena.
torial safas, snoring a drowsy accom-
Rapiment. The town was astir by. sun
rise, with crowds gathering at all points
( from the White House to the Capitol.
Lincoln spent the eafly morning
hours In his rooms at Wizards. and i
remember that among his callers were
David Davis, Thurlow Weed, Leonard
SWEET. Ward Lamon. with many otll-
eEs not now to be certainly remen-
bered.
The procession began to move about
IL O'Clock, but 1t was an hour and a
hall before Buchanan appeared, having
been delayed at the Capitol In signing
bills some of which, 1t was said, got
his signature after his term Of office
had actually expired.
Ride to the Capital.
When all was ready Senators Baker
and Pole took seats In the carriage,
fronting the two Presidents, Buchanan
I ookiPS gid. gray and haggard, Lincoln
dark and firm, wearing a mo1rnful and
anxious expression Of conntenance
Thus accompanied, they set forth Oh
their historical ride to the Capitol
Around the carriage were mounted
guards and flying squadron Of news.
paper correspondents, the latter keep
ing az near to 1t us possible, one Of
the artists Of an illustrated paper max.
ing a sketch Of the scene as he went
along. There was a desert cloud Of
dust along the avenue riding the blus.
fnrtnd, Arnrch vvfudu a nd o,,,, otl,,,<. Ria
Ing the entire procession from view.
II was little after l o'clock when
the outgoing and incoming Presidents,
arm In arm, entered the Capitol, pro.
ceeding Immediately to the Presidents
room, whence they emerged in a few
minutes, guarded by the Marshal Of the
District, Justices Of the Supreme Court
and the Senator'S. the diplomatic corps,
heads of departments. Governors Of
States. and others. aud made their way
. 2 grand wooden pavilion. under
which Mr.. Lincoln stood while he de-
tvered his memorable message. Chief
Sustice fancy, old, shrlyeled to the
bone, with FACE like parchment, NUT
NED IN MS silken robes, sat In front
! OF the array Of Judges. Close by stood
Douglas 50 near, In fact, that Mr.. Lin
coin. finding no place on or under the
small reading table provided for him
on which 70 deposit his hat, handed 1t
over to his mighty servitor, who held
y carefully until the address was an
ashed 81
Mr.. Lincoln's voice was clear and
penetrating, and was distinctly heard
far and near among the assembled null
Z tjtude. who preserved an unbroken 81
! lence from the beginning to tho end.
Then q great cheer arose and ran Ike
2 wave along the avenue, carrying tes-
timony which was likewise flying over
the wires in every direction that the
inauguration had been successfully ac-
complained and that In spite Of all
periis. visionary and real, Abraham
Lincoln was President Of the United
States and new historic era had been
ushered In. es
Mr.. Lincoln's Inaugural address wus
completed before he left Springfield,
but It was subjected to careful proc
ess Of revision almost pp to the hour
pf its delivery. He had to sustain the
shock OF many collision and the EN-.
Filtered remonstrance Of many tiisap,
pointed individual and cabal before the
fnal screw was put Into the fabric Of
bis Cabinet. Even then It Threatened
to tumble apart. The morning Of the
Inauguration brought letter from
Seward desiring to withdraw his prom