The National tribune., 1909-06-03
ABRAHAM LINCOLN.
CONTINUED from page one.)

volunteering to take charge Of the d.
rection of affairs. He also undertook to
rewrite and modify Lincolns inaugural
address. Chase tried to do much the
same thing, and they were both hon.
estly astonished to find that, tho plant
and courteous to the last degree, Lin
coin had way of clinging firmly to his
own ideas and to his own expressions
of those ideas.
Slowly they all perceived that Mr..
Lincoln measured up Intellectually and
in firmness of purpose to their own level
at least.
Preparations for Inauguration.
One of Joseph Hollis first acts as
Secretary OF War had been to recall
Gen Scott to Washington from his long
Punishment by Jefferson Davis and
John B. Floyd. Scott took hold of things
vigorously, and his first care was to
secure the Capital against any rush by
mob of Virginians or Marylanders.
At that time there were several militia
companies in the city, but large por-
ton of the members and nearly all OF
the officers were getting ready to go.
South. Gen. Scott put Capt. Chas. P.
Stone, of Massachusetts, in charge of
the work of preparing the city. Stone
was brilliant. educated officer of un-
doubted loyalty. The Regular Army
did not number 1000 men, and it was
deemed impolitic to add to this number
on account of it's effect upon public
opinion. Capt. Stone went quietly to
work to reorganiZe the militia and to
test the loyalty of every man and Off
Ger. With much shrewdness he sepa-
rated the sheep from the goats without
excitement, and secured most of the
arms in the hands of the Secessionists
companies for other men of whose 10y
atty there could be no doubt
Conspicuous among the loyal citizens
OF Washington were the Germans, who
formed one of Capt. Stones companies.
Most of the mechanics and skilled work
men were Union men, and ready to take
their share in defending the Capital, so
that as Inauguration Day approached
Capt. Stone found himself in command
of force sufficient to insure the peace
and make 1t unsafe for the insurrec-
tions that were so loudly threatened.
There had been talk of a raid of Balti-
monies, but this quieted down as the
militia and Regulars began to show
themselves in force on the streets.
The next fear was that some miser-
able miscreant might shoot Lincoln
from window or roof of house along
Pennsylvania Avenue. Capt. Stone
guarded against this by putting trusty
fiitH WIic were kocu SfOIS Oh Ine TDOIS
of the houses and in the buildings with
instructions to watch out for these as
sassins. Furthermore, he and some of
his staff officers rode by Lincoln's car
riage on very mettlesome horses, which
they kept plunging in way that would
greatly embarrass a rifieman in taking
aim at the President.
The Inauguration.
A greater throng than had ever gath
cred before for the Inauguration cere-
monies had assembled in Washington,
and the telegraph kept the country well
informed as to every 10 minutes of the
momentous day. President Buchanan
went to the Capitol early in the morn
ing. according to custom, and signed
bills until Congress expired at noon by
legal limitation. Then he entered a
carriage and drove to Wizards. where
Mr.. Lincoln and his escort were await
ing him. The Inaugural procession
moved thru the streets between dense
lines of people, and tho every step of
progress was tense with expectation, no
incident occurred
A close observer describes Lincoln
when he appeared upon the platform
on the east front of the Capitol as
weighing about $50 pounds and having
few If any gray hairs. His hollow eyes
were marked by dark rings, and his
5dhO" AoSC oHoWcu uttp iiueS cut there
by carking cares and terrific responsi-
bilities. His ears seemed to stand at
right angles tC his head, and his lower
lip was thick and hanging. He had
made some effort to be well dressed for
the occasion, his clothes were new and
fitted him better than any he had ever
worn before. Conspicuous in his attire
was fine silk hat. On the platform
sat President Buchanan and Stephen
A. Douglas. The latter noticing the
embarrassment that Mr.. Lincoln showed
in the management of his new silk hat
reached out his hand in kindly way,
took and held it for him, an act that
was at once marked by the immense
multitude gathered in front. After the
oath had been administered by Chief
Justice Taney, whom the vast assem-
blage studied with the greatest inter-
est, Lincoln came to the front. and with
that penetrating, far-reaching voice
which once heard was never forgotten,
delivered his inaugural Address, one of
the epics in American literature.
Studied in the fierce light of after
events the greatness of this document
only becomes more manifest. From first
to last 1t breathed peace, Cancellation
and kindness But one unmistakable
chord ran thru it all, and that was that
the Union would be maintained. The
seeding States would not be allowed
~
State upon its own motion could leave
the Union, and all its acts in that direc-
tiOn were insurrectionary. And he said
as definitely as words could say II that
as far as his abilities went he would full
| I'll his constitutional duties, and see that
| the laws of the United States were
faithfully executed in all the States Not
even the eye of prophecy could then
| foreSee that before this could be ac-
complished Lincoln himself and the
half million of the men who responded
to his call would be dead and in their
graves.
The address concluded in words well
known and deeply impressive, bu,
which cannot be too often read and
studied by all Americans. It was his
last entreaty to the South for peace.
/ He said:
II am loath to close. We are not
| enemies, but friends We must not be
enemies. Tho passion may have strained
| 1t must not break our bonds of affection
The mystic chords of memory, stretch
ing from every battlefield and patriot
grave. to every living heart and hearth
stone, all over this broad land, will yet
swell the chorus of the Union, when
again touched, as surely they will be,
| BY the better angels of our nature"
At the conclusion of the address
President Lincoln re-entered the car
| riage with eX-President Buchanan and
drove to the White House, where Mr.
Buchanan welcomed him cordially,
shook hands with him, and bade him
good day. Mr.. Buchanan then went to
the house Of Mr.. Robert Ould, whom
he had appointed District Attorney, and
who was later conspicuous In the South
l<k NnERf fx.l