Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1909-02-09

stood within a few yards Of Pres
ident Lincoln when he delivered his
first inaugural address from the east
portlco of the Capitol in Washington.
writes correspondent. l 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 as a momentous one, and was not
free from a sense of peril. No pre-
yious inauguration day had been 50
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-
paniment. The town was astir by sun
rise, with crowds gathering at all points
from the White House to the Capitol.
Lincoln spent the early morning
hours in his rooms at Wizards, and
remember that among his callers were
David Davis, Thurlow Weed, Leonard
SWEET, Ward Lamon, with many 9th
ers not now to be certainly remem-
bered.
The procession began to move about
IL o'clock, but it was an hour and a
ho1 hox INA,
been delayed at the Capitol in signing
bills, some of which, it 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
looking old, gray and haggard, Lincoln
dark and firm, wearing a mournful and
anxious expression of countenance
Thus accompanied, they set forth on
their historical ride to the Capitol
Around the carriage were mounted
guards and flying squadron of news
paper correspondents, the latter keep
ing - near to 1t as 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-
tering March winds, and sometimes hid
Ing the entire procession from view.
1t was little after l o'clock when
the outgoing and incoming Presidents,
arm In arm, entered the Capitol, pro
ceeding Immediately 60 the Presidents
room, whence they emerged in few
minutes, guarded by the Marshal of the
District, justices of the Supreme Court
and the Senators, the diplomatic corps
heads of departments, Governors of
States, and others, and made their way
to a grand wooden pavilion, under
which Mr.. Lincoln stood while he de-
livered his memorable message Chief
Justice fancy. old, shriveled to the
bone, with a face like parchment, muf-
fed IN his silken robes, sat In front
of the array of Judges Close by stood
Douglas, so near, in fact, that Mr.. Lin
coin, finding no place on or under the
small reading table provided for him
on which to deposit his hat, handed 1t
over TO his mighty servItor, who held
1t carefully until the address was fin
!shed.
Mr.. Lincoln's voice was clear and
penetrating, and was distinctly heard
far and near amcng the assembled mul.
titude, who preserved an unbroken ST.
Ience from the beginning to the end.
Then q great cheer arose and ran like
wave along the avenue. carrying tes-
tlmony which was likewise flying over
the wires in every direction that the
Inauguration had been successfully ac-
complished and that In spite OF all
perils, visionary and real. Abraham
Lincoln was President of the United
States and a new historic era had been
ushered in.
Mr.. Lincoln's inaugural address was
completed before he left Springfield,
but II was subjected to a careful proc
ess of revision almost up to the hour
of its delivery. He had to sustain the
shock of many collision and the en-
Uttered remonstrance OF many disap-
pointed individual and cabal before the
final screw was put into the fabric of
his Cabinet. Even then 1t threatened
to tumble apart. The morning OF the
Inauguration brought letter from
Seward desiring to withdraw his prom
Use to accept the post OF Secretary of
State, but this In the last moment he
was Induced TO reconsider.
Battle over the Cabinet.
Weed and Greeley had a pitched bat
tie ON the composition of the Cabinet
neither side scoring victory. Weed
was bitterly opposed TO giving the
Treasury to Chase: Greeley supported
hi, appointment, and so far as this was
concerned carried his point. but was
belten on others, so that It was prae
tically a drawn battle. lincoln blunt
IL told Weed that II Chase did not
come into the Cabinet neither should
Seward.
Cameron was not Idle In those days
reached for many things: got the Wal
portfolio at last after infinite toll; dit
not keep ii long. but had long seasex
in which to explain the intricacies o.
his BRIEF administration. The CORE
spondents OF the papers. Of course
knew littleof these things at the time
They came cut later. as part or IN
-.o-a& hfefrrv of fha rerfnd