The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1911-08-04

ing of March 4 the young man was
directed to see COL Ward H. Lanton
for the inaugural address, went to
Wizards hotel, and passing through
"the big corridor of the second floor,
spliced with little dark stairWays," he
saw through half-opened door Mr.
Lincoln himself pacing to and fro, ap-
| parently reading manuscript" The
young reporter went straight on, and
as Mr.. Lincoln turned and saw him.
che extended his hand, calling my
name, and said, "What can I do for
you% I told him my erraqd and
dilemma, showing him the brief mem
orandum. Why said he, you have
come to the right shop. Lamon is in
the next room. T will introduce you
to him, and he will fix you all right.
No sooner said than done, and supplied
with the press copy of the inaugural
address, I gratefully and gleefully
took my leave.''
The circumstances of the inaugu-
ration are thus described: "Mr. Lin.
coin was tall and ungainly, wearing a
black suit, a black tie beneath turn
down collar, and a black silk hat. He
carried a gold Or silver-headed walk
ing cane. As We came out into the
open and upon the temporary stand,
where there was a table containing a
Bible, a pitcher and a glass of water,
he drew from his breast pocket the
manuscript had seen him reading at
the hotel, laid this before him, placing
! the cane upon it as a paper weight,
removed from their leather case his
steel trimmed spectacles, and raised
his hand-he was exceedingly deli
| berate and ~composed-to remove his
hat.
AS he did so I lifted my hand to re-
ceive it; but Judge Douglas, who stood
at my side, reached over my arm
took the hat and held it during the
delivery of the inaugural address,
which followed.
"His self-possession was perfect
Dignity herself could not haze been
iIn:ere unexcited. His voice was lit
tie h1gh-pitched, but resonant, reach
ing the outer fringes OF the vast crowd
ir fTCnt, his expression serious 20 the
point of gravity, not scinti1lation o1
humor.
Notwithstanding the campaign pic
lures showing Lincoln as a boor,
was prepared to expect much. Judge
Douglas had said to me, upon his re-
turn to Washington after the famous
campaign in 1858 for the Illinois sena.
torship, from which the Little Giant
had come off victor! He is the great
est debater I have ever met, eithel
here or anywhere else.'
"He delivered the inaugural address
as if he had been delivering inaugura;
addresses all his TO me it mean
war"
Mr.. Watterson <s On to say: "The
next three montt I saw and heard
Mr.. Lincoln oftel I public, and OF
several occasions : thrown witt
him in private CO.. anies. He looked
the picture of hea /. Serenity, how
ever, not levity, ls the prevailing
mood with him. me he seemed {
wholly resolute n n. There was IL
his habitua1 kindness most unfai!ins
and very firm note. I do not believe
that at ant turning he hoped for rec
onciliation between the leaders of the
North and South. He had carefully
measured the forces of combat an6
made up his mind both as to his duty
and the situation.
'It will be remembered that Mr.. Lin
coin was but 50 years of age. His
practical knowledge of national affair:
had been limited to a single term il
congress. His nomination and elec.
tion to the presidency were regarded
as accidental-he was an untutored, {
very homely and awkward child O.
fortune. Seward and Chase, Fessen
den and TrumbuH, Simon Cameron
and Zachariah Chandler were, each il
his way, the accepted authorities ot
the time. There was not member ot
his cabinet who did not consider him
self bigger man than his master
Even so keen an observer as Seward
wholly missed the dominating fea
! lures of the chief he had reluctantly
come to serve until he got his an.
swer in that queer letter of April I
| 1861, which, as by flash of light
ming, revealed the truth and brought
/ I. l-IJ