Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1921-02-06

cier: the Italian minister, NJ. Berti-
natti, and several legation secretaries
and attaches. Mr.. Lincoln also had
Nicolay and Maj. John Hay. Capt:
H. A. Wise Of the Navy and Mrs: Wise
(who was the daughter OF Edward
Everett) were of the party. as also
we're a number of newspaper corre-
spondents and a military guard OF
honor to take part in the Gettysburg
procession.
The President stopped at the house
of David Wills. lawyer. who hao
been largely instrumental in the crea-
on Of national &c metery on the
OF MIR. Wills that the President had
come. His letter of invitation read.
in part:
Il am authorized by the governors
of the different states to invite. you
to be present and to participate in
these ceremonies which will doubt
less be very imposing and solemnly
impressive. 1t is desired that after
the GRAFTON (Which was to be deltv-
cred by Edward Everetp you. as chief
apart these grounds to their sacred
use by few appropriate remarks"
X X
OF THE writing of this address
,, there are various accounts. The
Ss"'S ehoN tbS AtScloSut lottSu ~" -
the speech on the back Of an old
| envelope on the train to Gettysburg
seems to have little basis in fact. al
though it is quite probable he pom
dered over it on the Journey 1t seems
President Lincoln gave considerable
thought to the preparation Of the
appropriate remarks" which he had
been asked to make. Mr.. Nicolay
states that on the morning of the 18th.
after the breakfast hour. he went up
to the room which Mr.. Lincoln oc-
cupied in the house of Mr.. Wills to
report for duty. and remained with
the President while he finished writ
ing the Gettysburg address, during
the short leisure he could utilize for
the purpose before being called to
take his place in the procession,
which was announced on the program
to start at 10 o'clock.s
After having breakfasted and talked
with acquaintances and friends whom
of Mr.. Wills in order to see the Presi-
dent come forth. AS he came out
spoke TO him: he recognized me and
shook me by the hand before he
mounted his horse to join the process
sion.
We then fastened up to the ceme-
terry in order to obtain q favora BILE
position close to the speakers. and
was fortunate in getting a place right
at the edge of the speakers stand.
The cemetery then was just a bare
hillside with but few trees on it. and
at that time very few monuments of
any kind had been erected, but the
graves of the soldiers had been marked
with the names as far as they could be
known. The majority were. unknown, Of
/ course. and good many of the SOL
| diers were yet buried OH the field
| where they had fallen.
1t was about IL o'clock when the
| presidential party reached the plat
| form. but Mr.. Everett, the orator Of
the day, was fully half an hour late.
and it was nearly noon before he be-
gan his address. Mr.. Everett had an
engaging personality, an intellectual
| and refined face and an attractive ap-
pearance. and his address, which he
partly read from the manuscript
which he held in his hand. was elo-
Quent, but it was too lonE-probably
an hour and a half in length.
The art of oratory was much more
extensively practiced then than it Is
in this day, and Mr.. Everett was one
OF the foremost orators OF the time,
but the audience was weary before
he had finished. I was anxious for
him to conclude in order that we
might hear the President. 1 observed
1 Mr.. Lincoln closely. He listened at
fentively to Mr.. Everetts speech, but
/ r. appeared to me that. il began to
tweary him. and his face assumed an
expression Of care and sadness. his