Democratic Sentinel, Volume 9, Number 7, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 13 March 1885 — MARCH 4,1861. [ARTICLE]

MARCH 4,1861.

The Inauguration of Abraham Lincoln, the First Republican President. Mr. Lincoln’s Departure from Home, and Secret Journey to Washington How Plots to Assassinate Him on the Way Were Foiled—lnteresting Reminiscences.

As a majority of the voters at the last election were unborn or too young to know from recollection the circumstances of Mr. Lincoln's inauguration, a reproduction of the principal incidents will prove interesting. We reproduce from the Philadelphia Times the following account of that interesting event in our country’s history: On the morning of Feb. 11,1861, the citizens of Springfield, 111., began to assemble at the depot, and by 8 o'clock a large number had assembled. The day was gloomy, the sky dark, and rain was falling. At precisely five minutes before 8 o’clok Mr. Lincoln and a single attendant emerged irom a private room and walked slowly to the car, the people falling back and as many as could shaking his hand. From the platform to the car, after removing his hat and drawing himself up to his full height, he stood in profound silence for several seconds, surveying the faces of his friends and neighbors. An account says there was an unusual quiver on his lip and a still more unusual tear on his shriveled cheek. His solemn manner and his long silence were as full of melancholy eloquence as any words he could have uttered. T he crowd stood uncovered, with unmistakable sympathy. Beginning slowly and in a husky voice he spoke as follows: FAREWELL TO SPRINGFIELD. “Friends, no one who has never been placed in a like position can understand my feelings at this hour, nor the expressive sadness I feel at this parting. For more than a quarter ot a century 1 have lived among you, and during all that time I have received nothing but kindness at your hands. Here I have lived from my youth, until now lam an old man. Here the most sacred ties on earth were assumed. Here all of my children were born and here one of them lies buried. To you, dear friends, 1 owe all that I have, all that I am. All the strange, checkered past seems to crowd upon my mind. To-day I leave you. I go to assume a task more difficult than that which devolved upon ■Washington. Unless the great God who assisted him shall be with me and aid me I must fail, but' if the same omniscient mind and almighty arm that directed and protected him guides and supports me, I shall not fail—l shall succeed. Let us all pr y that the God of our fathers may not forsake us now. To Him 1 commend you all. Permit me to ask that with equal sincerity and faith you invoke His wisdom and guidance for me. With these few words I must leave you, for how long I know not. Friends, one and all, I now bid yon an affectionate farewell.” Mr. Lincoln had never appeared so affected before, and his simple eloquence moved his listeners deeply. The train moved out, and his neighbors, with few exceptions, never saw him after. When a little more than four years had passed, his remains were brought back to the same place for burial. THE TRIP TO WASHINGTON. At nearly every place on the route to Washington the people came out to greet Mr. Lincoln, and at the principal ones he addressed them. In every instance he referred to the great question with which he was to grapple. He did not believe there was to be serious trouble. He said that the clouds would soon clear away, and that the sun was shining behind them. At Indianapolis he said that the Federal laws must be upheld, but recoiled from ''coercion” and "invasion.” At Columbus he said he consoled himself that there was nothing worse than anxiety—that there was nothing yet seriously going wrong. “We entertain different views upon political questions; but nobody is suffering anything. This is a most consoling circumstance, and from it I judge that all we want is time and patience and a reliance on that God who has never forsaken this people.” These observations he repeated at Pittsburg and many other plac.s with greater fullness and increased emphasis. At Harrisbnrg he said: “It is not with any pleasure that I contemplate the possibility that a necessity may arise in this country for the use of the military arm.” Referring to the presence in the streets of a military force as a part of the great throng who had come out to welcome him, he said: "I desire to repeat, in order to preclude any possible misconstruction, that I do most sincerely hope that we shall have no use forthem; that it will never become their duty to shed blood, and most especially never to shed fraternal blood.” LINCOLN IN PHILADELPHIA. Mr. Lincoln arrived in Philadelphia from New York on the 21st, and was received with unbounded enthusiasm. News was here brought that there was hatching in Baltimore a conspiracy to assassinate him as he passed through that city. Conferences were held with railroad officials, the civil magistrates and citizens. Many doubted the existence of any such conspiracy, though many alleged tacts were related to sustain the report; nevertheless, it was thought best to act with prudence. Mr. Seward sent word from Washington of the conspiracy, setting it forth as much greater in scope than the first reports made it out to be. Having, according to appointment, early on the morning of the 22d. raised the American flag over Independence Hall, Mr. Lincoln, with a few friends, departed for Harrisburg, where there was to be a reception with speeches. The night previous, in Philadelphia, at a conference held by a select few, of whom the late Thomas A. Scott was one, a programme of future movements was arranged. It was that the next evening at 6 o'clock Mr. Lincoln, with one friend, should quietly leave Harrisburg in a special car. The roads were to be cleared of all other trains and skilled telegraph men were to see that the wires leading out of Harrisburg were out and kept cut till it was known that Mr. Lincoln had reached Washington. At West Philadelphia a detective would meet him and conduct him by a circuitous route to the Philadelphia, Wilmington and Baltimore depot This programme was communicated to Mr. Lincoln and party on the way to Harrisburg from Philadelphia on the morning of the 22d. The party consisted of Judge Davis, Col. Lamon, Col. Sumner, Major Hunter and Capt. Pope. The three latter, army officers, joined Mr. Lincoln after he left Springfield. The programme was to them all. Col. Sumner, who was the first to express himself, said it would be a d d piece of cowardice, and that he would “get a squad ot cavalry and cut our way through to Washington." To which response was made that “by that time inauguration day would have passed, and that it was important that, Mr. Linco.n should be in Washington on that day.” Mr. Lincoln, after full discussion, decided to submit to the judgment of his ir.ends and carry out the programme. The next question was who should accompany Mr. Lincoln on the perilous ride. Col. Sumner said he "intended to see Mr. Lincoln safe in Washington.” GOING TO WASHINGTON. Having hastily dined, Mr. Lincoln was hurried to his room, where he changed his co.it and hat, and passed rapidly through the* hall and out of the door. Here was Colonel Sumner. As Mr. L.ncoln and Lamon stepped into the close carriage, and Sumner was about to follow, Norman B. Judd, ot the party, clapping his hands on Sumner’s shoulders, said aloud: "One morn' nt. Colonel.” Sumner turned, and on the instant the carriage drove away without him. The Cilonel was very angry. 'Lincoln and Lamon boarded the car and left Harrisburg according to the arrangement. In the accounts Mr. Lincoln has figured as wearing a Scotch cap and cl ak. This is inaccurate. He wore a soft, light felt hat, drawn down over his face according to circumstances, and a shawl thrown over his shoulders so that his features could bo disguised if necessary. The programme worked without any obstruction. There was a female spy in the case to help work it and a number of detectives to cover the tracks and preserve the mystery. Mr. Lincoln had a berth, which, or course, was too short and gave occasion tor jokes. Little was said about danger and no evidences nf the conspiracy detected except certain°apochryphal reports by detectives from lal cimore. That city was reached at thirty minutes after 3 o’clock in the morning and except an amount of whispering and reconnoitering and the final “all right,” nothing unusual occurred. There were some ludicrous incidents which for Mr. Lincoln were agreeable variations, and he enjoyed them immensely. In due time the cars were hauled through the city on their way to Washington, which was reached on time. Mr. Lincoln and Col. Lamon pass 'd out of the car and through the depot unobserved except by one man, who watch d Mr. Lincoln closely, and seizing nold of the hand of President-elect, cried out, "Yon can’t play that on me.” The stranger was about to b* struck when'Mr. Lincoln interposed with “Don't strike him, don’t strike him. It’s Washburn I” Mr. Seward had given Washburn a hint of what was going on. They all drove to Willard’s, where v r. Lincoln was soon after found by Mr. Seward. Monday, March 4, broke bright, with every Indication of fair weather. Rumors of con piracy and violence tilled the air. Secession w a openly talked. Fears were entert ined for Mr. L.noola's personal safetg. Geo. Soott had for days

been making cautionary arrangements. The American flag floated from the City Hall and the departments. Few citizens raised the flag over their dwellings or places of business. There was an ominous sullenness. How much was meant no one could accurately say. At 8 in the morning citizens began to assemble in the neighborhood of Willard's Hotel, where Mr. Lincoln was staying, and it was not long before Pennsylvania avenue and the adjacent streets were packed. The buildings for blocks either way, wherever a stand or foothold could be gained, were crammed with human beings. At an early hour the military had begun to move. The drum and fife were heard in many directions. Troops were marching and countermarching, and predictions of bloodshed were freely indulged in. At the Capitol the people of all conditions and classes began to gather, and before the day had far advanced a vast crowd were already in w iting. Mr. Lincoln had risen early and members of his Cabinet and others were with him. At the Capitol, in the Senate, Crittenden, Wade. Douglas, Wigfall, and Trumbull were keeping up a rattling debate. The session had extended over twelve hours. About 9 o’clock the procession began to form. B. B. French was the Grand Marshal, assisted by many aids. At 11 the procession began to move, passing through Louisiana to Pennsylvania avenue. The military formed on ad-eides at Willard’s. BUCHANAN AND LINCOLN. Mr. Buchanan, whp had been kept busy signing bills at the White House, appeared ut the hotel at half-past eleven. At calf-past twelve Mr. Lincoln and Mr. Buchanan came out'of the hotel and took seats in a carriage, the public cheering and the bands playing Columbia. Senators Baker and Pearce also took seats in the carriage with Mr. Lincoln and Mr. Buchanan. The latter looked grave and hardly spoke. Mr. Lincoln was calm and selfpossessed. Few citizens of Washington were in the procession. The delegates from abroad, although large numbers were in the city, numbered not over Tooorßoi>. New England sent 15U, New York 300. The entire South was represented by not more than seventy-five persons. From the Northwest the number were few. Pennsylvania avenue was almost ankle deep with dust, rendering marching very difficult and uncomfortable. The military arrangements showed the apprehensions of a murderous plot against Mr. Lincoln. His carnage was so closely surrounded on all sides as to hide it from view. A shot could not possibly have been aimed at him, so closely was he environed by the military. The guards of honor were selected from the most efficient companies of the regulars and marines. Platoons of soldiers were stationed every hundred yards along Pennsylvania avenue. Several companies were held in' reserve at the armories to be dispatched to any point in case of an outbreak. Mounted orderlies were placed at every street corner to convey information speedily to Gen. Scott, who remained all day at headquarters. Rifleinen were placed on the roofs of the houses along and adjacent to the avenue to watch for dangerous persons. The procession moved slowly through the avenue, with little of the manifestations on previous occasions of the kind. Everything was done as if in the presence of danger and as though calamity was Impending. Masses of people poured toward the Capitol. Thousands had already waited there from three to five hours for the doors to open. The majority were Northern men. There were few (southerners present. The people of the District generally stood aloof. TAKING THE OATH. At 11:55 Hannibal Hamlin, Vice President elect, entered the Senate Chamber. The Judges of the Supreme Court, headed' by the venerable Chief Justice Taney, entered soon after. The Diplomatic Corps were all in their places. The Senators were all present, 'lhe galleries were crowded. The President and President elect were soon after ushered into the Capitol. Mr. Lincoln . looked pale and solemn. The nrocession from the Senate had taken their places. Mr. Lincoln stood forward in sight of the multitude an l was cheered. Laying down his manuscript and adjusting his spectacles, in a voice that caused him to- be heard to the farthest bounds of the multitude he read his inaugural address. When he had concluded he turned to Chief Justice Taney and took the oath of office, and as soon as practicable afterward went to the Wmte House. Throughout the day and that night the military patrolled the streets. Active watch was kept at all points. A number of persons for uttering secession sentiments were taken away. The same night a number < f ar.ny officers passed ot er the Long Bridge to take part in the rebellion, which was near at hand.