Inaugural history: Girls in white greet Lincoln

[January 20, 2009]  WASHINGTON (AP) -- Spectacles resting on his nose, his gold-headed cane holding down the speech in front of him, Abraham Lincoln appealed to "the better angels of our nature" in an inaugural speech history would remember.

The Associated Press had a bird's-eye view of it all on March 4, 1861.

AP's first Washington correspondent, Lawrence Gobright, described Lincoln's procession to the Capitol under extraordinary security, the little girls dressed in white who represented all the states and territories, his delivery of the speech in a "clear, distinct voice," his taking of the oath.

In the week leading up to Barack Obama's inauguration as president on Tuesday, AP went back into history to find its stories from inauguration days long ago. None of its stories from Lincoln's inaugurations turned up in the search.

Instead, AP found an account in The New York Times the day after about how AP -- then known as the New York Associated Press -- sped the text of Lincoln's 1861 inaugural speech to newspapers over the telegraph.

The first words from Lincoln's speech arrived in New York 15 minutes after Lincoln uttered them, the Times wrote, and the last words were received two hours after the new president began the speech.

"Such rapidity in telegraphic communication has never before been reached in this country," the paper said.

Gobright's eyewitness accounts of both Lincoln inaugurations are described in his 1869 memoirs, "Recollection of Men and Things at Washington During the Third of a Century." Here is an excerpt about the 1861 ceremonies, when the nation was on the verge of civil war:

The day for the inauguration arrived. Senators Baker and Pearce rode in the procession, in the same carriage with the retiring President and the President elect. Mr. Buchanan looked very grave, and conversed but little on the way. Mr. Lincoln appeared calm, and slightly affected by the excitement around him. The military arrangements showed that apprehensions existed of a murderous plot against the President elect.

His carriage was closely surrounded on all sides by marshals and cavalry, so as almost to hide it from view. A shot could not have possibly reached him, owing to the denseness of the military enclosure. The guard of honor was selected from the most efficient companies of regular troops and marines. One of the notable features of the procession was a large car, supplied by the Republican Association, to allegorize the Constitution and the Union. The States and Territories were represented by a corresponding number of little girls, dressed in white, and displaying miniature flags; the whole drawn by two horses, on the covering of which the word "Union" was printed in large letters.

Besides this there were numerous delegations on foot from several States and Territories, accompanied by citizens of Washington, of the same political sentiments as those of the President elect.

Mr. Lincoln, on arriving at the Capitol, was escorted to the Senate, and took the seat assigned to him. The chamber was crowded, as usual on such occasions, with the most prominent officers of the Government in all its branches, with senators and representatives, and foreign ministers.

The oath was administered to Hannibal Hamlin, as Vice-President, by Mr. Breckenridge, when he made an address, and assumed the duties of the chair as presiding officer of the Senate.

The procession was then re-formed, and having, with Mr. Lincoln, reached the platform on the east side of the Capitol, Senator Baker said: "Fellow-citizens, I introduce to you Abraham Lincoln, President elect of the United States."

This was greeted with repeated cheers.

Mr. Lincoln, after a short pause, laid down his manuscript for a few moments on the table; then thrusting his hand into his pocket, took from it a pair of steel-bowed spectacles, which he placed carefully and deliberately on his nose, and used his goldheaded cane as a paper-weight during the reading of the Inaugural.

Mr. Lincoln, before he came to Washington, had had an address for the occasion printed at the office of the "Springfield Journal," but that which he delivered, was somewhat different, being extensively interlined, in accordance with new developments, after the first draft. An exact copy of this was furnished to the "Associated Press" to be telegraphed.

The President read his Inaugural Address in a clear, distinct voice. ...

He was applauded when he concluded the reading of his Address.

Never was there a more solemn spectacle. The thirty thousand auditors who listened attentively to his words, were evidently most deeply impressed with the momentous character of the occasion. There was no noise, no confusion, no thoughtless nor indecent scenes of applause or disapprobation.

All seemed to be moved with the deep conviction, that their own fate and that of their country, depended on the developments of that memorable day.

In taking the oath, as administered to him by the venerable Chief-Justice Taney, the President placed his hand upon the Bible, and responded in a firm and decided tone. At the conclusion, he bowed reverently, and kissed the Book.

[Associated Press; By CALVIN WOODWARD and VALERIE KOMOR]

Valerie Komor reported from New York. Associated Press Writer Natasha T. Metzler contributed to this story.

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