On the morning of the fourth of March President Buchanan and
Citizen Lincoln, the outgoing and incoming heads of the
government, rode side by side in a carriage from the Executive
Mansion, or White House, as it is more commonly called, to the
Capitol, escorted by an imposing procession; and at noon a great
throng of people heard Mr. Lincoln read his inaugural address as
he stood on the east portico of the Capitol, surrounded by all
the high officials of the government. Senator Douglas, his
unsuccessful rival, standing not an arm's length away from him,
courteously held his hat during the ceremony. A cheer greeted him
as he finished his address. Then the Chief Justice arose, the
clerk opened his Bible, and Mr. Lincoln, laying his hand upon the
book, pronounced the oath:
"I, Abraham Lincoln, do solemnly swear that I will faithfully
execute the office of President of the United States, and will,
to the best of my ability, preserve, protect, and defend the
Constitution of the United States."
Amid the thundering of cannon and the applause of all the
spectators, President Lincoln and Citizen Buchanan again entered
their carriage and drove back from the Capitol to the Executive
Mansion, on the threshold of which Mr. Buchanan, warmly shaking
the hand of his successor, expressed his wishes for the personal
happiness of the new President, and for the national peace and
prosperity.
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