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town, and at an early hour Willard's Hotel was crowded with his friends, personal and political, who came to give him a cordial welcome.
Loyal men of all parties rejoiced at his safe arrival; and, because of it, there was gladness throughout the laud.
That gladness was mingled with indignation because of the circumstances attending that arrival, and the journey preceding it. Had the danger at
Baltimore been made known, and protectors called for, two hundred thousand loyal citizens of the Free-labor States would have escorted the
President elect to the
Capital.
At an early hour, accompanied by
Mr. Seward,
Mr. Lincoln called on
President Buchanan.
The latter could scarcely believe the testimony of his own eyes.
He gave his appointed successor a cordial greeting.
The Cabinet was then in session.
By invitation, the
President elect passed into their chamber.
He was received with demonstrations of delight.
He then called to see
General Scott, at his Headquarters.
The veteran was absent.
Mr. Lincoln returned to
Willard's, and there received his friends unceremoniously during the remainder of the day. In the evening he was formally waited upon by the Peace Convention,
1 in a body, and afterward by loyal women of
Washington City.
Only the secessionists (and they were a host) kept aloof.
Foiled malice, disappointment, and chagrin made them sullen.
A capital plan in their scheme had been frustrated; and
General Scott, whose defection had been hoped and prayed for, and expected
because he was born in Virginia, was standing firm as a rock in the midst of the surges of secession, and had filled the
National Capital with so many troops that its security against the machinations of the conspirators, secret or open, was considered complete.
On Wednesday, the 27th, the
Mayor and Common Council waited upon
Mr. Lincoln, and gave him a welcome.
On the same day, he and
Mrs. Lincoln were entertained at a dinner-party given by
Mr. Spaulding, Member of Congress from
Buffalo, New York; and on that evening, they were visited at
Willard's by several
Senators, and
Governor Hicks of
Maryland, and were serenaded by the members of the Republican Association at
Washington, to whom he made a short speech — the last one previous to his inauguration.
2
Having followed the
President elect from his home to the
Capital, and left him there on the eve of his assuming the responsibilities of
Chief Magistrate of the
Republic, let us turn a moment and hold brief retrospective intercourse with the actual
President, who seemed to be as anxious as were the people for the close of his official career.
We have seen him, from the opening of the session of Congress until the disruption of his Cabinet, at the close of December, working or idling, voluntarily or involuntarily, in seeming harmony with the wishes of the conspirators.
We have seen him after that surrounded by less malign influences, and prevented, by loyal men in his Cabinet, from allowing his fears or his inclinations to do the
Republic serious harm.
And when the
National Fast-day which he had recommended had been observed,
he spoke some brave words in a message sent in to Congress,
saying, it was his right and his duty to “use military force defensively against those who resist the
Federal ”