February 13, 1861; The New York Herald
INDIANAPOLIS, Feb. 12, 1861.
Last night, previous to Mr. Lincoln’s departure from the Bates House, he was again introduced by the Hon. Sol Meredith. Mr. Lincoln said he had no speech to make. If he made speeches whenever his friends desired, he would not be able to reach the national capital at the appointed time. He once more thanked the assemblage for the reception, and trusted we all might meet again under one flag of one Union. He bade them an affectionate farewell.
Like the first, the second day of the journey of the President elect is favored by the most beautiful weather.
Mr. Lincoln rose shortly after seven o’clock, and was soon after called upon by Governor Morton, who escorted him, according to previous arrangement, to the gubernatorial mansion, to partake of a dejeuner. The following members of the Presidential cortege were also invited:–K. Dubois, O. H. Browning, N. B. Judd, Col. Sumner and Major Hunter.
The entire party returned to the Bates House at nine A. M., from the balcony of which a brass band had been playing national airs since sunrise.
With daybreak curious groups commenced gathering in front of the hotel, and at the time Mr. Lincoln made his appearance every available space in and about the building was as crowded as last night, and it is likely to remain so until the departure of the centre of attraction.
Mrs. Lincoln and two sons, and Captain George Hazzard, U.S.A., will join the Presidential party this morning. Mrs. Lincoln will arrive at a quarter to eleven o’clock from the West.
Several Illinois gentlemen who accompanied Mr. Lincoln to this place will return home today. The party that will go through to Washington will be composed as follows:–Hon. Abraham Lincoln, Mrs. Lincoln and two children, R. T. Lincoln, D. W. S. Wallace, John Nicolay, John M. Hoy, Hon. N. B. Judd, Hon. David Davis, D. H. Browning, Col. E. V. Sumner, Major D. Hunter, Col. E. E. Ellsworth, Ward H. Lawson, J. M. Burges, Geo. C. Latham, W. S. Ward, and Capt. Geo. Hazzard.
Shortly after ten o, the cries of the thousands in front of the President’s hotel for ‘Old Abe,’became so violent that the object of their curiosity was prevailed upon to come out on the balcony and speak a few affectionate parting words, at the conclusion of which an immense cheer rose from the audience and continued for some minutes.
The President having bowed himself into his room, the Prince of Rails was called for, and reluctantly induced to appear, for the first time in his life, before the public. A speech was vehemently demanded, but he confined himself to a graceful waving of his hat.
In the President’s room a reception meantime took place. His old Illinois friends, J. D. Dubois and E. K. Peck, took hold of him in a melodramatic manner. They hugged him, and told him to behave himself like a good boy in the White House, and lastly even cut a lock of hair on his head, with which they rushed triumphantly out of his room.
At half past ten a number of carriages received the President and party, and carried them to the Union depot.
The large building was so crammed with people as to render the passage to the cars possible by the most persistent efforts only. The train commenced moving at eleven A. M. precisely. The President stood on the platform while it slowly steamed out of the depot, bowing right and left to the cheering multitude.
Mrs. Lincoln and her children arrived under the escort of Barnet Forbes, Esq., of New York, only a few seconds before the train left, and were immediately conducted into a special car reserved for their use.
Capt. Pogue, U.S.A., also joined the Presidential party before leaving Indianapolis.
The train consisted of three passenger cars, one of which was for the exclusive use of the President and suite. Considerable difficulty was at first experienced in getting the company properly distributed, as everybody wanted to sit in the same car with the President, but the energy and skilful management of Messrs. W. J. Wood, Henry C. Lord, the President of the road, and F. P. Lord, the conductor, soon brought order into the chaos.
Shortly after Mr. Lincoln had entered his car, a numerous committee from Cincinnati, Covington and Newport, Ky., consisting of both leading republicans and democrats, was presented to him. The chairman, Hon. D. K. Este, then addressed him in a few patriotic remarks, to which he replied with unusual pleasantness.
The entire party then took seats, and was soon engaged in a lively exchange of wit and humor. The President was the merriest among the merry, and kept those around him in a continual roar.
Mrs. Lincoln and party were at first alone in their carriage, but were soon joined on the way by Mr. Lincoln and a select circle of gentlemen.
Although very much fatigued by night travel, Mrs. Lincoln kept up a spirited conversation during the entire journey. Her two youngest sons attracted general attention by their sprightliness. One of them amused himself nearly all the way asking outsiders, ‘Do you want to see Old Abe?’ and pointing out some one else.
The train moved at the rate of over thirty miles an hour. Men with Union flags were stationed every half a mile. Every town and village passed was decorated. Hundreds and thousands were assembled at every point, shouting and waving flags and handkerchiefs as the train swept by. Only four stoppages were made between Indianapolis and Cincinnati, during each of which Mr. Lincoln was brought to listen to the firing of guns, and vocal and instrumental music and never let off without saying something to the wild multitudes before him.
ARRIVAL AT MORRIS, INDIANA.
MORRIS, Ind., Feb. 12–1:10 P.M.
The train bearing the President, family and invited guests arrived without detention. Large and enthusiastic crowds assembled at all the stations. The train stopped at Shelbyville and Greensburg only, where Mr. Lincoln appeared at the rear end of the train and spoke a few words.
Every precaution has been taken by the railroad company to insure the safety of the train. Flagmen stationed at every road crossing, and every half mile, displaying the American flag as a signal of right.
THE RECEPTION AT LAWRENCEBURG.
LAWRENCEBURG, IND., Feb. 12, 1862.
There is an immense crowd here, and flags and banners are suspended over the track. Mr. Lincoln said he hoped all were Union men here, and friendly wished their neighbors across the river. He was frequently interrupted with cheers. The train moved off amid salutes, music and tumultuous cheering.
ARRIVAL OF THE PRESIDENTIAL PARTY AT CINCINNATI.
CINCINNATI, Feb. 12, 1862.
At three P.M. the suburbs of Cincinnati became visible, and the train slackened its speed to get safely through the thick crowds on each side of the track in the depot.
All honor to the Queen City of the West. A more magnificent ovation than that extended by her this afternoon to the President elect was never witnessed west of the Alleghenies. It was not the military pageantry, not the stateliness of civil dignitaries, nor any other formal display, that made the occasion a perfect success, but the spontaneous turn out of at least a hundred thousand people, comprising all classes, from the rich merchant and manufacturer down to the humblest day labourer, to do honor to the man that will be called upon to save the Union by upholding the federal constitution and laws. That this sentiment pervaded the dense masses that blocked up the public thoroughfares through which the procession passed for many miles, was plainly demonstrated by the tenor of the shouts that greeted the hero of the day on all sides.
The train arrived at the appointed time at the foot of Fifth street, which was literally blocked with people. The locomotive was once compelled to stop. The crowd was so great it was impossible to get out of the way at the depot, and it was found necessary to bring the military and police force into requisition to clear it away.
The reception was an era in the history of Cincinnati. The weather was mild and beautiful. The streets were crowded with citizens and people from this and the neighboring States. The streets through which the procession passed were crowded at an early hour, and the windows filled with ladies. The Burnet House, where the Presidential party stop, was handsomely decorated, and every arrangement made for the comfort of the distinguished guests. The stars and stripes were flying from all the public and a number of private buildings.
At half-past two the military, which made a fine display, and the Committee of Arrangements were at the Indianapolis Railroad depot.
On the arrival of the train, Mayor Bishop introduced and welcomed the President elect. At Cincinnati, Mr. Lincoln took a seat in a barouche drawn by six white horses, amid the deafening cheers of a vast concourse of people. The procession, in charge of Miles Greenwood, took up its march, passing through the principal streets, amid the sheers of men and waving of flags and handkerchiefs by the ladies, to the Burnet House, where it arrived at 5:15, which Mr. Lincoln entered amid deafening cheers–Mento’s band playing “Hail Columbia”and “Star Spangled Banner.”
After a few moments’ rest Mr. Lincoln made his appearance on the balcony, accompanied by Mayor Bishop, who made a short introductory address. Mr. Lincoln then spoke. He said:-
ANOTHER SPEECH BY MR. LINCOLN.
I have spoken but once before this in Cincinnati. That was a year previous to the late Presidential election. On that occasion, in a playful manner, but with sincere words, I addressed much of what I said to the Kentuckians. I gave my opinion that we, as republicans, would ultimately beat them as democrats, but that they could postpone that result longer by nominating Senator Douglas for the Presidency that they could in any other way. They did not in any true sense of the words, nominate Mr. Douglas, and the result has come certainly as soon as ever I expected. I also told them how I expected they would be treated after they should have been beaten; and I now wish to call their attention to what I then told upon that subject. I then said:- “When we do as we say, beat you, you perhaps want to know what we will do with you. I will tell you, as far as I am authorized to speak for the opposition, what we mean to do with you. We mean to treat you as near as we possibly can, as Washington, Jefferson and Madison treated you. We mean to leave you alone, and in no way to interfere with your institutions; to abide by all and every compromise of the constitution; and in a word coming back to the original proposition, to treat you so far as degenerate men, if we have degenerated, nay, according to the example of those noble fathers, Washington, Jefferson and Madison. We mean to remember that you are as good as we; that there is no difference between us other than the difference of circumstances. We mean to recognize and bear in mind always that you have as good hearts in your bosoms as other people, or as we claim to have, and treat you accordingly.
Fellow citizens of Kentucky! friends!–brethren may I call you in my new position–I see no occasion, and feel no inclination, to retract a word of this. If it shall not be made good, be assured the fault shall not be mine.
The remarks were received with great enthusiasm.
In passing to his room, those that could, rushed at him, throwing their arms around him, patting him on the back, and almost wrenching his arms off. Politicians were thick; among them George N. S. Sanders and others.
Although the multitude that had congregated at the depot and in the streets to greet the great Rail Splitter was immense, much less inconvenience was experienced by Mr. Lincoln in the transit to the hotel than last night. The arrangements of the various committees of reception were excellent. From the moment they were received at their apartments at the Burnet House, they enjoyed all desired privacy. Policemen were guarding every stairway, and successfully expelled the incessant inroads attempted by the curious. Tens of thousands invaded the hotel in course of the evening.
Mr. Lincoln and family observed strict retirement until after supper, which was served up to them privately at eight P.M. Mr. Lincoln repaired to the large dining room of the hotel, and has been exchanging salutations ever since with a steady throng of persons of both sexes and representatives of all parties. Fashion, beauty, wealth and intelligence all appeared to render homage to the plain, unreserved Illinoisian.
The levee was continued until near ten, when the President gave out, under the constant tiresome manifestations of his digits.
Mrs. Lincoln was simultaneously receiving a large number of ladies in another parlor.
The speech delivered this evening by the President elect from the balcony of the Burnet House was, like that at Indianapolis, prepared in Springfield, and brought here in manuscript.
The Indianapolis speech created an immense sensation here. It is looked upon as a decided coercion pronunciamiento. Many Kentuckians came across the river to shake hands with the republican President.
The municipal authorities paid their official respects.
The Mayor of Covington, however, refused to follow their example.