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I86i] Montgomery Congress. Lincoln's inauguration. 449 slavery in the Federal Territories, proceeded without halting or delay in her movement of revolution. Gradually the senators and representatives from the seceding States withdrew from their seats in Congress. On February 4 the Secessionist delegates met at Montgomery, Alabama, and began by organising a provisional congress. On February 8 they formed a provisional government known as that of the Confederate States of America. Finally, on March 11, they adopted a permanent Constitution under the same title. On the other hand, the North, determined to maintain the decision of the people in the late presidential election that slavery should not be extended into the Federal Territories, and to uphold the lawful authority of the President-elect, gradually fell into the role superficially of apathetic indifference, but really of studied inaction, until by the lapse of time President Buchanan's term should expire, and President Lincoln enter upon the powers and duties of his office. Starting from his home at Springfield, Illinois, on February 11, the President-elect made a public journey to Washington, where he arrived on the 23rd, during which he visited the capitals of the States of Indiana, Ohio, New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania, upon a non-partisan invitation from their several legislatures. He was every- where received by enormous crowds with very great enthusiasm. In the course of the twenty or thirty addresses that he delivered, while studiously refraining from any express declaration of policy, his words were hopeful of the future, and breathed only peace and kindness to all sections of the country. In the later stages of his journey he re- ceived information from two independent sources that his public transit through the city of Baltimore, Maryland, would involve personal danger to himself. As no official invitation had come to him from either the legislature of the State or the municipal authorities of the city, he yielded to the entreaties of personal friends and high officials to deviate from his published programme, and made the journey unobserved and with a single companion by night a measure of precaution, dictated not by personal fear but by a sense of the highest prudential duty to the people and the government over whose destiny he had been called to preside. On March 4, 1861, his inauguration was celebrated with the usual impressive State ceremonial. Standing among government dignitaries on the platform before the east front of the Capitol, his personal appearance produced, as it had done during his whole journey, a most favourable impression upon the throngs assembled to hear him. Mr Lincoln was then 51 years of age, 6 feet 4 inches in height, weighed 12 stone 7 Ibs., and for his unusual stature was remarkably well-propor- tioned. His hair was black, his eyes grey, his rather thin but mobile features were strongly marked, with very prominent eyebrows and high cheekbones. His bearing was erect and dignified, and his count- enance, even in repose, not unattractive; when lighted up in public C. M. H. VII. CH. XIV. 29