THE CAPITOL DOME
10
"A SACRED EFFORT":
ABRAHAM LINCOLN'S SECOND INAUGURAL
AT THE UNITED STATES CAPITOL
1
DONALD R. KENNON
AN
T
HONY
L
EONE,
PA
SFIEL
D
HOUSE
INN
Fig. 1. Harper's Weekly depicted the massive crowd at Lincoln's second inaugural in this engraving (later hand-tinted) published in the March
18, 1865 issue.
F
rederick Douglass knew he had to see President Abraham
Lincoln. Even two policemen who denied him entrance to
the White House couldn't stop him. e preeminent African
American abolitionist and journalist was certain the Presi-
dent hadn't issued any orders to bar blacks from attending the
White House reception on inauguration day in 1865. Douglass
asked another guest to tell Lincoln that he had been detained
at the door. Less than a minute later Douglass was admitted
and Lincoln greeted him as "my friend Douglass." e Presi-
dent said he had observed Douglass in the crowd at the Capitol
listening to his inaugural address. "ere is no man's opinion
that I value more than yours: what do you think of it." Douglass
demurred, though he probably had come to tell Lincoln
exactly what he thought. Lincoln pressed the question a second
time, and Douglass responded, "Mr. Lincoln, that was a sacred
effort."
2
Presidential inaugurations always have some theological
components, to the consternation of some who would prefer a
