JERSEY CITY - Key Persons
President-elect Abraham Lincoln was travelling by special train to the inauguration. The journey began at Lincoln's hometown of Springfield, Illinois on the day before his fifty-second birthday and ended at the nation's capital almost two weeks later. Large and jubilant crowds dotted the entire route.
Some years later, a throng again assembled in Jersey City to meet Abraham Lincoln; this time silence replaced the cheers. They then saw his coffin carried through this same terminal on the way to New York to lie in state at City Hall.
Commodore Charles F. Woolsey secured the ferry boat to the landing. As the President-elect disembarked at the foot of Exchange Place, he was exuberantly met by the largest crowd ever seen in Jersey City up to then.
Frank Hague's political career had reached a plateau by 1912. A new future appeared once he climbed aboard the progressive bandwagon. Had he not molded himself into the progressive image, it would be the height of naivete to equate pure motives with progressive actions. In the light of knowledge of his subsequent career, little doubt exists that Hague assumed this role for only a brief period and for purely selfish reasons. This subject will be further pursued in the dissertation.
Jersey City Mayor Van Vorst introduced state Attorney General William L. Dayton who, four years before, was the vice presidential running mate of General John C. Freemont, the Republican party's first presidential candidate. (Dayton would go on to be appointed by Lincoln to the post of Ambassador to France.) Dayton stood in for Governor Charles S. Olden, also a Republican, who was away. Lincoln was friends with Dayton. The Attorney General spoke with great emotion. The crowd cheered and applauded during his speech. So much so that at times Dayton could not be heard over the joyful noise.