The Council Bluffs nonpareil. [volume] (Council Bluffs [Iowa]) 1857-1867, 1859-05-07
THE FOURTH OF MARCH 1850.
BY EDWARD EVERETT

THE FOURTH OF MARCH 17e9.
by EDWARD EVERETT.
At length the Fourth of March, l7S9-the
appointed day, which was to give an organ
lied Constitutional existence to a new Con-
federate Republic, about to enter on an
equal footing into the family of nations,-
arrives; on that day there assembled at the
seat of the new government at New York,
of the Senators Of New Hampshire, Con-
necticut and Pennsylvania, and enc each,
from Massachusetts and Georgia. These
eight punctunl men met and nd iourned from
day to day for Il week, without any addition
to their number. On the llth Of March they
"agreed that circular should be written to
the absent members requesting their imme-
date attendance" Another week passed
with the same result, and it was again agreed
eight of the nearest absent members, partc-
ulary desiring their attendance, in order to
form quorum" on the 18th Of March a
Senator from New Jersey dropped in; on the
Dist a Senator from Delaware made his ap-
pcarance, and then for another mortal week
no increase of that number Of Senator's in
attendance took place. The other Senator
| from New Jersay cam in on the 2S,h. No
one else made his appearance until the 9TH
of April, when Richard Henry Lee Of
Virginia appearing, took his seat, and form
ed quorum of the whole Senators OF the
United States," viz: twelve in number, the
States which had as yet ratified the Constl-
tuition being but el wen. Such was the tar
dy organization of the Senate, which at first
sat with closed doors, as well for legislative
as executive business.
OF the Representatives of whom the
whole number from the eleven ratifying
States, was but fifty nine, thirteen only as
sembled at New York on the 4th of March,
viz four from Massac usetts, three from
Connecticut, four from Pennsylvania, one
! from Virginia. and one from South Carol,
na. On the following day one more arrived
from New Hampshire, one from Massachu-
sets, two from Connecticut, and one from
! PENNSYLVANIA. No ono else came in till the
l4th Of March, the House adjourned from
day to day for want of quorum. On that
day James Madison, Jr., and two other
members from Virginia came in, but there
was still no quorum. On the 18th and 18th
of March, two more members from Virginia
appeared and no further arrivals took place
until the 23rd, on that day two members
came in from New Jersey, and on the 10Th
another from Virginia. No additional mem
bers arrived until the 30th of March. when
another member from Maryland and Virgin
ia appeared. On the lst of April, another
member each from New Jersey and Penn
/ svlyania came in and n quorum was formed.
1t was five days more before quorum OF
the Senate was present, and the hrst Con-
grcss of the United States was organlzed.-
On the 2lst of April, the Vice President,
John Adams, appeared, took his seat as
President of the Senate. In his address on
taking the chair, he paid an emphatic and
eloquent tribute to the newly elected Chief
Magistrate.
Expectation now dwclt on the arrival Of
Washington. lie received the official notice
of his election on the l4th of April, at Mount
Vernon, and Immediately started for the
seat Of Government. A tended from city
to city by the joyous and grateful saluta-
tions of the people, he reached New York
on the ODD of April. The necessary ar
rancements for his Inauguration occupied a
week, and at length on the 3oth of April, in
the gallery in front of Federal Hall, just
erected in Vail street, in the presence OF
the newly organized Congress, OF the Mu-
nicipal authorities of New York, and her
sympathizing population, he took the oath
to s'preserye, protect, and defend the Con
st.tution of the United States" The oath
was administered by Chancellor Livingston;
the Secretary of the Senate began to raise
tho Bible to the Presidents lips, but ne
bowed his head and kissed the sacred vol
ume. At the close Of the solemn ceremony,
Chancellor Livingston proclaimed, Long
I've George Washington, President OF the
United States = He was then tfty-seVen
y.ars two months and six days old, and
he lived ten wears, seven mont and 1our-
teen days, from the time of his lnaugura-
ton.
Before the arrival of the President, n COM
mittee had been appointed by the Senate to
consider what style or title it will be proper
to annex to the off es of the United States,
if any other than those z ivcn in the Constr
tuition" This committee consisted OF MIR.
Richard Henry Lee of Virginia, MIR. lard
of South Carolina, and Mr.. Dalton OF Massa-
chusetts, and they reported in favor OF ad-
dressing the Chief magistrate as "llls high
ness, the President of the United States OF
Americn, and protector of their Liberties.
The Senate was inclined to favor that style
of address, which was no doubt, suggested
by the title adopted by the Protector Crom
| WE'LL uuu tIut Va tHC osaeC oSh'l "i VI AAoI-
land, who as was remarked by Mr.. Madison,
assumed the style of ''Their High Might
ness" The House of Representatives deemed
it expedient not to bestow any title on the
President and Vice President. and in the
answers of the two Houses to the Presidents
inaugural speech. he was, without any titu-
lar addition, "President of the United
States" The Senate persevered for few
days in the attempt to establish b attic by
legislation; the House continued to dissent;
committee of conference was appointed
who could agree on no report; and the Sen
ate "desirous of preserving harmony with
the House of Representatives." postponed
the report of their committee, and resolved
that the present address be "To the Prcsi-
dent Of the United States, without the addi-
ton of title"
~ Tom, hear you are going south, to
reside"
eyes, going to Florida"
"Well, l advise you to 20 into town
where there are no buckets, for when | was
in that region every man was kicking the
bucket"
l. r."