Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1873-04-30
The Inauguration Of 1897.

The Inauguration Of 1897.
In 1877, it was still tn days ride from
Monticello To Philadelphia When Mr..
Jetfersons man, Jopitcr, drove his chaise
round to the door on the 20th Of February,
the master did not forget that few weeks
before he had been elected president of the
Philosophical Society; and, accordingly,
c placed in the clrrlge some bones Of the
mastodOn, lately come into his possession,
the size Of which had filled him with special
wonder. With the Parliamentary Pocket
Book IN his trunk and those bones under the
seat, he WAS well set up in b5th his charac-
tegs. From Alex tpdua he took the public
coach, and sent has own vehicle home not
emitting to record in his diary tha5 the stage
fare from Alexandra to Philadelphia was
$ll.75,-1o great charge tor SIX dtys' ride
in February mud Mr Madison did not
succeed IN parrying the symptoms Of cere-
mony; for we read IN a Philadelphia news
paper OF the time, that, on ThursdIy, the 2I
of March, - the company OF artillery wei
coined tnat tried patriot, Haomas Jefferson,
with Il discharge Of sixteen rounds from two
lwelve-p0 -p0unders, and u Htg was displayed
from the park OF artillery bearing the de-
vice, Jefferson the Friend OF the People. >
The inauguration of a new President, like
the accession ot yOuD5 p-Inca to throne,
was naturally time OF joyous excitement :;
bat the present occasion was clouded with
apprehension. Every newspaper OF those
early weeks OF 1907, which contained news
from abroad, had from one t. L duzen items
like this " Tue snip Eliza. on her passag
from Liverpool to New York, sprdng a leak
aud was Obliged to belr away 10 the West
lodIes Ia 81 1ht Of Martlnic0 she was taken
by French prIVateer and run ashore, Whvre
sue was totally wrecked. The Captain was
imprisoned thirty two days and then released
without trial" Tais from the only power
IN the wor which could be regarded as
the natural ally Of the United States
Hni, from the native land OF Lafayette
And now the great character which had
stood between c0ntendlng parties, himself nc
partisau Was to Withdraw from the scene,
leaving the CRISIS to b dealt with by IN u
uutrIed IN the responsibilities of govern
| ment. Good citizens might well be anxious
| tor their country.
On reaching Philadelphia, jefferson went
at once to pay his respects to Mr.. Adams
who, tue nex5 morning, returned the cal
and started Immediately the topic that wac
upon every mau's mind aud tongue, the
danger OF a rupture with France. rhe
tue necessity OF sending an embassy to tha
country. The first wish Ot his heart woul(
have been to lntrust the mission to Jefferson
bat he supposed that was out Of the ques
tlon, as 1t dld not seem juotlflble for
President to send away the person destined
to take his place III case Of accident to hun
sell, nor decent to remove from competition
one wAo was a rival for the public favor
lie had resolved, he SAID, to send an mposin
embassy OF three distinguished PERSONS
EIbrldge Gerry from NV England, fror
Virginia, James Madison, from South Carroll
na z. G. PInckney. The dignity OF th
mission, he thought, would satisfy France
and its selection from the three great d.vls
ions of the country would satisfy The peopl
OF the United States Mr. Jefferson agree
with the President elect as to the lmproprit
5 ty OF his leaving the post assigned hun b
the people, and consented to make kno W
his WISHES To Madison. Mr.. Adams was "a
i candor and cordIalIty on this occasion.
the elatIon OF the hour, he evidently regar(
ed Mr.. jefferson as d colleague with whol
it was but natural for him to consult.
| his swelling moments during these first day
of his elevation, he liked to compare Jeffe
q sons position in the country with that
: prince royal or helr-apparent to throne,
~ much too exalted a parsonage to be sent c
! any mission.
On the last day of Washington's tern
e Jefferson was one of the guests at the dinn
T gwen by the President t. the conspicuo'
q persons of the capital with whom he ha
:. been officially connected. 1t was merl
~ dinner Tor, on this occasion, he who was
: lay down the burden OF power was happi
Is then they who were to take it up. On 81
urday, tue 4th OF March, occurred the men
orable scenes of the Inauguration so otte
le described. At eleven, MIR. Jefferson, in ii
g Senate chamber. was sworn into office, a
e sumed the char, and delivered the usu
\ brief address. He concluded with a cordi
:, tribute to Mr.. Adams No one mo-
sincerely prays that no accident may call n