Daily Kennebec journal., 1881-02-22
Troops at the Inauguration.

Governor Plalsted IN his inaugural address
said:
''In the days of the Roman Republic her
legions were not permitted to approach the
Capital, not permitted to pass the Rubcon
Caesar crossed it and the Roman Republic
fell. Is it possible that the American people
can contemplate with Indifference the pro-
posed gathering of militia of the States at the
National Capital on the 4th of March next?
True, the result of the election is not in dis
pute, but the result of the next election may
be disputed, and then the gathering of mill
tary forces at the Inauguration of General
Garfield may prove a fatal precedent. the
very Rubicon of our Republic. III the Presi-
dent-elect has the instinct of a patriot he will
signalize his inauguration by placing his We
to upon this proffered courtesy, and initiate
the simplicity of the third President, who
without pomp and circumstance, almost I'M
attended. walked To the Capitol and took the
oath of his great Office"
Since the patriotic Governor Plaisted be-
came so alarmed at the contemplated
presence of troops at the inauguration of
General Garfield and was so eloquent over
the conduct of Jefferson, it may be well to in
quire into the absolute facts attending the in
augura:ion Of Jefferson and the facts con-
nected with the Inauguration of our first Pres
ident. Major Ben Perley Poor, the able cor
respondent Of the Boston journal, in writing
an extended account of the Inauguration of
the earlier Presidents says:
.'Washington city was in cm' rvo when
Jefferson was first inaugurated. Pennsylva-
mia avenue had been cut through the alder
bushes, and two houses only had been erected
between the White House and the Capitol
The only bridge across Tiber Greek (now in
closed in culvert) was log, with a hand
rail for pedestrians. Only the wings of the
Capitol were partly finished, and Mrs Adams
used to have her clothes dried, after the
weekly wash, in the unfinished East Room of
the White House. A large number of Con-
gressmen could not obtain accommodations
in Washington, and had to reside in George
town. There raS not any military orqaai-
cation, and there were no United States
troops nearer than Baltimore. Under these
circumstances it would have been impossible
for Mr.. Jefferson to have been escorted to
the Capitol had he so desired. The fact that
there was no procession is no proof that
there would not have been one had there been
any military to form one. or any avenue for
one to march on. There were no military
orSa"lAa.io"s ""eu he was inaugurated the
second time. oht ne accepted the escort of
cavalcade of gentlemen. They escorted him
from the White House to the Capitol and
back again"
1t would thus seem to be impossible for
President-elect Garfield to follow the advice
of Governor Plasted were he disposed to lis
ten to this modern demagogue.
Now for the inauguration of WASHINGTON
Naior Poor savs
~,
Al, zen zen "as".ns'on iel. Mouh. vernon on
,'' ., ao, ao." U, ""u a'Il'eu at new lork on
.he I'u. ms Journey was one continued trl-
u"iP''"n' proceSsio"' ana ne was almost all
.Ie ~, s%y es'oi'.u oy 'olen'eer troops OF morse
"".,e arg oo''ies Vi un,ior'heu 'oinhteer III
AMY P%raueu % 70 ""mcr MN: on MS arrival
at New iork uoV. Ciinton formally received
his residence bv a Iargo br;rado &c IT,. ~
with hand of mus;c Tbat -, .i'a ~.
was illuminated-tbere was disnior of Sro
worts ard tho yolrr,oo, oanI VI n
H., J-,rns ho..;,r, .,S
Tho civ davs ho,,voan vash;..c
and his ;nanonrat;on a. pros;don, ', ",,na,
in norsec,;na tbo arranraon.s g.. e.. II, passeu
monial which were objected h., CO.. ,"e Ea. .eas
tho Secre,arv q; W. poa,1o sneI', n: n9oA' ION
tla In
tho tovarns ond oxb.us,;r,v r.,,,.. Ir,nn.. s
The 3otb of Neutrality-suspicious. '",.s ~.
usbered in nv fadar.I saln,a sroa 80, .i's
batterv All b,s;poss and laho. .ne
pended. and the various m;l;tarv oon,,,.n;a
naraded At their ,asnoc,;vo rIaoos P,
vous at an early hour. and marched 70 Chnrrv
street oposite the Prss;don,s I .eu hon 20 merry
tbev were formed in limo nndar ,Io o,, 49,
of Col. Morgan Lewis When the President
elect came out on the stems of his res;donna
the troops presented arms, the officers saluted
the colors were dropped and the drum, were
ruffied. Washington raised his hat in ac
knowledgment, and the troops then wheeled
into platoons and moved off, Washington
followed in his chariot. with the various
civilians who accompanied him in other car