Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1885-03-05
ALEXANDRIA, VA.
THURSDAY EVENING, MARCH S.

The SCENE in Washington, yesterday, sur
PASSED description. The weather so long
disaoreeable and cold had suddenly become
delightful, and the sun sbone brightly upon
the advent of President Cleveland as 1t dld
upon that of his last democratic predecessor
wenty-eight years before. The city, rem
sylyania Avenue especially, was grandiy
decorated, nearly every house glowing with
the rainbow hues of innumerable flags,
whilst portraits of the President and Vice
President elect appeared at FRI quent inter-
walls. The crowd was imnense. we DO
not think the estimate of hundred thou
sand in addition TO the various organiza-
tions. and the residents of the city
an exuggeration, for not only were
the sidewalks almost iInpassable, but
the carriage ways of the avenue, one CT
the broadcast in the world, were as thick
with people "a the pavemeDts Of Broadway.
Like the decor atiors the crowd was dwarf
ed bv its width and showed 20 far less ad-
vantage than it would have done in other
cities. The procession was one OF the longest
and finest ever seen. The reguIartroops were
few, a mere guard of honor, and the Presl-
dent was escorted, as was meet, by reg-
ment after regiment of citizen soldiery, men
from the arm, the mine, the workshop and
the Office, who stand ready at moments
warning to protect any State against In
yasion" or domestic violence" should he
call upon them as authorized by the Con-
stitution. Gov. Pattison. with his eight
thousand splendidiy equipped Pennsylvania
ans showed that the Keystone was ready
to do her part, while Virginia and New
York, Rhode Island and Georgia, Connecti-
cut and South Carolina, North Carolina,
Ohio and Missouri, sent each her quota TO
show that they too are toyal to the Consti-
tuition and ready to project. preserve and
defend" it. The negro military organiza-
tons were accorded honorable recognition
and cons p;cuous place among the militia
of their respective STATES. Their -,nfiIImber,
much exceeding that 81 81 any former occa-
sion, ami theiiii hund-cne appearance and
e3cel..ent drill must have astonished the
North, RI visitors and shown them how
much the negro has improved under
democratic rule i'll the South. Inc
long lines of handsomely equipped
political organizations too (ail from the
North and West, for the South sent none),
and evidently composed of the most sui
stantial citizens OF those sections, gave
earnest Of their desire to res ore in the gov
eminent the honest aud economical admin
istraton of our fathers. Over three hours,
line after line filed past the almost dazed
spectators, and it seemed as il there was to
be no end to the display. Of the Inaugural
ton itself we have already spoken. The
address of the President elect was very
model, and it's good taste and conservatism,
have, we see, forced approval! even from his
political opponents. We believe ne has
both the honesty and the nerve to make
his words hut the earnest Of his actions.
The closing scenes of the day were in keep
ing with he rest. The display OF fireworks
was the finest ever seeu in Washington,
and the streets were thronged with people
and proce ssous, prominent among which
was that Of the Flambeau Club of Topeka,
Kansas, who made the air resplendent with
q beautiful display of rockets, as they
marched. We must not omit one feature
of the day-the perfect order and good
humor which everywhere prevailed. Amid
all the croWding, there WAS no display of
sefshness aud bad temper, and, altogether,
the occasion was one of which the Ameri
can people may well be proud.