The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-03-01
AMERICAN INAUGURATIONS.
Some Account of the Way Different
Presidents Have Taken Office.
"reminiscences Of Twenty Presidential In
augurations-Mr Lincoln's Induction
Andrew J0hns0ns Shame,
Washington Letter in Philadelphia Times.

Washington Letter in Philadelphia Times.
Captain Daniel Armistead. venerable citizen
of eighty nine, living on the farm of his son,
near Falls Church. on the Virginia shore of the
Potomac, has witnessed twenty presidential in
augurations, undoubtedly an experience of which
no other American can boast Moreover, the old
gentleman has been an acute observer of events
during his long lfe and his "reminiscences are
exceptionally racy and interesting. His own
career has been pieturesquely varied, but not
stormy. His title of captain was won not at tho
caunon's mouth, but as the commander of a
primitive boat which in the early part of the cen
fury he piled from the Georgetown wharf to
Ococquan Falls, and intermediate landings His
first adventure in business was as waiting boy
at the ancient Coleman House. Then he became
an amateur minstrel, a livery stable keep
err. an oyster merchant, a dealer in
real estate, contractor and farmer
in succession. All this time he has lived
at Washington or Falls Church, which is only a
few miles distant, an interested witness of the
many stirring scenes that have attended the
growth of the modern Republic He was at the
second Inauguration of jefferson, in 1906, and
he saw the British burn the Capitol in 1915. The
faces of all the early statesmen are photographed
on his memory. He saw the Southern statesmen
turn their backs on the Capitol in 1861, and he
has lived to see them return.
II was present at the second Inauguration of
Jefferson" said Captain Armistead, 'but must
admit that I do not recollect much about it. L
was then only eight years old. went to the
Capitol with my father 1 remember Mr.. Jeffer
son when he came into the Senate and took the
oath. He was dressed in brown clothes and
he spoke so low that the people could not hear
him. know got so tired went to sleep, and
my father aroused me by thump on the head
II have a very lively recollection of the inau-
guration of James Madison, in 1909 The whole
population turned out to witness the ceremonies.
Mr.. Madison was escorted to the Capitol by a
battalion of cavalry, and he was constantly
cheered along the line of march. There were
ten thousand people at the east front of the Cap
itol, and there was such a pressure to get near
the platform, where Mr.. Madison stood, that sew
eral ladies tainted and there were some fights
between rowdies. After the inauguration Mr..
Madison tried to get away from the crowd, but
they followed his carriage to the White House,
and such cheering | have never heard since.
The President was dressed in homespun, and
that seemed to create more enthusiasm than any
thing else. The ladies went wild about Mrs
Madison. One incident at the White House gate
caused much excitement. The English feeling
had not all died out at that day, and a man
named Montgomery, who belonged to Troy
family in Maryland made himself very odous
by saying that Madison ought to be hung. The
crowd used him pretty roughly, gouging out an
eye and breaking his nose l saw that same
fellow, badly disfgured, at the second inaueu-
ration of Madison.
'.The British having burned the Capitol, the
Inauguration of James Monroe. in 1917 took
place in Congress Hail. His inaugural speech
was made from elevated platform east of the
Capitol. which was then being rebuilt. Mr.
Monroe rode in carriage drawn by two white
horses, followed by an immense procession.
There were two batteries of artillery in line
There was a brilliant scene In the Senate cham
her, Many richly dressed ladies occupied chairs
on the Senate floor, the senators standing. All
the foreign dignitaries were there and the
Supreme Court judges, including Chief Justice
Marshall, who administered the oath of office
After the ceremonies there was more artillery
firing than have ever heard at any other ibau
guration. There perfect roar at the navy
yard, and cannonS doomed in the public grounds
opposite the Capitol"
Captain Armistead gives graphic account of
the impressive scene at the Inauguration of John
Quincy Adams, in 1925 Calhoun was then Vice
president, and Clay Speaker of the House.
General Jackson, who had been a competitor for
the presidency, was also present, and excited
great applause by his public congratulation of
MT. ADAMS. nave never seen any account OF
it," said the venerable Captain. ''but can tell
you that there was plenty of rowdyism on that
day.. Why, when General jackson came forward
and shook hands with Mr. Adams a man in the
crowd waved his hat and called out Three
cheers for Jacksone He was very drunk. and
there were plenty of other drunken people there,
and they cheered for Jackson. About dozen
men were so noisy that the police had to take
them out of the Capitol, and the confusion was
terrible. That night, while the inauguration
TN
streets, and sang jackson campaign songs. Sew
eral pistol shots we're fred. The saloons were
kept open all night and there were any number
of fights. Young desperadoes, sons of farmers
in neighboring counties, rode around town all
night, hurrahing and singing. At Georgetown
brass knuckles, clubs and knives were used.
Several persons were badly hurt, but for a
wonder nobody was killed. The next day it was
reported that Henry Clay had been shot at
his room, but think that the rumor was false
Newspapers had not then begun to make much
of such things and very little was said about
these disgraceful scenes.
'But nothing occurred in Washington that
would equal the scenes that took place at the in
auguration of Jackson, In 1929 1t seemed that
every bully and desperate in the United States
had suddenly come to the capital. One-half the
men had their pantaloons in their boots and
some of them wore pistols in full view. Wash
ington was small then and the hotels and board
ing houses could not hold the crowds. 1t was
the biggest swarm of people ever seen here be-
fore, most of the visitors being from the South
and West, Tennessee being especially well rep
resented. Every man carried hickory stick and
some women wore necklaces made of small hick-
DRY nuts fancifully painted. One lady hal
bonnet made of hickory leaves. and several
horses in the procession had hickory-bark bri-
dies. Such yelling you never heard. 1t was like
whole tribe of Indians let loose on the streets
of Washington. General Jackson seemed to en-
joy these outlandish demonstrations. He kent
his hat off and smiled at the crowd of yellers.
60 in, Andy; we put you therer and Give 'em
hi, Andy!' were some of the expressions heard,
all of which the General smiled at"
Captain Armistead was at the White House
after the Inauguration, and he gives lively ac-
count OF the extraordinary scene that was en-
acted there History furnishes faithful record
of President Jacksons extreme democracy but
he doubtless regretted that he let it go so far on
that dag. His idea was that he was the peoples