Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1885-03-06


offensive to the moral sense of the civilized
world, shall be depressed. The laws should
be rigidly enforced which prohibit the lmml-
grafton of servile class to compete with
American labor with no intention OF acqulr-
ing citizenship and bringing with them and
retaining habits and customs repugnant to
our civilization
The people demand reform in the admins
tration of the government and the application
of business principles to public affairs. AS o
means to this end
CIVIL SERVICE REFORM
should be in good faith enforced. Our citi-
zens have the right to protection from the
incompetency of public employees who hold
their places solely as a reward of partizan
service and from the corrupting influence of
those who promise and the vicious methods Of
hose who expect such rewards. And those
who worthily seek public employment have
the right to insist that merit and competency
shall be recognized instead of party sub
serviency, or the surrender of honest political
belief
In the administration of a government
pledged to Go equal and exact justice to all
men, there should be
NO PRETExT FOR ANXIETY TOUCHING THE PRO-
LECTION OF THE FREEDMEN
in their rights, or their security in the enjoy
ment of their privileges under the Constitu-
ton and its amendments. All discussion as
to their fitness for the place accorded to them
as American citizens is idle and improbable,
except as it suggests the necessity for their
improvement. The fact that they are citizens
entities them to all the rights due to that re-
lation and charges them with all its duties,
obligations and responsibilities.
These topics, and the constant and ever
varying wants of an active and enterprising
population, may we'll receive the attention
and the patriotic endeavor of all who make
and execute the Federal laws. Our duties are
practical, and call for industrious application,
an intelligent perception of the claims of pub
lie Office, and, above all, firm determination,
by united action, to secure to all the people
of the land the full benefits of the best form
of government ever vouchsafed to man. And
let us not trust to human effort alone; but
humbly acknowledging the power and good
ness of Almighty God, who presides over the
destiny of nations and who has at all times
been revealed in our country's history, let us
invoke His aid and His blessing upon our
labors.
MIR. CLEvELAND'S VOICE
was not strong, but his utterance was dis
ire for no P,1f
was not possible for tenth part Of that
great crowd to hear anything he said.
While he was speaking thousands who had
gratifed their curiosity to see the new
President, streamed down Capitol Hill
into Pennsylvania avenue, to secure elig-
IDLE places from which to view the process
sion. Shortly after one, Mr.. Cleveland re-
ceived the oath Of office from Chief Justice
Waite and became President of the United
States. A large number of gentlemen
gathered about him and presented their
compliments and congratulations, which
he modestiy and gracefully received. TIE
boom of a cannon told that the ceremonies
were over and that
THE GRAND PROCESSION
would move at once. The President de-
scended from the platform and entered
his carriage. General Slocum, the chief
marshal, had all his arrangements most
admirably made. The divisions were all
fully organized and we'll in hand, and
there was no delay. The music started up,
the regulars which led the van caught tie
step and away they went down the hill at
a swinging gait, amidst the wild cheering
of the crowd. The situation on the avenue
as the head of the column entered it and
moved toward the White House, was nest
extraordinary. Fol- the whole distance of
a mile the broad street-nearly $50 feet in
Width-was one mass of surging humanity.
1t is believed that the avenue never held
HALF so MANY PEOPLE
before, certainly not since the great re-
view of the armies of Grant and Sherman
in 1865. 1t was such a spectacle as is
rarely Witnessed. A file Of mounted PC
llcemen cleared the roadway as nearly as
possible, by fencing the crowd into dense
masses on the sidewalks and in the In
teIsecting streets. The head of the COL
umn was greeted with cheers, which swell
ed into one tremendous and unceasing
shout as the Presidents carriage drove by.
Mr.. Cleveland bowed his acknowledge
ments, riding the whole distance with IN
covered head. No grander popular oya-
ton was ever given to any man on this
continent.
Near the Treasury Building the Presi-
dent carriage drew out Of the procession
and was driven as rapidly as was possible
through the multitude to thew hlte Honse,
in front Of which he might view
THE MAGNIFICENT COLUMN
as it passed. These arrangements required
but short delay. and then the march
was resumed and the imposing parade
swept rapidly past. Every passing COM
pany greeted the smiling face of the Pres
ident with enthusiastic cheers. The first
division was composed of troops of the
United States Army and Marine Corps,
the Light Infantry, National Rifles and
other Washington companies, and the
various posts OF the Grand Army of the
Republic. This division was commanded
by Gen. & B. Ayres. The second divis-
ion, headed by General John F .Hartranft,
consisted wholly of the Pennsylvania
National Guard. There were three bri-
gades, with fifteen regiments, numbering
nearly 1900 men. They were
FULLY EQUIPPED
as for war, with maskets, overcoats, blan-
kets, haVersacks. canteens and even to
the tin cups hanging from their balls