Dodge City times. [volume] (Dodge City, Kan.) 1876-1892, 1888-05-31
Hours WITH MEN AND WOMAN OF
THE REVOLUTION.

at the eastern front Of the Capitol a
Washington, with thousands Of my fel
low-citizens, pelted with sharp slee
driven by keen northeast wind, t.
witness the Inauguration of the four
teenth President of the United States
| had no "friends at court to secure
shelter for me under the superb ant
spacious portico of the Capitol, where
the great officers of State, of the Judic
larry, of the Army, of the Navy, ant
foreign ministers were cengregated.
For the purpose of this quadrennia
coronation of Chief Magistrate OF
the Republic, a rude platform of rough
boards had been erected over the en-
trance steps Of the Capitol The whole
ceremony was severed simple. The
recipient of the exalted dignity about to
be conferred was clad in plain suit OF
black cloth. A small mahogany table
covered with red cloth, of the value
of five dollars, and bearing a Bible, a
brown stone pitcher full of cold waiter,
and tenpenny tumbler, constituted
the entire paraphernalia. With his
head barred to the petng storm, and his
right hand lifted toward Heaven before
the Chief Justice of the United States,
the new President pledged his fidelity
to the Constitution by affirmation.
Then turning to.the multitude present,
an integral of the whole power which
he represented, he enunciatee the fun
damental principles which should gov
ern his actions. The President bowed
and retired, and that was the end
of the matter.
How little-how exceedingly insig=
niicant to the true philosopher and
hopeful apostle of freedom would
any ruler by the grace of bayonets and
gunpowder have appeared upon that
platform of New Hamshire pine, with
all his gaudy trappiDgs and pomp of
manner, 10y the side of Franklin Pierce,
the chosen servant of State of mighty
people, who stood there in all the dig
nifty of a, true sovereign, but undis
tinguished in form and bearing from
the humble citizen, by ribbon or cross,
by star or garter,by scepter or crown!
Among those who sat under the
shelter of the grand portico of the Cap
itol on that occasion was George Wash
ington Park Gusts, the adopted son
of the Father of his Country, the
first Presldeseof the nation, and the
only survivor of the executors of the
great patriot will. He was present when
his foster father took the oath of yfficc
administered by Chancellor Livingston,
in the street gallery of the old City
Hall at New York, sixty four years be-
fore. He had witnessed the Inaugural
ton of every President from Wash
ington 20 Pierce Unmindful of the
wind and sleet, be had crossed the -Po-
tomac from Arlington House in an
open boat, to assist at the august cere
monial | accepted his cordial invita-
ton to spend few days at Arlington
House, where had been guest few
times. | crossed the ferry at George
town the first bright morning there
after, and found Mr.. Custis in his
studio giving some touches to his pict-
urc of THE Surrender at Yorktown
The mansion yet standlnO occupies
a commanding site over thee hundred
feet above tide-w overlooking the
cities of Washington and Georgetown
with the broad Potomac flowing be-
tween. The building is OF brick, and
presents front, including the two
wings, of one hundred and forty feet.
The grand rortico, having eight mass
i've Dorlc columns, occupies an area of |
sixty feet front and twenty-five feet in
depth. A park of two hundred acres,
dotted with groves of oak and chestnut |
trees, and cultivated on the river bank.
sloped eastward from the front; and be-
hind the mansion was an old forest |
Astounding with patriarchal trees centur-
les old. aud covering hills and dales
over eight hundred acres. A portion
of this forest has since disappeared.
and the soil is occupied by the remains
of thousands of Union soldiers who
persisted in the great Civil War of 1861
-65. On the verge of this cemetery
stands a haste marble monument erect
ed to the memory of Mr.. Custis
Near the northern end of the mansion
stood venerable weeping willow, the
of twig plucked by young
British officer from the famous willow.
,lanted by Pope at Twickenham, and