Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1889-03-14
The steps anc the poriicos at the north anG
south ends OF the Capitol were black with peo-
pie, while every window OF the great building
framed a group of faces. The procession moved


to the front of the portico. the President and
President-elect taking seats reserved for them
at the front of the stand, the Chief-Justlce
on their right and the sergeant-at-arms
of the Senate on their left. The committee of
ARRANGEMENTS occupied seats next to them.
Hon. Hannibal Hamlin and the Associate-Jus-
tees of the Supreme Court the Vice-PreSident,
secretary and members of the Senate the
right On the left sat the members of the dip
lomat;c corps, the heads of departments and
others, in the rear the members and members
elect of the House, and beh,nd them those per-
sons who had occupied places in the galleries.
When all had been settled, the President-eect
arose and the Chief-Justice administered to him
the oath OF office. The great crowd on the plat
form rose and remained standing with uncov-
cred heads during this ceremony. AS the Presi-
dent bowed his head and kissed the open Book
the crowd cheered again and again. Turning
from the Chief-Justice to the little rostrum
that had been erected in front OF the stand
President Harrison began the delivery OF his
Inaugural Address. He said:
THE INAUGURAL ADDRESS.
There is no constitutional or legislative re-
Quirement that the President shall take the
oath OF office in the presence OF the people
But there is so manifest an appropriateness in
the public induction to office of the Chief
Executive officer of the Nation that from the
beginning OF the Government the people to
whose service the official oath consecrates the
ofhcer, have been called to witness the solemn
ceremonial Inc oath taken in the presence
OF the people becomes mutual covenant: the
officer covenants to serve the whole body of
the people by Il faithful execution of the laws.
so that they may be the unfailing defense
and security of those who respect and observe
them. and that neither wealth, station nor the
power of combination shall be able to evade
their just penalties, or to wrest them from
beneficent public purpose to serve the ends of
cruelty or selfishness. My promise is spoken;
yours unspoken, but not the less real and
solemn. The people of every State have here
their representatives Surely do not msin-
terpret the spirit of the occasion when / as
sumo that the whole bodyof the people covenant
with me and with each other to-day to support
and defend the Constitution and tue Union of
the States; to yield willing obedience to all
the laws and each to every other citi-
zen his equal civil and politics al
rights. Entering thus solemnly into
covenant with each other, we may reverently
invoke and confidently expect the favor and
help of Aim ghty God, that He Will give to me
wisdom, strength and fidelity, and to our peo-
pie spirit OF fraternity and u love of right
cousness and peace.
This occasion derives peculiar Interest from
the fact that the pres DENTAL term, which be-
gins this day, is the tweuty-siXth under
Constitution. The first Inauguration OF PreSi-
dent Washington took place n New York,
where Congress then sitting. on the thir-
tieth day of April, 1879, having been deferred by
reason of delays attending the organization of
the Congress and the canvass Of the electoral
vote.