The Portland daily press., 1889-05-01
PRICE THREE CENTS

1 the new OK COnBIeSS, on TINS very SPOT.
| the unanimously chosen Commander-ln-
| Chief Of the Continental Army, urging the
i people to more vigorous measures, and made
| painfully aware Of the increased desperation
| OF the struggle, from the aid 10 DO given TO
| the enemy by domestic sympathlzers. when
| pany which escorted him was TO perform the
| like service for the British Governor Tryon
ON his landing on the morrow. Returning
| for the defence OF the city the next summer.
which secured from Frederick the Great the
| opinion, that q great commander had ap-
| Deared, and at Harlem Heights
| he won the first American victory
that confidence 10 our raw recruits against
the famous veterans Of Europe which car
| ried our army triumphantly through the war.
| Six years more Of untold sufferings, Of freez-
ing and starving camps, Of marches over the
snow by bare-footed soldiers TO heroic attack
and splendid victory, Of despair with an un-
paid army, and Of hope from the generous
assistance OF France, and peace had come
and Independence triumphed. As the last
soldier OF the invading enemy embarks,
Washington at the head OF the patriot host
enters the city, receives the welcome and
gratitude Of its people, and In the tavern
which faces us across the way, In silence
more eloquent than speech, and with tears
which choke the words, he bids farewell for
eyer to his companions In arms. Such were
| the erowding memories Of the past suggested
TO Washington in 1883 by his approach 70
| New York. But the future had none Of the
| promise which have since attended the In
| augurati0n OF our Presidents. An untried
| scheme, adopted mainly because Its admins
| tration was to be c0nhded to him,
knew that he was to be met at every step
| Of constitutional progress by factions tenn
pOrarlly hushed into unanimity by the ter
rife force Of the tidal wave which was bear
ing him TO the Presidents seat, but hereely
hostile upon questions affecting every power
Of nationality and the existence Of the Fed
eral government.
Washington was never dramatie,i but on
great occasions he not only rose TO the full
ideal Of the event, he became himself the
procession OF foreign Ambassadors, OF
statesmen. and generals, Of civic societies
and military companies, which escorted aim
marched from Franklin Square 10 Pearl
street, through Pearl to Broad. and up
Broad to this spot, but the people saw only
Washington. As he stood upon the steps OF
the old Government Building here the thought
must have occurred to him that II was q
cradle OF liberty, and as such giving bright
omen for the future. In these Halls In l735,
in the trial Of John Zenger, had been estab-
lished for the first time In its history, the
liberty Of the Press. Here the New York
Assembly. in 1764, made the protest against
the Stamp Act, and proposed the general
United Colonial action. In this old State
House In 1T65 the Stamp.Act Congress, the
first and the father Of American Congresses.
assembled and presented TO the English
Government that vigorous protest which
caused the repeal Of the act, and checked the
first step towards the usurpation which lost
the American Colonies to the British En-
pire. Within these walls the Congress OF
the Confederation had commissioned It's
ambassadors abroad. and In Intellectual ef-
forts at government had created the necessity
for the concentration OF Federal authority,
now to be cOnSummated.
Tho first Congress Of the United States
gathered In this ancient temple Of liberty,
greeted Washington and accompanied him
TO the balcony. The famous men visible
about him were Chancellor Livingston,
Yice-President John Adams. Alexander
Hamilton, Governor Clinton, Roger Sherman
Baron Steuben. But we believe that among
the invisible host above him at this supreme
moment of the elimination In permanent
triumph Of the thousands Of years Of strug-
gle for self-government, were the spirits OF
the soldiers Of the revolution who had died
that their countrymen might enjoy this
blessed day, and with them were the BarOns
of Runnymede and William the Silent, and
Sidney and Russell, and Cromwell and
Hampton. and the heroes and martyrs Of
liberty Of every race and age.
As he came forward, the multitude In the
streets, in the windows, and on the roofs
sent up such raptuous shout that Washing
ton sat down overcome with emotion. As he
slowly rose and his tall and majestic form
again appeared, the people, deeply affected,
In awed silence viewed the scene. The
Chancellor s0lemnly read 10 him the oath OF
Office, and Washington, repeating, said, II
do solemnly swear that will faithfully exc
cute the once Of President Of the United
States, and will, to the best Of my ability.
preserve, protect and defend the eonstltu-
ton Of the United States" Then he reyer-
emily bent low and kissed the Bible, uttering
with profound emotion, $50 help me, God"
The Chancellor waved his robes and shout
ed, at is donel Long live George Washing
ton, President Of the United States" Long
live George Washington, our first Presi-
dentp' was the answering cheer Of the peo--
pie, and from the belfries rang the bells, and
from forts and ships Numbered the cannon,
ech0ing and repeating the cry with respond
ing acclaim all over the land, Long live
George, Washington, President Of the United
Statesi"
The simple and imposing ceremony over,
the Inaugural read, the blessing OF God
prayerfully petitioned in old st. PauPs, the
festivities passed; and Washington stood
alone. No one else could take the helm OF
State, and enthusiast and donbter alike
Of the past had educated the people to faith
in the independence Of their States, and for
the supreme authority OF the new govern
ment there stood against the precedent OF a
century and the passions OF the hour, little
besides the arguments Of Hamilton, Madison
aud Jay in the Federalst. and the Judgment
of Washington. With the first attempt to
exercise National power began the duel TO
the death between State sovereignty claim
ing the right to nullify Federal laws or
secede from the Union, and the power Of the
republic to command the resources OF the
country, to enforce its authority and protect
its life. 1t was the beginning OF the sixty
years war for the constitution and the
nation. 1t scared cOnsctences, degraded
politics, destroyed parties, ruined statesmen
and retarded the advance and development
OF the country; 1t sacrificed hundreds OF
thousands Of precious lives, and squandered
thousands Of millions OF money, u desolated
the fairest portion Of the land and carried
mourning into every home North and South;
but 1t ended at Appomattox In the absolute
triumph of the republic.
Posterity owes to Washlngton'S admins
tration the policy and measures, the force
and direction which made possible this
glorious result. In giving the organization
Of the Department OF State and foreign re-
lations to Jefferson. the Treasury to
Hamilton and the Supreme Court TO Jay. he
selected for his Cabinet and called TO his
assistance the abest and most eminent men
OF his time Hamilton's marvellous versa
tility and genius designed the armQry and
the weapons for the promotion OF national
power and greatness, but Washingt0n's
steady support carried them through. Par
ties crystalized. and party passions were
intense, debates were incorporate, and the
Union openly threatened and secretly
plotted against, as the firm pressure OF this
mighty personality funded the debt and
established credit, assumed the States debts
incurred in the war OF the Revolution and
superseded the local by the national obliga-
ton. imposed duties upon imports and excise
upon spirits and created revenue and re-
sources, organized national banking system
for public needs and private business. aud
called out an army TO put down by force OF
arms resistance to the Federal laws impos-
ing unpopular taxes. Upon the plan
marked out by the Constitution, this great
architect, with unfaillng faith and unaflter-
ing courage, builded the republic. He gave
to the government the principles OF action
and sources Of power which carried II sue
cessfully through the wars with Great
Britain In 1872 and Mexico In 1873, when
enabled Jackson to defeat nullihcatlon, ana
recruited and equipped millions OF men t9t
Lincoln and justified and sustained MS
Proclamation Of Emancipation.
The French Revolution was the bloody
reality Of France and the nightmare OF the
civilized world. The tyranny. OF centuries
eliminated In frightful reprisals and reckless
reYenges. As parties rose TO power and
passed to the guillotine, the frenzy OF revolt
against all authority reached every country,
and captured the imaginations and enthus-
iasm of millions In every land, who believed
they saw that the madness Of anarchy, tho
oyerturning Of all institutions, the confs-
cation and distribution Of property, would
end In millennium for the masses and tho
universal brotherhood Of man. Enthusiasm