The weekly messenger. [volume] (St. Martinsville [i.e. St. Martinville] La.) 1886-1948, 1889-07-06
A TRIUMPHAL TOUR.
WESTINGHOUSE TRIP FROM MT.
VERNON TO NEW YORK,
Making the Journey to be Installed
as the First President-BriII-
liant Rcceptionso on the Way
A Grand Naval Parade.

OF the first President it was found that
General Washington had received every
one that was cast, and never since has
such on honor been paid the representa-
tive of the nation. Washington was in
decd first in the hearts of his country
men" According to the pure and
unauthorized Constitution as it then ex-
listed. the second candidate in nomination
for the Presidential chair was declared
Vice President This honor fell to the
lot of John Adams, long prominent for
his wisdom in the halls of legislation.
His competitors were John Jay, Robert
II. Harrison, John Rutledge, John Han
cock. George Clinton, Samuel Hunting
ton. John Milton. James Armstrong,
Edward Telfair and Benjamin Lincoln.
Congress summoned the General to
take the oath of Office in New York. In
April, 1899, he left the peaceful retreat
in Mount Vernon. His coming was
heralded all along the route, and jubilant
thousands turned out to meet him. When
he arrived in the Quaker City the Phila-
delphians appeared TO have gone wild
with enthusiasm. Among the many dis
tinguished citizens who greeted him were
Governor St. Clair and General Mifiin.
"Long live George Washington, the
father of his people, " was the oft-repeated
joyous shout of the people as he passed
along the streets. He was present at a
grand banquet in his honor and adj
dresses were presented to him from every
class Of people. And through it all he
bore himself with a marvellous modesty
of demeanor tina: only deepened the re-
specJ and enlarged the admiration of his
courtrymen.
With equal enthusiasm he was received
at Trenton, to which city an escort from
Philadelphia had attended. Trenton
was historic in the Revolutionary War
Here once the embatled farmers stood
And fired the shot heard round the world.
This place had been rendered memoir
able by the capture of the Hessians and
by the repulse of the British troops near
the bridge over the Delaware, the night
before the battle of Trenton. Here his
path was literally strewn with flowers.
The ladies of Trenton had erected a
triumphal arch on the bridge of twenty
feet span, supported by thirteen pillars.
The decorations were lavish and beautiful
As the chieftain passed beneath the arch
a choir of girls dressed in white and
crowned with wrcaths and chaplets of
flowers scattered roses and lilies and other
flowers before him. A sonata had been
composed for the occasion which began:
Welcome, mighty chief, once more. .
And this the ma;dens sang. Suisse
quently General Washington remembered
them, especially when he returned thanks,
In card, for his reception.
The day Of embarkation, April 23d,
was lovely, clear and full of sunshine.
mnumerable craft, big and little, were
darling here and there preparatory to
taking their places in the aquatic cortege
As WaShington's barge pulled out from
the Jersey shore the thunder of artillery
announced the departure, and from thou
sands OF Threats n joyous shout Went up.
When the picturesque fleet emerged from
the narrow pass of the Kills into the
broad bay of New York the sight was
magnificent one, and SUCH IS had never
been witnessed before. Flags and all
Kinds Of nautical devices fluttered in the
breeze, thousands of swift moving oars
flashed IN the glorious sunlight, fieclling
the blue waters of the bay with glistening
loan, and every ship in the har6or was
gay with bunting, the Government ship,
Inc North Carolina, beng the most CON
Spieuous. There was one vessel, how
ever, bare of decoration. She was tine
galveston, Spanish man-of-war. Many
cIouded brow was turned toward her. S
just as the Generals barge came abreast {
o. her lightning change came over the 1
Spaniard. As if by magic there burst e
forth a display of flags, bunting and /
s'reamers, and from her sides came belch- c
Ing salute of thirteen guns. The COM )
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