Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-05-01
INAUGURAL INCIDENTS.

A Remarkable Fact Cited-washingtOu
Very Nervous The Inaugural Costumes
of American Manufacture-WOmen En-
thusiastic.
One of the most remarkable points in con-
nection with the Inauguration of Washing
ton was that the first President was admins
tered the oath of Office by a man who had no
personal or political sympathy with him
whatever; who WAS, in fact, opposed to re-
publican institutions. Chancellor Robert
Livingston, of New York, who administered
the official oath to Washington, was man
as utterly unrepublican as could possibly be
found in a republic He had never been
warmly in favor of the separation of the
American colonies from the ''motpeE~coupl
*'y" albeit il was but stepmotber and he
i no faith whatever IN government of
the people, bv the people, for the people"
Chancellor Rooert Livingston was an aris-
tOerat by breeding and an Englishman by
theory; be was only United States citizen,
as it we're, under protest.
This man ii was who handed the Bible to
the freedom-loying, England-defying pa
triot, who had been elected unanimously the
first President of the greatest of all republi-
can governments. A stranger, stronger
contrast between the man himself and the
position he held than was exhibited in Rob
ert r. Livingston had never been presented
BY mortal man. In two respects, and two
only, did Chancellor Livingston and Presi-
dent Washington resemble each other-in
their personal dignity and spotless personal
character, but politically they were as far
apart as the poles.
WASHINGTON NERVOUS.
Throughout the inaugural ceremonies the
Chancellor was more composed and self-con-
trolled than the President In fact, Wash
ington had an attack of ''stage fright" dur
ing the ceremonies, and was once on the
verge of oflunning away in panic. He was
accustomed to controlling an army-trom
his horse or from his tent. He was used to
command ~ alike soldiers and slaves.
But he was not in the habit of
dealing with a multitude of civil
isns. He was not a trained orator, and
when be faced the admiring throng of his
own couutrymen he Notwithstanding be
had never done before the British. His face
grew ashy pale. He almost tainted. Had |
it not been for the moral and physical sup
port given him by his few most intimate |
friends-General Knox and Charles Lee |
George Washington would never have gone
through the routine of his Inauguration.
In his own diary, Washington writes of |
''having little hope of fulfilling the too fat
terlng expectations of his countrymen. He |
spoke Of himself with almost painful mod
esty as regards his official capabilities to his
Private Secretary, Charles Thompson, and |
his friend Colonel Humphreys while to his |
intimate confident Rev. Joseph Coling-
broke, he indicted a letter full of fore
bodings as to his probable failure as Presi-
dent.
AN AMUSING INCIDENT.
Even on April 30, when the hall was
ready and Washington dressed and waiting,
the people all along the line were impa-
tient, anxious and alarmed. An hour and |
a half went by; while Congress discussed
laws and doctrines? By no means; but
whether the President was to be received
sitting or standing. One reads the account
of those days with a smile, there was some
thing so infinitely amusing in it all. Said
John Adams: "Gentlemen-I wish for the
direction of the Senate. The President
will, suppose, address the Congress- How
shall behave? How shall we receive it?
Shall it be standing or sitting?" That
opened the discussion, which went on, wax
ing warmer and warmer, while the Presi-
dent waited at home and the people, as we
said, in the streets. Richard Henry Lee.
of Virginia, had been in the House of
Commons and in the House of Lords, and
he said that "the Lords sat and he Com
mons stood on the delivery of the Kings
speech" Ralph lizard saw a reason for
that, however, and was quick to point it
out-@the Commons stood because, arTiyed at
the House of Lords, there was nothing to
sit on. John Adams appealed to, remarked
with ehagrin, that he, too, had been in Par.
liameDt. but that ''there had always been
such crowd. and ladies along, he could
not see how il was" Even when the men,
bers went to meet the President at his house
come stayed behind to discuss these and
like questions
HOMEMADE SUITS.
Another point about the Inauguration of
Washington deserves special mention. He
made it point to be inaugurated as the irst
American President-weariDg q suit of
clothes wholly of American manufacture.
His coat and waisteoat were of American
cloth, his white silk stockings were made in
his native State, Virginia; he bought his
shoe buckles in New York. Even the
powder in his hair was of American manu-
facture. In every detail of apparel. as well
- in every detail Of character, the first and