Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1889-05-02

| 4AkaaA MAZUNl
WASHINGTON TAKING THE OATH
played on the cupola of the hall, the signal
for general discharge Of artillery on the
battery, ALI the bells in the city rang out a
joyful peal, and the multitude rent the air
with acclamatiOns F
Washington again bowed to tho people
and returned into the Senate chamber,
where he delivered to both Houses of Con-
gress his inaugural address with q voice
slightly tremulous and so low as to demand
close attention on the part OF his listeners.
After this he proceeded with the whole as
semblage on foot to St Paurs Church where
prayers suited to the occasion were read by
Rev. DR.. PROVOST, Bishop of the Protestant
Episcopal church in New York, and who had
been appointed one of the chaplains Of
Congress. The whole day was gwen over
to rejoicing and the evening to brilliant
Examinations and firewOrks
Under such circumstances and with such
a spirit did the immortal Washington enter
upon the discharge OF his duties as the first
OF a long line of Presidents
An Eight Days Journey.
Before setting out on the direct Journey
to New York, Washington went to Feeder
icksburg to bid adieu to his mother, then
nearly eighty years of age, and, as she then
predicted, it was their last meeting on
earth. On the morning of April 16 17Ss,
Washington babe adieu to Mount Vernon, to
private life and domestic felicity, and with
a mind oppressed with anxious and painful
sensations set out for New York with Mr..
Thomson and Colonel Humphreys. He was
eight days on the road, travelling in his pri-
waite carriage, preceded in q stage by his
private secretary, Tobias Lear. 1t was his
desire to make the journey privately, but SO
great was the enthusiasm all along the line
that this was impossible. Indeed at the
very threshold of his own estate he was
met by a cava1cade of the citizens of Alex
andria, his neighbors and friends, and in
vited to attend public dinner in that city,
which invitation he reluctantly accepted
and whereat he was welcomed by the mayor
in a touching speech. From this point on
his trip was continued ovation. Approach
ing Philadelphia he was met by a cavalcade
under the command of his old companion
in-arms, General st. Clair, and escorted to
the city. At the crossing of the Schuylkill
touching incident occurred. From a tri-
unphal arch beneath which he passed a
little girl perched aloft dropped upon his
head a civic crown amid the wild huzzahs of
That night there was banquet at the "city
tavern, - attended by the State and municipal
officials, and the city was brilliant with il
Nominations and fireworks
A military escort was to have proce eded
with Washington to Trenton the next day,
but rain prevented the pageant and he and
his suite went alone in a close carriage
Thence on through New Jersey he went by
the same road over which his little army
had fed in 1776. At Elizabeth Point he was
received by committees of the two houses
of Congress- Federal State and municipal
officials, and a great concOurse of citizens.
To carry him across the bay to New York
City splendid barge had been prepared,
manned by thirteen master pilots in white,
under command of Commodore James Mich
olson. There were other barges, almost
equally handsome, for the Congressional
committees and heads of departments and
private barges fell into line, forming grand
f1otilla that moved across the beautiful bay,
the oars keeping time to the strains of vocal
and instrumental music. All the vessels in
the harbOr but one were gayly decked with
flags and upon some of them parties Of
ladies and gentlemen sung congratulatory
odes. The Spanish man-of-war Galveston
alone displayed no token of respect Sur
prise and Indignation were finding expires
sion when, in an instant, as the Presidents
barge came abreast of her, her yards were
manned as if by magic; every part OF her
rigging displayed flags of all nations, with
the effect. as Losing says, of an immense
shrub bursting suddenly into gorgeous
bloom and the roar of thirteen cannon, dis
charged in quick succession, attested the
respect of the Spanish Admiral for the first
President The effect upon the multitude
was electrical, and over bay and city a
shout, long and loud, floated upon the noon
tide air.
At Fort George and the battery great
crowd had assembled Governor Clinton
was there to receive Washington and so was
General Knox. Declining to enter q car
rage in waiting Washington walked to his
lodgings aE ONgood's house on Cherry street
followed by long civic and military pro-
cession. Every house on the route was dec
grated with flags and silken banners. gar
lands of flowers and evergreens Every
window to the highest story was filed with
fair women and brave men. Every imam
innate object seemed alive with the waving
of handkerchiefs and hats. From the skies
apparently fell flowers like snowflakes in 9
storm, and in every possible form of unique
device and ingenious ornamentation the
name of washington" was suspended from
| roof to roof and upon fanciful arches con.
structed for the occasion.
Washington dined with Governor Clintor
and at night the house was brilliantly illu.
minated, as were 1nueeO most houses IN Gne
city, and yet with all this demonstration Of
| confidence and affection Washington ha6
| sad sensations -'sensations as sad as pleas
ing, in view of what might be, /" as he wrote
| in his diary.
Interesting Statistics.
| At the beginning of the year 1875 the en-
tire debt of the country was more that ~,
COG. COO. Over s34 00O, 600 was due at home
and the remainder In France, Holland and
Spain. The interest, or nearly 81, 56O, QUO a
! year, could not be collected; In fact no!
enough to pay the interest on the foreign
loanA
| In lisa Albany, N Z. was Dutch town