New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-04-28
THE INATGURdTION.
HOW WASHINGTON TOOK THE OAIH'

4 MOMENT OF DEEP EMOT1ON-JOYOUS FEST1
yITIFS OF TIE DAY.
Ouito of IFS own motion New York had mao"
great preparations TO receive the new Govern
mcnt. in view Of which it may well be contended
that the city was badly treated by Congress IN
the removal OF the capital so soon aitcrwar"
Whatever may he said OF the state, the CITY
was artlently FcderaiSt, and IT welcomed the
statesmen of the Nation with generosity winch
was illy repaid The City Hall then stood on
thc site of the present Sub.1rcasury Binding on
the corner of Wall and Nassau SIS. The people
turned it over 10 the Federal Government ana
made their rift the richer by employing MAJOR
EEnfant 10 pnt it in the best possible order
r. money rcarircd for this work, $4,000, the
ncople OF Ncw-Yurk City raised 10y the simple and
direct process OF putting thcir hands III their
rockets In It's finished state In" Federal llall
presented a very respectable appearance lis front
balconies looked down liioad-St. II possessed an
ample yard It's lower floor was II grand court,
entered through seven openings. In the centre
four great stone pillars held up rs many Doric
columns It's National character was shown by
variety of appropriate insignia. The lr czc was
emf into thirteen divisions, and N each great
star typifcd It's several State. In III" pedlm'nt
an American eagle exceedingly manifest,
and over each window appeared bundle OF
thirteen arrows Major L'Entant had distinguished
himself in tlc accommodations he had provided
for the Congress. This brilliant Frenc hman, 10
whom the American people are indebted for much
more than the actual work of his hands, though
that was considerable. came 10 America when he
was twcntv.two Those were days when brains
Of the first order found everything responsive
10 their Influence, and his rise in the army was
rand He designed the jewel for tho order OF
the Society Of the Cincinnati, which Knox Sug-
gcstcd and organized ST IhuT> Church and
the present City Hall, conceded TO be one Of the
most beautiful models for public building
N the world. were Of his designing. while his
services in the planning Of Washington City
were incalculahe.
LEnfant ran vcstibulc directly through tho
Federal Hall He placed the Senate Chamber,
40 feet long and 80 feet wide, upon the left
side The three front windows opened upon q
larger portico that overhung WalSt. and looked
down Broad, and upon this portico Washington
stood when he took the oath of Office. The
pilastcrs with which the Senate Chamber was
decorated were al invention OF LEnfant'S. ihe
chamber was entered through a long and handsome
lobby decorated richly. On the ceiling Of the
Senate Chamber were thirteen rcsplcndent stars
in q dome of light blue. Its fire. places were
very wide and built Of solid marble. Upon its
walls hung several portraits Of illustrions per
sonagcs the only two OF any artistic Valrc
being those Of our beloved allies,
Their Most Christian Majcstcs Of Spain
The hail Of the Representatives, was
entered from the right side OF the balcony, and
| was nearly twice large the Senate Chamber
It. was IN octngcnal apartment Ionic columns
| and pilnstcrs lowered above the windows. a.l III
the panels between them were various significant
decorations and the letters L. $. within Laurel
wreath The members seats were III sem-circes
around the Speakers desk, which, elevated con-
spicuously was hung about with sllken curtains
The building was not quite ready for Congress-
occupancy when Washington arrived, and ~ well
10 give the workmen time 10 inlsL their task us
10 settle several questions which TO It, AT least
seemed important, Congress, sitting in thr interim
Al No II Broadway, resolved & postpone the IL
auglral ceremonies until April 30.
The first Of these important questions concerned
,hp style in which the President should bc ad-
dressed and il is amusing 10 read the speeches
in Congress and the letters IN the newspapers Of
the day upon that tremendous subject he VICE
President. who loved all kinds Of ceremonial was
| quite worked up about IT. lie and many OF the
Senators, notably RICHARD Henry Lee, who. it will
be remembered, Illuminated against the ConStltu-
ton largely because he thought II aristOcratIc.
wanted to call Washington " His llighness the
President Of the United States and the Protector
| OF Their Liberties II WIS very properly urged
as an objection 10 this suggestion thax although II
| had great deal Of sound abo'- ~ lighness'
in Europe was mere prince, 10 call Wash
iagteny that WAS 70 aoknow' ,e American
Il