The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1889-12-12
FATHER OF HIS COUNTRY.
CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION OF
HIS INAUGURATION.

ton That Siam ps Him as One of the
Eloquent Men of the Country-A
Brilliant Company in Attendance on
the Exercises.
WASHINGTON, Dec. 1.-THE hour for
holding the ceremonies in commsmoration
Of the inauguration of George Washington.
the first President of the United States.
having been fixed at o'clock to-day, the
appearance of the hall of the House was an
unusual one. The arrangements on the
floor were admirably suited to take advant-
age Of every foot of available space In the
area in front Of the speakers desk were
placed massive chairs and sofas for the ac-
commodation of the President and his cab
ioet and the justices of the supreme
court. The two front rows on
the republican side were reserved
for the diplomatic corps, while
corresponding seats on the democratic side
were assigned to the district judiciary and
the members of the court of claims. The
members of the International American
Conference and the marine conference were
assigned seats to the rear of those to be
occupied by the diplomatic corps. Nearly
the whole of the right wing Of the
chamber was reserved for senators
and representatives, and in triangular spaces
behind the semicircle of desks were
placed chairs and sofas for the accommoda.
ton of distinguished invited guests. While
the galleries, to which admission was had
by ticket only, were comfortably full, there
was an absence of the crush around the
doors which has characterized similar occa-
sions in the past.
IN THE PRIVATE GALLERY
In the private gallery were seated Mrs.
Fuller, wife of the chief justice, and her
daughter; Mrs. Morton, wife of the Vice
President, and the families of the delegates
to the pan-American conferences. Mrs
Blaine, Miss Blaine, Miss Letter, Mrs. and
Miss Halford and Mrs. Wanamaker oc-
cupied seats in the diplomatic gallery.
AID Mts. Reid and Mrs. Carlisle were ac-
commodated in seats set apart for friends
of the speakers. .-.
The President and the members of his
cabinet gathered in the Presidents room,
adjoining the marble room of the Senate
corridors, while in the marble room we're
congregated the members OF the diplomatic
corps and the delegates to the pan-American
aud international maritime conference;
The latter apartment was blaze of colors,
the diplomats and delegates appearing in
all the gorgeousness of their official cos
tunes and the insignia of the various orders
to which they belong.
ENTRY OF THE PRESIDENTIAL PARTY.
At 1880 o'clock the persons in the Senate
wing waiting to move to the hall of the
House formed in line, and the procession
started. Two stalwart capitol police headed
the line, followed by Charles B. Rea6e.
acting assistant doorkeeper of the Senate,
representative of the sergeant-at-arms,
who was in charge of the arrange
ments. Then came President Harrison, arm
ia arm with Secretary Blaine, Secretary
Proctor and Attorney General Miller,
Secretary Tracy and Postmaster General
Wanamaker, and Secretary Rusk and
Private Secretary Halford. AS they passed
the supreme court chambers, the associate
justices in their robes of Office took their
places in the rear, according to the date of
their appointment. The members of the
Senate and the Senate employees followed,
headed by Capt. Bassett, the doorkeeper,
and Chaplain Butler, Vice President Nor
ton ana Secretary McCook Following
them we're the diplomatic corps and the
delegates to the conference, led by Chief
Clerk Lee. of the state department, and
Walker Blaine, examiner of claims.
Among the foreigners in the ranks were
the ministers of Great Britain, Mexico, the
Argentine Republic. Bolivia, Brazil, Chill,
China, Corea, Ecuador, France. Guate-
mala, Hayti, Honduras, Japan, Nicaragua
and Peru.
ENTRY OF THE PRESIDENT,
The hum of conversation was hushed in
the house when, at precisely l o'clock,
President Harrison and his cabinet were
announced and filed down the aisle, while
the representatives stood in respectful
silence. Hardly had they been seated when
the chief justice and associate justices of the
United States were ushered in. headed by
the officers of the court. Chief Justice Fuller
q hair on 1e lnf If loin
who himself sat on the left of the President.
The Vice President and members of the
Senate we're then announced, and as the
senator's were escorted TO their seats, Mr..
Morton assembled to the speakers chair and
assumed the gavel, Mr.. Reed standing on
his left. Gen. Schofield, commanding the
army, escorted by Gen. Rosecrans, having
taken their seats, the diplomatic corps,
attlred in gorgeous costumes, filed
them. They were followed by
the members of the pan-American and
International marine conferences, headed
by Admiral Franklin and Lieut. Cottman,
president and secretary, respectively y, of the
marine conference
CALLED TO ORDER
At lilo O'Clock all were seated, and the
vice president called the vast assembly to
order. After prayer by Rev. J. G. Butler
the chaplain of the Senate, during which
the multitude stood in reverential
silence, the marine band, stationed in the
south lobby, broke into the national air of
Hail Columbia. As the strain ended. the
chief Justice was escorted to the clerks
desk by Senator Hiscock and Representa-
tive Bayne, the chairmen of the committees
IN charge of the arrangements Chief
Justice Fuller read his Grafton in a pow
erful voice and with clear enunciation. and
ne was listened to with the greatest atten-
ZION and pleasure.
THE CHIEF JUSTICES GRAFTON.
In beginning his Grafton Chief Justice
Fuller said:
BY the terms of that section of the &C Of
congress under which we have assembled, in
1urther enumeration of the historic events of
me Inauguration OF the f1rst President of the
United States, George Washington, April
o. A. D. 1885, was declared a national
holiday, and in the noble city where that event
ceieorated with magnifcence of speech
and song and multitudnious
assembly of naval, military and civic display
accompanied by every manifestation of deep
love OF country, of profound devotion to its
Institutions and of intense appreciation of the
virtues and services of that illustrious man
whose assumption OF the chief magistracy gave
assurance of the successful setting in motion OF
the new government.
WHY he WAS FIRST.
Washington, the orator continued, had
become first in war, not so much by victo-