The Delaware City news. (Delaware City, Del.) 188?-18??, 1889-03-07

| General Harrison and Sergeant-at-
Arms Canaday also removed their hats.
1t was most impressive scene. Stand
ing, with uncovered heads, in the
midst of a pelting rain storm chat drove
the mist in their. faces, the Chief
Justice and the President-eIect, sur
rounded by high officers of state, and
In full view of an immense multitude
of citizens of all classes of society,
faced each other with bowed heads,
while the former read the oath of Office
In low tone OF voice. The oath re.
cited is in the following words:
81 do solemnly swear that I will
faithfully execute the office Of Presi-
dent Of the United States, and will, TO
the best of my ability, preserve. pro-
tect and defend the Con stitution Of the
United States.'
The oath differs In one material re-
spect from that taken by all other
officers OF the G0yezpment. The law
simply provides that the President
shall take an oath of Office while all
other officers of the Government are
required to also subscribe to one, the
trainers of the law evidently having In
view the solemn public ceremony held
to-day. AT the conclusion Of the reading
Of the oath, the President, with his
hand clasping the Bible. bowed his head
In assent. A silence almost painful
had marked this proceeding. and, when
1t was ended, there was another tre-
mendous burst of applause. The Bible
on which the oath was administered
was a black, flexible, morocco.bound
volume, about ten by eight inches il
size. 1t is the latest New York and
Oxford edition, printed on thin paper,
with gold edges, and is designed for
the use OF teachers, with supple
mentary notes and maps. In accord
ance with his custom, Mr.. McKenney,
Chief Clerk of the Supreme Court,
will present this book to Mrs. Harri.
| son as a precious memento Of the oc-
casion. The cheering which followed
this ceremony having at length sub.
sided somewhat, in Difference to Presi.
dent Harrison's request, he drew from
his pocket q roll Of manuscript, and
after adjusting his spectacles began
reading
HIS INAU GURAL ADDRESS.
After the Chief Justice of the Su.
preme Court had administered to him
the oath of office yesterday, President
Harrison stepped to the front of the
platform and delivered the following
address.
There is no constitutional or legal re-
quirement that the President shall take
the oath of office in the presence of the
people. But there is so manifest an aD-
propriateness in the public induction to
office of the chief executive officer of
the nation that from the beginning of
the Government the people, to whose
service the official oath consecrates the
officer. have been called to witness the
solemn ceremonial.
The oath taken in the presence of the
people becomes mutual eonvenant-
the officer covenants TO serve the whole
body Of the people by faithful execu-
tion of the laws, so that they may be the
unfailing defence and security of those
who respect and observe them, and that
neither wealth, station nor the power
of combinations shall be able TO eyade
their just penalties or to wrest them
from bene1cent public purpose to
serve the ends of cruelty or selfshness.
My promise is spoken; yours unspoken,
but not the less real and solemn, The
people of every State have here their
representatives. Surely do not mis-
interpret the spirit of the occasion when
assume that the whole body of the
people covenant with me and with each
other to-day to support and defend the
Constitution and the Union of the
States, to yield willing obedience to all
the laws, and each to every other citizen
his equal civil and political rights. En-
tering thus solemnly to covenant with
each other, we may reverently invoke
and confidently expect the favor and
help Of Almighty God, that he will give
to me wisdom, strength and fidelity,
and to our people spirit Of fratern-
ity and a love of Righteousness and
peace. This occasion derives peculiar
interest from the fact that the Presi-
Dental term, which begins this day, is
I the 26th under our Constitution. The
first Inauguration of President WASH
ington took place in New York, where
Congress was then sitting on the 30th
day of April, 1889, having been defer
red by reason Of delays attending the
organization of the Congress and the
canvass Of the Electoral vote. Our
people have already worthlly observed
the centennials of the Declaration of
Independence, of the Battle of York.
town and of the adoption of the Consti-
tuition, and will shortly celebrate in
New York the institution of the second
great department of our constitutional
scheme of Government. When the
centennial of the institution of the
Judicial department, by the organiza-
tion of the Supreme Court, shall have
been suitably observed, as it will be,
our Nation will have fully entered its
second century.
will not attempt to note the mar
vels and in great part happy contrasts
between our country as it steps over
the threshold into Its second century Of
organized existence under the Const!-
tuition, and that weak but wisely order
ed young nation that looked undaunt-
edly down the first century when all its
years stretched out before 1t.
PROGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC.
Our people will not fail at this time
to recall the incidents which accom-
panied the institution Of government
under the Constitution, or to find in
Spiration and guidance in the teachings
and example of Washington and his
great associates, and hope and courage
in the contrast which thirty-eight popu-
lar and prosperous States offer to the
thirteen States, weak in everything ex-
cept courage and the love Of liberty,
that then fringed our Atlantic sea-
board.
The Territory of Dakota has now
greater than any of the
original States Except Virginla) and
greater than the aggregate of live of the
smaller States in 1890. The centre of
population when our national capi-
tol was located was east of Balti-
more, and it was argued by all
well-in-formed persons that 1t would |
move eastward rather than westward.
Yet in 1880 it was found TO be near
Cincinnati, and the new census, about
TO be taken will show another stride to |
the Westward. That Which was the
body has come to be only the rich |
fringe Of the nations robe. But our
growth has not been restricted to |
territory, population and aggregate |