Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1889-01-31
wAaaInefons NATURALIZATION.

wAsHlNeroas INAUGURATION
The differences between the Inaugural
ton Of President Of the United States |
in these DAYS and the same ceremony
when the country was young were never
more clearly emphasized than they were
recently when Mr. Clarence Winthrop
Bowen, of New York, read. before the
American Historical Association, his
paper on The Inauguration of George
Washington as President of the United
States.
The correspondence OF General Wash
ington, said Dir. Bowen. during the
fall and winter Immediately proceeding
his Inauguration as President showed
very clearly an unmistakable reluctance
on his part to assume the duties of the
office. Nearly all of his letters are in
that same strain. To Samuel Hanson
he said; my first wish is to be allowed
to spend he evening Of my days in the
quietude of private life" To Lafayette
he addressed similar remark, and to
Harry Knox he wrote: My movements
toward the presidential chair are like
those Of criminal going to the place
of execution Having said farewell
to his mother at Fredericksburg, and
having borrowed 5000 to defray the ex-
penses of his trip northward. Washing
ton, on April IS, left for New York in
his carriage, in company with Mr..
Thompson and Colonel Humphreys.
Scarcely had the two left Mount Vernon
when they were met by party OF
friends and admirers from Alexandria.
Together they proceeded to that city,
and there, at Wise's Tavern, great
dinner was served in honor of Wash
ington. Patriotic toasts were numerous
and speeches were not lacking.
Co. said the mayor, addressing the
President-elect in his farewell remarks,
Ego and make a grateful people happy.
SO overcome by his emotions was the
great General that he could scarcely
respond to the eulogistic farewells.
When, on the next day, be left Alex
andria he was accompanied to George
town by great crowd of not only men
and boys, but also by a large number
of women and children, forming a pro.
cession, which, said writer of that
time, ',was greater than any triumph
| ant Rome ever beheld.
The company was met half way by a
/ number of residents of Georgetown,
! who, not content with this. escorted the
! General as far north as Baltimore. Out
| side of that city the cayalcade WAS met
/ by number of the more prominent
citizens, and together they proceeded
to Grants Tavern, where supper was
served. The General went to bed at 10
o'clock, and was up before daylight on
the following morning Saturday.. At
| $50 the early breakfast had been dis
posed of, and, amid the cheers of the
people and the 'boom' of artillery,
Washington had started for Wilmington
1t was evidently the intention of the
escort TO accompany him to that place,
but when the procession had left Balti-
more seven mics behind il the General
insisted that the Baltimoreans return
| home, and they reluctantly complied
with his wish. Near Wilmington a
delegation was awaiting his approach,
and an address was read to him. He
was most Hospitality and reverently
cared for and was accompanied by
many DelawaTians to tho Pennsy lvania
line. Philadelphia had made great
preparations to receive the hero, 81 COG
had been appropriated to pay for a
great military reception, and individual
effort to do honor to Washington was
evident everywhere. Early on Monday
morning Washington arrived at Chester
and there he breakfasted. His carnage
was, by himself, ordered to the rear,
and when the journey was once more
taken up the President-eleot was
mounted on magnificent white horse
General Arthur st, CLAIR headed the
! lee.i notables who came out from Phil
adelphia to receive the passing guest.
| The crowd was an enormous one
greater than ever before seen in Phil
adelphia. Triumphal arches spanned
the streets. and decorations Of ever
green's and flags hid the fronts of the
houses. The boats on the river were
bedecked with the gayest colors, and
everywhere there were eulogislic and
patriotic motto9s. Gray's Ferry was
reached about noon, While passing
bareheaded beneath one of the arches
erected for the occasion Washington
| Miss Angelica Peale placed on his brow
the laurel wreath of the victor. The
Alliance and Spanish frigate at anchor
in the river fred salutes at Washington 5
approach, the bells of Christ church
were rung, the populace cheered, and
! the scene was one which could not be
forgotten by any of those who witnessed
| it. At the celebrated City tavern, at
/ Second and Chestnut Streets, great
banquet was served, and one of the
newspapers of chat time remarked that
II novel and extraordinary feature of
the occasion was the playing of music
by the band throughout the whole of
/ the dinner. 1t was busy evening for
/ Washington. He received large num-
! Der Of private citizens, and nearly every
/ institution in the city presented him
with complimentary address before
he left the city, which he did the next
morning. The City Troop had made
/ arrangements TO escort the General as
/ far us Trenton. but to this Washington
made strenerous objection because OF
the rain, which was then pouring down.
| The rain ceased, however, shortly afc
noon, and before two o'clock Washing
ton had left Philadelphia. His recep-
| ton at Trenton was characterized by the
! chroniclers OF those Days IS being mag
nilicent. A gigantic arch, covered with
/ suitable inscriptions, was the most
! prominent feature in the decorations.
! At the Trcnton end OF the bridge over
which Washington crossed inIo New
Jersey, were large number OF richly
dressed ladies, and immediately in front
OF them were their daughters, SIX Of
| them with baskets of flowers in their
hands. When the General approached
them, the procession stopped while the
ladies sang an ode composed for the
occasion, and the daughters strewed
the hero's pathway with the most fra
grant and beautiful flowers. Dinner
was eaten at Samuel Henry's City
Tavern, and Washington spent the
night at Princeton with the Rev DR..
John Wftherspoon. At = o'clock ON
Wednesday afternoon the party left for
Elizabethport, where he stopped at the
public house of Gen Smith. Here the
final stage of the journey commenced,
for it was here that Washington stepped
on board the great barge which was to