Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1889-03-09
The procession was then formed in the fol


A. A. Wilson, and the marshal of the SUI
preme court, J. M Wright.
Hon Hannibal Hamlin, ex-vice president
Of tho United States.
Chief Justice Fuller and the associate JUS
tices of the supreme court.
Col. CaHaday, sergeant-at-arms of the
The committee OF arrangements Senators
Hoar, CutIom and Cockrell
President Cleveland and President-elect
Harrison.
Vice President Morton and Gen. Arson
McCook, the secretary OF the senate.
Then came tho members of the senate, two
and-two, headed by Senator Edmunds and
Senator Ingalls,. the members OF the diplo
matte corps Tie heads of departments, the
general OF the army and the admiral of the
navy. members OF the house of represents
tives, led by cx-Speaker Carlisle and Gen.
john B. Clark, the ex-clerk of the house, and
following them, the distinguished guests and
others who had occupied seats in the senate.
The procession proceeded through the ro-
tunda Of the capitol, through the main en-
trance on the east front and out upon the
great platform which had been erected on
the central portico. As the president and
the president-eIect appeared they were
greeted with cheer after cheer from the
dense throng that surrounded the platform
The steps and the pofticos at the north and
south ends of tho capitol were black with
people, while every window of the great
building framed group of ia .es.
When all had been settled the president
elect rose and the chief justice administered
to him the oath of Office. The great crowd
ON the platform rose and remained standing
with uncovered heads during this ceremony.
As the president bowed his head and kissed
the open book, the crowd cheered again and
again Turning from the chief justice to the
little rostrum that had been erected in front
of the stand, President Harrison began de-
livery of his inaugural address.
He said:
There is no constitutional or legal re
quirenent that the president shall take the
oath of office in the presence Of the people.
But there is so manifest an appropriateness
in the public induction to office of the chief
exec utive officer of the nation that from the
beginning of the government of 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 a mutual
covenant, the officer covenants to serve the
whole body of the people by faithful execu-
ton of the laws, so that they may be the un.
failing defense and security of those who re-
spect and serve them, and that neither
wealth, station nor the power of combina-
lions shall be able to evade their just penal
ties or to wrest them from a beneicient pub
lie purpose to serve the ends Of cruelty or
selfishneSs
my promise is spoken yours unspoken-
but not the less real and solemn. The people
of every state have here their representa-
tives Surely | do not misinterpret the
spirit of the occasion when assume that the
whole body of the people covenant with
and with each other to-day to support
defend the constitution and the union
states, to yield willing obedience to all the
laws and each to every other citizen his
equal, civil and political rights. Entering
thus solennly into covenant with each other,
we may reverently invoke and confidently
expect the favor and help of Almighty God,
that he viii give to me wisdom, strength and
fidelity, and to our people a spirit of fratern-
ity and a love of Righteousness and peace.
This occasion derives peculiar interest
from tho fact that the presidential terms
which begins this day is the twenty sixth
under our constitution The first Inaugural
ton of President Washington took place in
New York, where congress was then sitting,
on the 30th day of April, 1859, having been
deferred by reason of DELAYS attending the
organization OF the congress and the.canvass
of the electoral vote. Our people have al
ready worthily observed the centennials of
the Declaration of Independence, of the bat
tie of Yorktown and of the adoption of the
constitutions; 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
organization of the supreme court shall
have been suitably observed as trust it will
be, our nation Will have fully entered Its Sec
ond century.
81 will not attempt to note the marvellous,
and, in great part, happy contrasts between
our country as it steps over the threshold
into its second century of organized exist
ence under the constitution, and that weak
but wisely ordered young nation that looked
undauntedly down the first century, when
all its years stretched ont before it.
''0ur people will not fail at this time to re-
cali the incidents which accompanied the in
stitutiOn OF government under the constitu-
ton, or to find Inspiration and guidance in
the teachings and example of Washington
and his great associates, and hope and cour-
age in the contrast which thirty EIGHT popu-
lnus and prosperous states offer to the thir-
teen states, weak in everything except cour-
age and the love of liberty, that then fringed
our Atlantic seaboard.
The territory of Dakota has now popu-
lation greater than any of the orig inal
states, except Virginia, and greater than the
aggregate of five Of the smaller states in
| 1880. The center OF population, when our
/ RGllOnhi tdplttl WIS lOCtNtu, was cuSl VI
| Baltimore, aud it was argued by many well
I Informed persons that it would move east
ward rather than westward. Yet in 1880
| II was found to be near Cincinnati, and In
| 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 cur growth
| has not been limited to territory, population
and aggregate wealth, marvellous rs il has
been in each of these directions
The masses OF our people are better fed,
clothed and housed than their fathers We're
| The facilities for popular education have
been vastly enlarged and more generally
| diffused. The virtues Of courage and patriot
ism have given recent proof of their contin-
ued presence and increasing power in the
hearts and over the lives o4r people The
influences of religion have been multiplied
and strengthened, The sweet offices of
charity have greatly increased. The virtue
of temperance is held in higher estimation.
We have not attained ideal condition.
Not all of our people are happy and prosper
Gus; not all of them are virtuous and law
| abiding; but, on the whole, the opportunities
| offered to the individual to secure the COM
forts of life are better than are found else
| where, and largely better than they we're
| here one hundred years ago
The surrender OF large measure of SOW
ereignty TO the general government, effected
by the adoption of the constitution, was not
accomplished until the suggestions of reason
were reinforced by the more imperative
voice of experience. The divergent interests
OF peace speedily demanded more perfect
nnion.' The merchant the ship master and
the manufacturer discovered and disclosed
| to our statesmen and to the people that COM
nercial emancipation must be added to the
| political freedom which had been so bravely
won. The commercial policy of the mother
country had not relaxed any of its hard and
oppressive features.
ITO hold in check the development of our
conimerGal marine, to prevent or rctard the
establishment and growth Of manufacture in
the states, and SO to secure the American
market for their shops, and the carrying
trade for their ships, was the policy of Euro
pcan statesmen, and was pursued with the
most selfish vigor. Petitions poured in upon
congress, urging the imposition of dis
eliminating duties that should encourage the
production of needed things at home, The
patriotism of the people, which no longer
| found field of exercise in war, ener
| getically directed to the duty of equipping
the young republic for the defense of its
Independence by making its people self-de-
| pendent
Societies for the promotion Of home manu-.
features and for encouraging tho use Of do
mesties in the dress of the people were or
| ganized In many of the states. The revival
at the end Of the century OF the same patri-
! otto interest In the preservation and deyel-
opment OF domestic industries, and the de.
Tense of our working people against injurious
| foreign competition, is an incident worthy OF