New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-04-28


| and misery.
Under thc conduct Of the Congressional Com
mittee. Washington proceeded through the court
Of the Federal Building mp into the SENATE Cham
bcr The Vice President and the Speaker OF the
IIouse were standing, ms he entered, the one on
the hight and the other on the left of the Vice
Presidents desk Below grouped upon the door,
were both houses Through the aisle when
seprltcd them Washington advanced, b0wlng
with grave dignity on either hand Admins stepped
down upon the door, and Offering his arm. escorted
the President TO the chair. There was Il moments
solemn hush, and then Mr. Adams, his voIcc
brca king sharply the stiffness of th' shnmoer'
said: Sir. the Senate and the House Of RcIre-
sentntvcs Of the United States of America are
ready TO attend you to take tho oath prescribed
by the Constitution. 1t will be administered by
the Honorable, the Chancellor of the State Of
Ncw-YOrk.'
Il am ready to proceed replied Washington
He arose and walked between Adams and Living
ston ont upon the open balcony in the full sight
of III, people, where by special resolution OF
Congress the ceremony was appointed to take
place As many Members of Congress MS the
balcony would hold crowded ont upon it, and
with thrS. were also Governor Clinton General
Knox General st. Clair and Baron St"uben The
spectacle presented in the streets below is one not
| unfamiliar TO the people Of today who are Accus-
toned during political campaigns to assemble
upon this same spot 10 hear speeches made from
the steps OF the Sub-Ircasury building Bnt IL
may well be- doubted if any such scene has ever
been presented in this assembly ground of busy
men as tn, eyes of Washington gazed upon on
that birthday Of free government. Dressed in n
plain suit Of dark brown cloth, with his hair
powdered and bagged, wearing whit silk stock
incs and short dress sword, he stepped directly
| forward TO the balcony railing. placed his hand
mon his heart and bowed low to the people he
loved so we'll and had faithfully served. His
appearance was greeted with magnificent testi-
monial Of populIr devotion. Hats flew into the
air Flags aud banners were thrown up"a the
breeze. and in Il grand chorus of reclamation the
| people gave vent to their JOY and their love.
! They filled the open space in front ct the nan.
| They extended mp and down Wall-st and FAR
into Broad. Every house-top was covered, every
wdc-opcn window filed. thousand litth hand
| l,crchiefs Huttcrcd from icwcllcd fingers that
pl,sad only 10 begin again Running through
the volume Of welcoming sound that rose AMI
| died away and rose again. there was
vein of p,aycrful monotone produced Ivy
| SOLEMN cries Of "God bless WASHINGTON"
Never was king or conqucror the recipient Of such
bic only to a man the glory Of whose deeds was
ohscurcd by no selfish desire for power, and whose
| triumphs were the triumphS Of the people.
Washington afterward confessed that the emo
| ti6n which came over him at this moment com
| plctcly unncrvcd him He bent low his majestic
| figure that AT It's full height lowered above all
| those around him. and bent it again and again.
| Then rs if unable longer TO keep upon his feet.
| he Withdrew from the railing and sat in an arm
| chair That had been placed in the centre o. The
! balcony Instantly the cheering ceased and every
ear was inclined to hear the ceremonies about 10
begin In another minute Washington arose and
came forward again, making IA slight salutauon
TO Chancellor Livingston. The Secretary Of the
Senate. Mr. Otis. stood between the two, holding
an open Bible, upon which Wa>hington's right
hand rcvrrcnty rested.
Livingston read the oath fou do sol,mnly
swear he said, that yon will faithfully eNccut"
the Office of President OF the United States. ard
will to the best of your ability, preserve protect
and defend the Constitution Of the United States"
Washington's response came forth in low tones,
| but enunciatcd with slow dstinctness and so
great measure of feeling as TO propcl them far
| ont among the crowd. " / dc sOlrmnlv swear
no rrpcltod. THAT will faithfully execute the
office of President Of the United States, and wi
TO tho best Of my ability preserve, protect and
| defend the Constitution Of the United States.
Then he lifted his eyes for "A moment toward the
| Heaven whence, throughout lis carer, he pro-
| fcssrd over 10 have drawn inspiration, 'nd said
So-bclp-mr-Cod! He hcnt over the Bible
and kissed lis open page. He WAS the PRESIDE nj
Instantly tlc flag flew aoft from the cupoa Of
the hall Again the people clrcrrd and chr"rcd
until the air was filled with the noise Of their re-
IL. f.p In
dr,d guns doomed forth heaviest discharges, while
all the bell, of the town swung back and forth in
Il d,Iirium Of sound The President made final
bow TO the multitude and walked back into tn,
Senate Chamber.
Congress Immediately resumed its Joint session
and adams announced that il was " the prcS-
dents pleasure 10 address the senate and the
House" A. Wa h. gt,u arose h TWO hcu, 5 arc e.
despite the fact that in Parliament the Lords sat
and the Commons stood" The President had not
vet recovered his composurc. He read his adj
dress from manuscript. but he had become so ner-
vous that it WAS with difficulty lie made himself
understood. His hands trrmbled, his usually pale
face was startngly white. He made painful
pauScs and awkward gestures One OF the Scna-
tors present in recording these Indications of en-
barrassmcnt adds that he Inns If felt much hurt
that this first OF men not the first in every
thing This speech, which Madison had rendered
considerable assistance in preparing was as fol-
lows:
lNAIGTRAL ADDRESS.
FcllowCitlzcn of the Senate and House Of Repre-
sentatiVCs:
Among the vicisSitudes incident to life, no event
could have tllel me with greater anXictie-, than
that OF which the notification was Transmitted by
your ORDER and received the l4th day OF this
month. On the enc hand was summoned by my
country, whose voice 1 can never hear but with
vcneratiOn and love, from "A retreat which had
chosen with the fOndcSt prediction. and, III my
Hattcrng hopes with an mmutIhle decision, rs
the asylum OF my declining years II retreat which
was rendered every day more nccc Sary and more
dear me. by the addition Of habit 10 incnatlon,
md ~ my hpnlfh % the