New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-04-28
WESTINGHOUSE JOURNEY.
THE IDOL OF TIE PEOPLE.
TIE RECEPTION IN NEw.YORK-N GREAT
PARADE

TIE RECEPTION IN NEwYoRK-N GREAT
PARADE
Secretary Thomson reached Mount Vernon on
April II, and delivered Iangdon's letter to tho
President. It said in fitting and simple words
have the honor to transmit TO your ENccllency
the information Of your unanimous election to tho
oflcc of President OF the United
States of America. Suffer me, sir. to
indulge the hope TINT so als1y-">-.-. =.
mark of public confidence will meet your appro-
baton and be considered rs a sure pledge Of the
affection and support you are to expect from a
free and an cnl shtened people, Washington in-
yitcd Mr. Thomson to wait a day or two nj Mount
Vernon AMI return with hm to the capital Tho
next day he visited his aged mother, and said aud
listened 10 the words tlat each knew would DO
tie last they would ever speak o. each other in
this world again. He returned to lis home the
same day. and the next he started for tho
capital In his diary on that day he wrote:
About | o o'clock badc adicu 70 d0unt Vernon,
10 private lite and to domestic felicity, and with
a mind oppressed with more anxious ana paInfhl
SENSATIONS than / have words 10 express set ouo
for New York. with thc best disposition to rcudcr
service TO my country IN obedience to as call but
with less hope of answering it's expectations"
Mrs Washington remained for time ut Mounu
Vernon, and the only occupants OF the Presidents
coach besides himself were Mr Thomson and hla
former aide, Colonel Humphreys The President
consented to partallr OF farewell banquet at
Alexandria, attended chiefly by his intimate
friends and ncghbor,. The Mayor, DENIM, laim-
s.y, made an eloquent and feeling address, IN
which he said:
Not to cNtol your glory a soldier, not 10 pour
forth our gratitude for past services, not to ac-
knowledge the Justice Of the uneNam Piled honor
which HIS been conferred upon you by me si,oh-
taucous and unanimous snHnisrs oil ".ooo'o4V
in
supreme Magi,tracy, not T. admire mo
patriotism winch directs your conduct, DO your
ncishbors and friends now address you. Themes
les, splendid, hn' NOR 'nd"Hrlns impress our
minds. The first and best II Citizens must leave
u.s. car aged must lose their ornament, our youth
their molcI our agriculture IFS ImproFer, onr
commerce tS friend oar infant academy IT'S pitrons
cur poor their brnrlac'or
W ,,hlurion was much touched by these ex-
rrc>slons and hi, reply was spoken with an emo-
ton lie was quite u'.ibc 10 hide. He sad
Although ouaht not 10 conceal, yet cannot
describe, the PAINFUL emotions iclt IN DING
called upon to determine whether ! would accept
or refuse the Presidency of the United States
The unanimity in IL" choice the opinion OF
nv friends, communicated from different parts 81
Lurope. a. sell ~ America, the apparent wi'h OF
those who were not entirely satisfied WIN the
Constitution ia H., present form, ana an hrdeht
desire Oh my own part 10 be Instrumental III CON,
chatting thu goodwill # ny couptrtmcn toward
each othcf have induced an dr'cpthirc itos"'
who know me best and yon, m! l'iio" ci'i , nrna,
,,er tI,;, any other, that nv love Of retire
NOM i, 80 great that no earthly CONSIDERATION
short Of a conviction OF duty, c"IId nav ro.
vailed upon me- 10 depart from my fcsoltuDn
never more TO take any share III uals''cu"ns
Of public nature .,,-,.
Almost every step Of his route from AieAa''"ri.
T. New York va made memorable by some ooHeh ..
rho generation aid love in which the people held
him A. first and until he had reached chester u"
tried 70 escape these attentions. or at least TO re
.-,b
DID moi, IN fact enjoy them. They were little In
,o,i., with his ow.n THOUGHTS and feelings. Wash
i,,,or vy,s AN isolnted being. His human SYM
,Lies. il is true were large, but they did not pro-
a..1 from, human Weaknesses, as those OF frail
mortality usually do Washington had started of
,,,ie,lv in his coach from Mount Vernon and ha
would have much preferred To complete his jour-
ncy as quietly as he gan II. But he soon Thoughts
better Of this, and far from desiring To escape pops
ular demonstrations, hc encouraged and took MS
proper part in them. lie wisely perceived that
nothing could be T. natural than that the people
should hail with lively manifestations OF pleasure
the dawn u tie Nations birthday. The feelings
they entertained he shared, and moved by this SEN
tirurnt he permitted the widest attitude 10 be
given 90 expressions OF the Olular JOY and every
where delayed his Journey TO take part IN thein.
Although in this construction Of the honors hv<
ished 50 abundantly upon him Washington did no
violence TO the peoples glad and hopeful hearts, nj
did NOT wholly understand them. He never did'
unite understand the relation in which he stood 70
the land he had delivered. Perhaps u Is onHi
natural certainly it is most beautiful that SUR
canable OF the deeds which inspired the popuMs
heart with the highest form Of esteep,' oonnoens
and love should be unconscious OK sxaHed mev
~