The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1889-04-24
FIRST In PEACE"
WASHINGTON'S INAUGURATION
AT NEW YORK IN 1880.
A Vivid Description of the Instal1a
ton Ceremonies-The Process
sion-Taking the Oath
Washington's Dress.


before the first Congress under the new
Government took place in New York. A
writer in the Century Magazine gives a
vivid account of the ceremonies, from
which we make the following extracts:
The long-expected day was now at
hand. The copestone was about to be
placed on the structure, the foundations
of which had been laid thirteen years be-
fore. 1t was the 30th of April, 1889,
and the first President of the United
States was to take the oath of fidelity to
the new Constitution. Crowds were pour
ing into New York. "For nearly fort
nicht," wrote Griswold, "the taverns and
boarding houses in the city had been
thronged with visitors, and now every
private house was filled with guests, from
all parts of the Union, assembled to wit
ness the imposing ceremonial which was
to complete the organization of the Gov
eminent"
With discharge of artillary at sunrise
from old Fort George near Bowling
Green began the ceremonies of the day.
At nine the bells of the churches rang for
half an hour, and the congregations
gathered in their respective places of
worship ''to implore the blessings of
heaven upon their new Government, its
favor and protection to the President, and
success and acceptance to his Admins
tration." The military were meanwhile
preparing to parade, and at twelve o'clock
marched before the Presidents house on
Cherry street. The full procession left
the Presidential mansion at half-past
twelve o'clock and proceeded to Federal
Hall via Queen street, Great Dock and
Broad street. Colonel Morgan Lewis, as
Grand Marshal, attended by Majors Van
Horne and Jacob Morton, as aides-de-
camp, led the way. Then followed the
troop OF horse; the artillery; the two
companies of grenadiers; a company of
light infantry and the battalion men; a
company in the full uniform of Scotch
Highlanders with the national music of
the bagpipe; the Sheriff, Robert Boyd,
on horseback; the Senate committee; !;
the President in state coach, drawn by
four horses, and attended by the assist
ants and civil officers; Colonel Humphreys
and Tobias Lear, in the Presidents own
carriage; the committee of the House;
Mr.. Jay, General Knox, Chancellor
Livingston; his Excellency the Count de
Moustier, and his Excellency Don Die
code Gardoqui, the French and Spanish
Ambassadors; other gentlemen of distinc-
ton, and multitude of citizens. The
two companies of grenadiers attracted
much attention. One, composed of the
tallest young men in the city, were dressed
ssin blue with red facings and gold-laced
ornaments, cooked hats with white feath-
ers, with waistcoats and breeches and
white CATERS, or spatterdashes, close but
toned from. the shoe to the knee and
covering the shoe-buckle. The second,
or German company, wore blue coats with
yellow waistcoats and brecches, black
CATERS similar to those already described,
and towering caps, cone shaped and faced
with black bear skin"
When the military, which amounted to
"not more than five hundred men," and
whose "appearance was quite pretty, ar
rived within two hundred yards Of Fed
eral Hall, at 1 o'clock, they were drawn
up on each side, and Washington and the
assistants and the gentlemen especially
invited passed through the lines and pro-
ceeded to the Senate Chamber of the
"Fedcral State House." The building
had been crowded since 10 o'clock, and
when the Senate met at half-past eleven
all was excitement. The minutest details
were considered matters of gravcst mo-
ment.
At last the lower House entered the
Senate Chamber, and there the two
houses sat for an hour and ten minutes.
The delay was owing to the Senate com
mittee, "Lce, lizard and Dalton, who, !"
said Senator Maclay, chad staid with us
until the Speaker came in, instead of go
ing to attend the President" At last
the joint committee of the two houses,
preceded by their Chairman, introduced
Washington, who advanced between the
Senators and Representatives, bowing to
each. He was at once conducted to the
chair by John Adams. On the right
were the Vice President and the Senate,
and on Washington's left the Speaker
and the House of Representatives. The
Vice-President then said that "the Sen
ate and House of Representatives of the
fN
to take the oath required by the Consti.
tuition, and that it would be administered
by the Chancellor of the State of New
York" The President replied that he
was ready to proceed, and was immedi-
ately conducted to the open gallery in
front of the Senate Chamber, which
looked out upon Broad street.
Washington was dressed in q full suit
of dark brown cloth manufactured in
Hartford, with metal buttons with an
eagle on them, and "with steel-hiltcd
dress sword, white silk stockings and
plain silver shoe-buckles. His hair was
dressed and powdered in the fashion of
the day, and worn in bag and solitaire.
Chancellor Robert R. Livingston, one of
the committee of five to draft the Declara-
tion of Independence, thirteen years be-
fore, was dressed in full suit of black
cloth and wore the robe of office. Just
before the oath was to be administered it
was discovered that no Bible was in
Federal Hall. Luckily Livingston, q
Grand Master of Free Masons, knew
that there was one at St. Johns Lodge
in the City Assembly Rooms near by, and
a messenger was dispatched to borrow the
Bible, which is to-day the property of