Los Angeles daily herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1884-1890, 1889-05-01
LOCAL CELEBRATION.
Exercises at the First Pres
byterian Church.
ADDRESS AT THE SYNAGOGUE.
A Concert at the Park - Flags
Floating in the Breeze-A
General Holiday.


booming of heavy guns, fred from the
First-street hill, awakened the city and
announced to the citizens that the CEN
teunisl of the Inauguration of George
Washington as President of the United
States had dawned, and by the time
the salute had ended, the streets
had assumed lively appearance. The
national colors were hoisted on many OF
the buildings. and by O'Clock hundreds
of flags were waving in the breeze that
during the day tempered the atmosphere
and rendered it 80 pleasant and sttrac-
tive outdoors that few could resist the
temptation to wander about the city and
admire their surroundings.
At half past 8 O'Clock the doors of the
First Presby terrain Church were opened,
and by O'Clock the auditorium
of that edifice was we'll filed by
thoee who desired to witness the exer-
cises under the auspices of the Minister
ial Union and the Historical society.
Owing to the misstatement of the hour
for the commencement of the exercises
by some of the newspapers it was not
until 10 O'Clock that the church became
crowded, but the late arrivals were in
time to he ar the greater part of Judge
Cheney's address. The exercises
oper ed, Rev. G. w. Heisler presiding,
with an organ voluntary after which
Rev. J. s. Gilfillan invoked the divine
blessing upon the proceedings. The
audience and choir then united in sing
ing "Great God of Nations, Now to
Thee Our Hymn of Gratitude we Raise. 3"
Rev. E. r. Brainerd read for the scrip
tural selection the first and second chap
tiers of Isaiah beginning with the tenth
verse and Rev. A. G. Williams led in
an eloquent prayer. 1t had been an
nounced that Miss Jennie Winston
would sing" 1.-THE Star Spangled Banner"
but Major E. w. Jones who was
one Of the presiding judges
stated that she was unable
to be present, and that Mrs. Beeson
would sing the National air, which she
did very effectively.
Judge W. A. Cheney was then intro
duced and delivered the Centennial adj
dress in which he said One hundred
years ago, before Democracy or Rdpubli-
canism had been thought of, before the
era of personal strife and selfish striving
for office had commenced; when men
believed there was something else in the
world worthy of attention, the world
was greeted with the sight of man
who had been elected by the unanimous
vote of the electoral college-an event
which will never occur again, which
will never be witnessed again. 1t is out
of the range of human possibility that a
man will ever be elected without an op-
ponent and without a dissenting vote.
In these days when men with all their
energies clutch for golden coin, for the
epoils of office, sOch an event would
not be possible. Iwould that we might
have the spectacle of a man elected by the
unanimous vote of the people. Will you
tell me why there was such an unanim-
ity of sentiment on this occasion? 1t
will not be difficult question to answ er,
when you remember that the patriotic
instinct of the people, when vitalizsd can
always be trusted. The ant which at the
present time lays the wires for political
iobbery, that starts the bungs of
many barrels at election times, was un-
known in those days. The people simply
expressed their undivided aud individual
will. They needed no help from the out
side. They made up their minds what
TO do, and they did it. The art OF cult
waiting political sentiment, in favor of one
man or another, was unknown. There
was but one public sentiment. The
people were full to their lips with love of
country, and patriotic feeling, and would
have scorned modern political sffYrss
The day has come when it would be we'll
to look ourselves in the eye and make a
change for the better. There was an
other reason why the country at that
time was SO united, and that was that
there was a man who was the embodi-
ment of the public sentiment. He
was no experiment. He had not been
picked out because of his political inhu.
ence. He had marched through war for
his country, and whatever there was of
lofty feeling, of patriotism, it was en-
bodied in George Washington. 1t was
incarnated, crystalized in the man.
When the world mentioned him it men
toned America. Washington and Amer
lea were synonymous. Never again will
the world behold such man. 1t was
the ordaining OF the divine Providence
That he should be the first President.
Could the spirits of men return to this
world this would be the occasion wi ca
the centenary of such an event as Wash
ington's Inauguration is being celebrated.
The good taat men do lives after them.
Men may 60 but principles live forever.
Men like Washington may return to dust,
but the principles fer which they live
stay on"
Judge Cheney then asked whether in
the centuries to come, if an angel should
visit America it would find buried among
the dust the monument OF Washington,
or whether the country would be pros
porous. He was severe in denouncing
some of the proceedings OF to-day
and held that il Ike pr up they meant ruin.
and yet he said, human nature to-day is
the same as it was in the time of Wash
ington. The people have the same feel
ings, and the same hopes and are search
ing ftr perfect nationality. He asked
If they had found it. Ii perfect nation
ality were to be found in patriotism,
where now was Sparta, the inhabitants
of which had been the most patriotic
people who had ever lived. 1t it was
ia self government, "where," he asked +,
.sis Rome ?" Rome had governed itself
for centuries, and yet its glory had de-
parted. He drew attention to China,
which, he said, seemed to have existed
longer than any other. The Inhabitants
hal one principle which for centuries
they had lived up to, viz: to follow 10
the footsteps of their ancestors. They
hal another system which seems to have
operated well they educate their public
nfiicers, and when they neglect their
busineas. thew cut off their heads. China