Press and daily Dakotaian. (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1880-1889, 1889-03-05
THE ELDER HARRISON.


His inaugural Address After it was
Pared Dowo by DaMIel webster.
Ii is always interesting to compare the
past and The present. Just nov the
theme OF thought and conversation is the
Inauguration of President-elect Har-
rison. In comparison the inauguration
OF William Henry Harrison occuis to the
mind. The forty-seven years that have
elapsed since the Inauguration OF Gen.
William Henry Harrison have made
marvellous changes in Washington city,
as we'll es in the executive mansion and
the whole surroundings of the offiee o.
president OF the Unised States. In lS4l
the city had hardly emerged from the
primitive deys when Madison and Jack.
son end Van Buren, were installed in
office.
The Baltimore & Ohio railroad only
entered the oity few years before. end
| q small and very shabby passenger de-
pot was on Pennsylvania avenue near
the capitol. 1t had been two dwelling
houses, not large ones, before they were
| transformed into depot, and one OF
| the New York trains OF to-day would
crowd it to oVefhowing. Sleeping cars
were not dreamed of, and two hours and
half WAS running time to B fillmore
There was no railroad from the south.
How the crowd was accommodated il
something of q wonder, for the hotels
were fev-Gadsby's the National, where
General Harrieon was quGrtered, ant
Browns Indian Qleen." now the
| metropolitan, was then low bricl
building, without the large annex tc
Sixth street.
| Wlllard's hotel was then Fuller,s, bu
rothing l:ks its present size, as 1t oal,
extended little above the avenue OF
| l4th st. There was another hotel be
yond, near 18th ct, and come smalle
ones distributed throughout the city
but in those days almost everybody il
Washington 'took boerdeys."
The cabinet OF the first President Har
rlson wes made up as folloSs.
| Daniel Webster, Mass achusetts-Bec
retsry OF state.
| Thomas Ewing, Ohio-seoretary OF tn
treasury.
Jailn Bell: Tsnnesses-sscEs.aFy
war.
| George q. Badger. North Carolina
secretary of the navy.
| John j. Orittenden, ksntucky-st
torney general.
| Francis Granger. New York-pos!
master general.
All OF the cabinet of that day hav
poid the debt OF nature. IL is worthy G
note that when Gen Harrison srtive
Washington he hed selected hut or
/ member OF his cabinet.
Mr. Webster had prepared an inau
gural message for Gen. Harrison, an
one day, among, other arraugemart ~
der discussion, he suggested to ne
} president, 10 as delicate wey 1s b
I could, the fact that he had sketched G
J, inaugural, knowing that Gen. Harriso
would be overwhelmed with calls an
basiness after election and he himse
having leisure to write.
} The general at once replied: "Thr
is not necessary as have prepared m
"Will you allow me to take it hon
: and read it tonight?' asked III
Webster.
"Oertainly," the president replied
"snd please let me have yours"
SO they exchanged the document
and the next morning when they N,
| oGE. lAhLSloou 5ttd W NllI W CoetSk
1 should read your inaugural instead
: mine everybody would know you wro
it, and that l did not. Now, this Is tt
/ only official paper which l propose
write, for do not intend to interfe
with my secretaries; but this is sort
Q Acknowledgement on my part to Il
j. American people of the great honor co
, ierred upon me in eleva.ing me to th
high Office. and slthouRh, OF course,
is not so suitable as yours, still il
mioe, and propose to let the peop
] have it just as have written it. / mu
I deliver my own instead of yours.
Il Mr.. Webster was good deal amaze
because the message was, according
: his Judgment and taste, 80 inappropriat
8 Ia entered largely into Roman histor
and had good deai to say about Il
! states of antiquity, and the Roman pr,
conHuls, and various matters OF tn
! kind. Indeed the word "pro.consul
j was repeated in it q great many times.
When he found the president was bel
on using his own inaugural, Mr., Webst
sold his desire was to modify it and q
: in some things that were not now ther
d for, ss it then stood, it had no more
. do with the affairs OF the American go
, ernment and people than chapter
. the Koran.
u Mr.. Webster suggested to Gen. Hayi
il son that he ehould like to prt in son
e things and the general rather reluctant
: consented to let him take it..
: Mr.. Webster spent a portion o. h
next dey in modifying the message. M
Ssaton remarked to him, when he r
j. turned home rather late tbss day, (M
!. Webster was staying with Mr.. Seatol
that he looked fatigued and worrie
e He replied be was sorry she waited di
II ner for him.
o "Thst is OF no consequence at all,
"a Webster" she sad, "but am cory
see You looking so worried and tired.
, hope nothing hos gone wrong. i rea
n hope nothing has haprened.''
"You would think that something b
happened," he replied. "jf you KIN
= what l had done. have killed II Rom
~ pro consuls as dead as smeiss.'