Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1893-03-10
THE INAUGURATION.


Washington than last Saturday, when
Grover Cleveland was inaugurated
President OF the United States, the
! oldest inhabitant remembereth il not
Four years ago. when President Har-
/ rison was inaugurated, the rain fell in
! persistent torrents that drowned out
all enthusiasm. But Saturday was
worse than that. Thursday night it
seemed as il the sky could never be
overloaded The stars shone bright
ly, the moon hesmed smilingly. and
not cloud was to be seen. Friday
opened up sullen, and rain tell at in
tervals. BY night it was raining per
sistently. and people went 10 bed
hoping against hope. Saturday when
they awoke a damp, c!inging snow
was coming down thickly, and raw,
penetrating wind blew from every
point OF the compass. And the sush.
Oh, the slush The weather fairly
made Democrats sick. Then it got
worse. About noon the snow stopped,
and down from. the north swept q
bowling gale whose icy breath fairly
froze the marrow in your bones. Aud
ali this time the people who wanted
to see the show were standing in the
icy slush slowly periEhing, or sitting
huddIed up on uncomfortable stands
clapPinS hands aud stamping feet to
keep the blood from conSealing in
their veins. Oh, it was tough
Between II aud 10 o'clock the presi-
dental party and its military escort
moved down Pennsylvania avenue to
the Capitol. where the ceremonies
were to be performed. The President
and the President rode together
in a carriage drawn by four bay
horses. Nice-President-eIect Steven
son and Senator Ransom followed in
another carriage drawn by four white
horses, and other dignitarirs came
along after.
The party proceeded TO the Capitol
and in the Senate chamber the Vice
President was sworn in while the no
tables looked on. Then the whole
party moved to IL great stand built at
the sust front of the Capitol. Mrs.
Cleveland was there. a were many
Senators and Congressman, Judges
OF the Supreme Court, foreign dipo-
mats in gorgeous apparel, Army and
Navy officers in glittering uniforms,
and distinguished persons generally.
About ten thousand persons were
standing around the stand enduring
solid personal misery. Then Mr..
Cleveland stood up before the vast
multitude and with barred head de-
livered his inaugural address. Al
though the bowling wind often
drowned his voice, and the drifting
snow must have cut him like a show
er Of needles, he did not finch, but
finished his address without once
faItering. Then Chief Justice Fuller,
who has head of lovely silver hair
and also long white mustache-ad-
ministered the oath to Mr. Cleveland,
using Bible given the President by
his mother forty years ago. Mr..
Cleveland swore he would support
the Constitution and perform the du
ties Of his office. aud he was Presi-
dent OF the United States aud Mr..
Harrison wrote "eX' before his title.
The President and the eX President
then drove rapidly to the White
House, where they spent some time
together discussing the remark Of the
Governor of North Carolina to the
Governor Of South Carolina. This
done, Mr. Harrison took his final
leave Of the White House and Mr..
Cleveland went to the reviewing
stand. 4 waiting officer clattored
down the avenue on a horse and gave
the signal to start the procession,
and the soldiers and clubs who had
been waiting three or four hours in
the greatest discomfort began to
move.
The procession was OF course most
interesting one. Soldiers from many
States were in it, Pennsylvania alone
sending seven or eight thousand. The
MARYLAND and Virginia troops were
the most popular. Governor Brown
led the former and General Ftzhugh
Lee led the Virginia boys. When
General Lee came in sight aud the
band struck up Dixie the enthusi-
assn was tremendous. Men broke
through the ropes and swept past the
policemen to shake hands with him,
almost pulling him from his ihorse.
He was almost bigger man than
Cleveland. Ofthc civic organizations,
Tamrnanv easily took the lead. There
were several thousand Of the braves
in the procession. and they made an
imposing appearance. But they are
not what you would call handsome
gentlemen. Nearly all of them have
big stomachs and red faces. 1t is es-
timated that there were $4,000 men in
the procession, Notwithstanding the
fact that many clubs failed to PARTED
pate in it on account OF the severe
weather. The President remained on
the reviewing stand until the last
man had passed. 1t was nearly dark
when the parade was over.
The display OF fireworks was post
poned from Saturday until Monday
night. for two reasons: because Of
the weather and that the crowd
might stay a couple of days longer
and spend more shekels with the
Washington people.