The record-union., 1893-02-21

tunity did not come to test this matter
until the death of President Harrison.
PRESIDENT Tyler held the view that he not
only exercised the functions of the office,
put he became in fact President, and by
that act the Vice Presidential Office was
vacated. The precedent thus established
mas never been questioned.
Mr. Fillmore received the oath of Office
Wlthln few hours after the death of
General Taylor, taking it in the rooms of
ms 10tel. After some weeks he went to
the White House to live.
Among those gathered around the dy-
ing bed of President Lincoln was An
Grew johnson, who had escaped at
teLu pted assassination because he was not
at hls rooms at his hotel on the evening
OF that fatal 18th of April, 1865. Upon
MS return to the hotel, hearing of the as
sasslnatlon OF Llncoln, he went imme-
ulately TO the little house on Tenth street.
opposite to Ford's Theater, to which the
dying President had been carried. and
there, with the members of Mr. Lincoln's
Cabinet, Chief Justice Chase and Mr..
Llncoln's family, he remained until the
President expired. An hour or two later
Mr- Johnson, in his room with one or
two friends as witnesses, received the
oath from Chief Justice Chase, and as
soon as Mr.. Lincoln's family quilted tie
White House entered it as unceremon-
lousiy as though he had gone there to pay
call.
Perhaps the most pathetic of all these
SAD lnauguralS was that of General Ar
thur. He had remained at his house at
- Lexington avenue, New York City,
Tor some weeks, having been privately
assured that General Gartield's wound
was mortal, although the country had
been led to believe that the President
would recover. During all this time
r Vf hFIrs !
On the evening of September 18th he
went out with some friends to get some
oysters at restaurant which was popu-
lar with men of wealth. He seemed sad.
depressed, and was not, as was usually
the case with him, the life of the party
OF which he was member. He re-
turned home about midnight, and had
been there but few moments when
a telegram came from Mr.. Blaine an
nouncing Gartield's death. Arthur had
made up his mind what to do in case he
received a report of the Presidents death.
lie believed it his duty to take the oath
without delay, and messenger was sent
to the house of Judge John R. Brady,
who was a lifelong friend of Gen. Arthur
In few moments Judge Brady came to
General Arthur's parlor, and then, in the
presence OF only one other person eX-
ceptlng Arthur's son Alan, the oath was
administered. AS soon as Arthur re-
celved it he turned to his son and en-
braced him, and both men were convulsed
with sobs. General Arthur afterward
took the oath publicly in the Capitol at
Washington, Chief Justice Waite admin
lsterlng 1t. 1t has been the impression
that it was necessary that the Presidential
oath be administered by the Chief JUS
tlce, but that is not so. Any one compe-
tent to administer an oath can swear in a
President.
President Hayes took the oath twice
once in private as a matter of precaution,
since the 4th of March at that time fell
upon Sunday and the public ceremony
was not to take place until Monday. Sam
uel j. Illden, also as matter of precau-
ton, took the oath in private, not because
he intended to demand the office of Presi-
dent. but so that if ever dispute arose it
could not be said that he had through his
own negligence waived his rights.
1t has been the habit of Presidents-elect
since the time of Lincoln to leave their
homes Tor Washington some time in Feb
ruary. Mr.. Lincoln left Springfield early
IN February, for long trip was planned
for him. He was expected to make the
journey to Washington by way of
New York, stopping for few mo-
ments in every considerable city, and
in some places for a day or two. The
curiosity to see him was very great, and
40 IL W a. hhONI lIldI u0 WOull SUGdh
from the car platform, he beiug really
the originator of the custom, the news
papers sent correspondents to accompany
him, with instructions to report every
word that he said. To the politicians of
all parties this tri p was an event OF great
importance, since 1t was expected that
Mr.. Lincoln would say in some of
his speeches something that would
give clew to his policy. The excitement
in the country was intense in view of the
fact that some of the Southern States had
just passed ordinances of secession, and
the country was anxious to know what
Mr.. Lincoln would do in the emergency.
He made some forty speeches, and
when he finished this series of addresses
there was not a politician in the country
who knew any more about Mr.. Lincoln's
purpose than was known when he began
the trip. He simply made it apparent
that it was his purpose to be true to the
Union at all hazards, but he had always
announced that as his purpose. Mr..
Lincoln was officially received in New
York City, by the Legislature at Tren-
ton, in Philadelphia and at Old Liberty
Hall, and at Harrisburg. In that city
the secret service officers of the Govern
ment, being convinced that plot existed
in Baltimore to assassinate Lincoln,
changed the itinerary, and took the
Presldent-elect secretly to Washington,
So that on the following morning the
country was startled to hear that Mr.. Lin
coin was already safe in his hotel at the
Capital.
General Grant was living in Washing
ton at the time OF his Inauguration, and
therefore no preparations were made for a
journey. Governor Hayes left Columbus,
o., only two or three days before the
inaugural. The decision in this disputed
election case was so late that he had only
two or three days to prepare himself for
the journey. He had, however, already
decided upon his Cabinet, in case the de-
cision were in favor of the party he rep-
resented.
General Garfield expected to 90 to
Washington about the middle of Febru-
ary. y special train was at his command
for some ten days, but he was so embar-
rassed in the formation of his Cabinet
that he delayed his departure until less
than week before inauguration. He
took rooms with his family at the Riggs
House and for three or four nights
scarcely slept. 1t was impossible for him
to construct Just the Cabinet which he
wanted. The shadow of the coming
troubles with his Administration rested
upon him even then, and it was really not
until the night before Inauguration that
he was able to put the finishing touches
upon his Inauguration address. He had
turned his address over in his mind from
the time of his election, but the actual
composition OF il was the work of only
few hours, as was the case with Mr..
Cleveland's inaugural.
After Cleveland's election he closed UP
his current business as Governor of New
York as soon as possible, resigned the
office and took apartments in a little
house in Albany, where he remained
Cabinet-making until the latter part of
February. He went through to Washing
ton by an evening train and became the
guest of the Arlington Hotel. The fol-