The record-union., 1893-02-21

The most dramatic inauguration cere-
mony of President was that which oc-
CURED at midnight on September 10, 1881,
when General Arthur received the oath
of office, says the Washington corre-
spondent Of the Louisville CouYIe7-Jour-
nal. The simplest, and it has always been
called the typical democratic ceremony,
was that which characterized the inaugu-
ration of Thomas Jefferson. The most
exciting ceremony was that one attend
ing the Inauguration of Abraham Lin
coin, and perhaps the most brilliant was
that one which accompanied the inaugu-
ration of President Garfield
President Washington was inaugural
ed with such splendor of ceremony as
gave something of offense to the citizens
of the Republic, who even then believed
that great democracy should not ape
foreign manners. There was something
OF tendency to duplicate court cere-
monials in Europe, and the satirists and
lampooners of that day declared that all
that was needed was the bestowal of the
crown and scepter to make the ceremo-
mai exactly like that which attends the
coronation of the King. Washington set
the example OF reading in the presence of
Inc public the inaugural address, and it
mas been followed by every President
elected by the choice of the people since
that time. Jefferson sent his message TO
congress to be read by the officers of that
body, although the intention clearly was
at first that the President should appear
peIore Congress and read himself such
communications as he had to make. The
precedent Jefferson set has never been
departed from, and the only occasion
since his day upon which Pl esident has
appeared in either hall of Congress dur
ing its session has been when funeral
services OF distinguished men were being
held.
After the first election it was a long
time before the country knew precisely
what the vote which General Washington
mad received was, although, of course, it
was known that he was elected. He
started from his Virginia home some
three weeks before the time fixed for his
inauguration, and his journey was what
was called triumphal procession from
Mount Vernon to New York. Children
greeted him with flowers, and in every
town through which he passed there were
banners and arches and gala decorations
Alter that the ceremonials of Inaugural
tlon were comparatively simple. Presi-
dent Washington received John Adams
and escorted him to the then Capitol on
the morning of MIR. Adams Inauguration,
and although Adams was Federalist, as
Washington was, and was moreover a
anan OF much vanity, yet he did not care
10 be accompanied by any unusual or
striking ceremony.
When his term expired he did an ex-
traordinary thing, since it has never been
repeated by any other outgoing Presi-
dent. He refused to receive Mr. Jetfer-
son, and abruptly quilted the Presidential
residence on the morning of Inauguration
Day. Jefferson was staying at hotel fire.
Quented by Southern members, and when
the time came he mounted his horse and
rode to the Capitol, himself hitching the
horse to post and entering the Capitol
unattended.
1t should be said, however, that this
tradition has been denied, although the
weight of authority seems to be in favor
ofit At all events, the inaugural cere-
monies were so simple that the details of
them have been a matter of dispute.
There was nothing unusual, however, in
President Jetferson's riding to the Capi-
stol on horseback. He was compelled
either to do that or to walk, since the
roads were in such shocking condition
that the use of carriage would have been
inconvenient.
From the time of Mr.. Madison's inau-
gural until that of Mr.. Lincoln the cere-
mony was practically the same in each
case. The outgoing President received
this successor, there having been previ-
,ously an exchange of calls, and shortly
before noon, under escort of a committee
of Congress, the President and President
elect were taken in an open coach and
with some military attendants to the Cap
itol. The Nice-President had already at
tended the session OF the Senate and had
received the oath. The President-elect
was escorted to the east portico of the
Capitol, and there, in the presence of a
ct har of Il
the Judges of the Supreme Court, he re-
ceived the oath from the Chief Justice
and then read his address. Sometimes
the routine of this ceremony was changed,
the address being first read and the oath
administered afterward.
When Mr.. Lincoln reached Washing
ton there was great anxiety. The coun-
try was on the verge of civil war. Cen
eral Scott was apprehensive that an at
tempt would be made upon Mr.. Lincoln's
life, and the vast multitude who came to
Washington to see the Inauguration of
the first President elected by the young
Republican party found their anticipa-
tion of pleasure over this event tempered
by the shadow of possible assassination.
Mr.. Lincoln was himself not alarmed.
There had been an exchange of calls be-
tween him and President Buchanan, who
was a man of great courtesy, and who
informed Mr.. Lincoln that he would find
the White House in perfect readiness to
receive him when he returned from the
Capitol.
There was a fine military demonstra-
ton, and Mr.. Lincoln's tall form was
conspicuous In the open carriage as he
rode along Pennsylvania avenue to the
Capitol. The interest in his inaugural
address was intense: He had steadfastly
refused to say anything which would in
dictate what his policy was to be, and it
was believed that he would clearly out
line it in his inaugural. He spoke in a
penetrating but high-pitched key, and
before he was half through his inaugural
it was manifest that one of the ablest
state papers was then being read to the
people gathered there. But it was not
until the ceremony was over and Mr.
Lincoln was in the White House that the
vast multitude appreciated the singular
beauty of that address, whether regarded
as specimen of literature or of public
sentiment.
Grant, Cleveland. Garfield and Harri-
son were accompanied on the occasion OF
, the inaugurations by unusual military
display In Garheld's case, it is said by
those who have seen many inaugurations,
that this display was the most brilliant
of all. The military display of March t,
1873 on the occasion of Grants second
inaugural, would have been very brilliant
but for the fact that it was a day of bitter
cold. suggesting in some of its features
The famous blizzard which paralyzed
business on the Atlantic Coast in the
spring of 1888; some of the soldiers
nearly perishing with the cold.
There have been four Presidents whose
inaugurations have been private and at a
time OF sorrow. When word was sent to
John Tyler that President Harrison was
dead. he was at his home in Richmond.