Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1893-03-06
The Thirteen Original States.

| Above each of these insignia was a ban
ner bearing the name of the state.
| Cushioned seats were provided fer the
President and his eabine. who surrounded
I him; sni foliing chairs were supplied for
| the diplomatic corps who were arranged
Immediately behind hia. On either side
were seats for senator's, members Of the
/ House of Representatives and specially in
vited guests.
| The nearest stand to that of the President
was assigned TO representatives of the press,
1t bad a seating capacity of 200 and the
applications TO the press committee mum
| bered u little over 3O0o.
The vast treasury building was complete
, ly walled in with stands. The principal
one extended along the entire front of the
building along Pennsylvania ave, and had
a capacity for seating several thousand peo-
pie.
This was an open stand and was intended
to be occupied chiefly by department en-
ployes and their families.
But the POSITION most sought after in con-
nection with the treasury building was the
stani on 18th ST., which commanded an un-
obstructed view of the avenue all the way
to the Capitol.
~ az shN AsttiN ms l'hphe iSsN' Va
tons on the line of march. and on every
other available point, stands were erected,
the largest of all extending the entire length
of Lafayette square, Immediately in front
of the White House and the Presidents
stand, aud seating fully 5000 persons.
frofiiirg by past experience, AMI bearing
in mind the discomfort occasianed by the
wretched weather of four years ago. nearly
IL l.,tt
water proof, and thus afforded far more
pleasant shelter than ever before.
The finishing touches to the decorations
were not accomplished until almost the last
moment but they were very effective.
Capitol Hill, as far as the eye could
reach, from the eastern front of the Capt.
tol, was an undulating sea of humanity as
sembed to witness the administering of the
oath of office to the new President by the
chief justice of the United States, and to
hear, as many of them as could get within
earshot, the inaugural address. The pic
turesque and thoroughly Republican prac-
tice of taking the oath of office and deliv-
ering the inaugural address in the open air
IN the presence of the people, was begun
by Zachary Taylor in 1919. Previously
the inaugural address had been read in
the senate cHAuDer. JSHersDn was
the first President to be inaugurated
in Washington City. Washington read his
inaugural in New York; Adams in Phla-
delphia Washington's first inaugural was
1900 wonls in length; his second only l3i,
John Adams inaugural was 2000 words
long; Jeffersons 2l00 Madisons 100 on
both occasions: Monroe's $500 and 400;
J. q. Adams 2900 Andrew Jackson's first
and second each 100; Van Burens cm-
ployeI $500 words; and William Henry
Harrison. the most volumiuous of them all,
$500; John Tyler, in entering upon the
duties of President, after the death Of Ilar-
rison, addressed his inaugural of 1900 to
the pubic. and published it in the newspa-
pers Congress not being in session Polk
employed nearly 5000 words, Taylor 100,
Fillmore simply announced the death of
TAYLOR in a message of 260 words sent in
to each House of Congress, and delivered
no inaugural. Franklin pierce's ad-
dress was $500 words; Lincolns on
his first election $500; on his
second only $50. johnson took up the rens
of government after Lincoln's death in
brief message of $50 words. Grants first
inaugural was 100 words long; his second
1900. Hayes employed 2io0 words Gar
field 1900. Arthur followed the custom Of
other vice presidents in succeeding TO the
presidency through death by giving only a
very short address of 400 words. Cleve-
lands first inaugural, which he committed
to memory was 1000 worls, Benjamin lIar-
rison entered office with an inaugural of
1900 words
The installation ofevery President elected
rs such by the people, has been attended by
more or less of civic and military parade
tons of public rejoicing. The story that
Jefferson role unattended to the Capitol
and hitched his horse to the fence. is simply
one OF three contradictory accounts of the
event, AMI the one bearing least evidence
Of authenticity. Contemporary newspaper
reports represent him as being escorted from
his lodgings to the Capitol by n body of mi
liiia and n procession of citizens.
In the matter of weather the inaugura-
iion of William Henry Harrison, Polk.
Lincoln. Grant, Hayes and Benjamin IIar-
All the other Presidents were favored with
sunshine; some even with balmy warmth.
Thus the popular idea as TO the prevail
ing inclemencv of March weather in Wash
ington does not seem to be borne out
by the facts. The exceptions, however,
have been of great severity. At Grant, e
second inauguration some of the troops
marty froze at their posts. and many deaths
were directly attributable to the cold
drenching rain which accompanied the late
Presidents entry into office.