People's party paper. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1891-1898, 1897-03-05

--GT1AND4ARSHAL GENERAL HORACE PORTER.
he delivered his inaugural address to the
senate. There was much perturbation
among the senators over a question of ETH
Quette on this occasion. They were unable
to determine whether they should remain
standing or seated in the presence of the
president Without any agreement they
arose when Washington entered the cham
Der and remained standing while he read
his message; for this first address was as
much a message to congress as an inaugu-
raj address, Custom has changed this.
The president no longer addresses congress
in person. All his communications are
sent in writing. Besides congress is not
In session nowadays when the president is
sworn in. The senate meets at noon of the
4th Of March on the call Of the retiring
president, but the house does not meet I'M
til the new president issues a proclama-
ton calling congress together.
Washingtons Inauguration was Witness
ed by great throng of people, and there
was much enthusiasm, which lasted for
several days. All the incidents of the in
auguration were not crowded into a single
day, as they are now. The inaugural ball
was held several days after the day of the
Inauguration, but on the night of that day
there were fireworks.
Washington drove to his second inaugu-
ration in a COACH drawn by six white
horses. He was dressed in black velvet
coat and knee breeches, with diamond
buckles at the knee. His stockings were
of black silk. His shoes had silver buckles.
His hair was powdered and held in place
by black silk bag. He wore q dress
sword, with a highly ornamented hilt.
Washington took the oath in the hall Of
the house of Representatives, read his ad-
dress to the assembled senators and repre-
.sentatives and withdrew. A great gather
ing witnessed his arrival at the temporary
capitol and his departure from it and
cheered him boisterously.
Washington was again the chief figure
of the inauguration when Adams was
sworn in. Six months before he had made
public his historic farewell address to the
people of the United States. The nation
had trusted SO much to his sagacity and
patriotism that there was a feeling of
uncertainty as we'll as sorrow when he was
about to turn his trust over to Mr. Adams.
Sorrow was in the ascendant, and there
was not dry eye in the hall Of the house
of Representatives when John Adams took
the oath.
During the administration Of Mr..
Adams the capital was removed to Wash
angton, and Jefferson was inaugurated in
this city, as l have said. He would not
countenance formality in the matter of his
Inauguration any more that he would per
NIT it afterward when he was in the White
House.
Adams had been accompanied to his in
RuguratiOn by Washington, but he did not
accompany Jefferson to the capitol. In
stead, he left Washington before day break
on the 4th of March to drive TO his home
In Massachusetts,. He was disappointed
bitterly because he was not elected for a
second term, as Washington had been, and
he never recovered from his chagrin. In
after years johnson refused to accompany
his successor to the capitol But these
cases are exceptional. 1t was the custom
for the president elect to take seat at the
speakers desk. Jefferson sat between
Vice President Burr and Chief Justice
Marshall just before he took the oath
Whether he returned to his boarding house
or went to the White House after the oere-
mony is matter of dispute. One hfsto-
rian says he rode to the White House with
out escort and there held an informal re
ception in the evening, shaking hands with
all who called to pay their respects. Wash
ington and Adams had not shaken hands
with their visitors. Jefferson was the orig
tnator of that much abused custom. Jeffer-
SON 9 second term was begun as unosten-
tatiously as the first. There was goodly
crowd of people in the galleries Of the
house, but they would have been but
handful compared with the crowds which
will attend the Mckinley ceremony.
James Madison had a really great crowd
IN attendance at his Inauguration. There
was show Of ceremony for the first time
in 12 years, and 10000 people, according
to the estimate Of the historian, congre-
gated about the capitol unable to gain ad-
mittanca There was a parade, in which
regular troops of infantry and cavalry took
part, and salutes were fired at the navy
yard and at Fort Washington, not far be-