New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-03-04
TAKING THE OATH OF OFFICE
FEATURES OF THE INAUGURATION GER
EMONIES SINCE WASHINGTON.

EDENr OF BINDING FoECE-sCENEs AT
THE CAPITAL ON MANY BLusTER-
LIG MARCH DAYS.
WASHINGTON March 3-The most Impressive
and indeed the only ceremony that is actually
necessary TO the induction into ONCE OF iresi-
dent of the United States, is the administering 10
him by duly qualified officer of the oath pre-
sorbed by the Constitution George Washington
however. established precedent which has been
followed by all his successors when. on the oc-
oasion of his first inauguration he delivered an
address. Custom has given that precedent the
force Of law, and violation Of ii would now DE
regarded as something more serious than mere
solecsm The LIST Congress sought to establish
another prectdent when in is order Of proceed
incs for WashuCtou's urst inauguration II pro-
Vided.
ina; the creates. number Of people of the
United States. and VitEou; DISTINCTION ma! De
witnesses to the e9leinnIty the oath pe adihihis-
tered in thu opco gallery ADJOINING the 0e'@''
Chamber.
When Washington appeared IN the open gal
;ery." attended by Governor Clinton and Chan
ccllor Ii,iusston. os -, state of New-Iork'
Vice President Adams and as many Senators
ard REPRESENTATIVES as the space would accom-
rrodate. ne was greeted by the joyful shouts or
IAN immense concourse Of his felow-cntizens,
who filed the streets and crowded the windows
and covered The roofs Of adjacent buildings
II Is interesting to read that he was dressed in
d ful! suit of homospun brown woollen cloth
with q dress sword silver shoe buckles ana
white silk stockings. and that the metal buttons
Of his coat and waistcoat bore eagles ana MS
cuff buttons stars equal in number to the number
Of States
The ceremonies Of the nrst Inauguration APP
.-1,.s., .,,1 civ 40 Crlph I'M
Thomas Jefferson held 4 different opinion He
vlote that they were not marked al all in
character with the simplicity Of republican gov
elnneut. and looking as e wshfully to European
courts" WHAT the Sage Of Monticello would have
81 d or written if ne could have witnessed the
Inauguration of a President ninety or hundred
years later-sav that oil Grover Cleveland in
1SS5-it would he wild indeed to conjecture.
THE FIRST OPEN AIR INAUGURAL.
James Monroe was the first President Of the
United States who delivered his inaugural adj
diess il the open air That was March 4,
1917. The reason Of this departure from GUS
tom that had always been observed from the
foundation OF the Government was set forth as
follows il a newspaper Of the day:
The difference SAID 10 have existed between the
two houses in respect 10 the appropriation of the
representatives. Chamber was rather fortunate
than otherwise. since IL caused the ceremony OF
tfe President swearing fealty To the Constitution
L take place in the view if not the hearing Of
"a the Ieop'e Of thu United States VINO chose to
N.tnCss it,
'Furrah for Polk Dallas ana The Tariff Of
1872" shouted Isaiah Rynders. at the head Of the
f. Gus red-shirted leather-oeltcd Empire Club
Of New-York on that dismal rainy fth of March,
1s45. when James l.. 7olk appeared in the east
EN- por-ico If ,he Capitol 10 deliver his inaugural
e. DIV i1a,,- Of
The United States captain Rynders was simply
sounding an I'd campaign slogan which was
never again heard after August OF the following
year. when George ". Dallas as Vice-President
gave the casting vote fer and James X. Polk as
president s.-nel the Tariff Act-the Walker
tariff OF 1876 IL was d dreary day. The rain
p1drad and everybody who had umbrella
raised it, and. as ore writer says, gave the
scene the aspect of a Roman army covered with
Il.,r shields
MILITARY TO PROTECT LINCOLN.
Tho scene when Abraham Lincoln appeared on
the little wooden platform upon which he was TO
deliver his FIRST inaugural address and take the
oath Of office as President of the United states
was thrilling well as historic one Be-
hind him stood the half-rinished dome of the
Capitol and in front the great bronze statute or
Liberty which now crowns the dome. In front
and on both sides stood tens Of thousands OF his
fellow -citi2ens Of people"-eager TO hear
what he would say. \ considerable proportion
Of them were men who were personally as we'll
as politically hostile to hm-so hostile that the
military drawn up in front stood there with
shotted guns 10 protect him from threatened
violence In a vacant lot opposite the Capitol
grounds and musket-shot away, where he had
posted the regular batteries of Fry and Ma
dv for General
horseback who had made the best possible dis
position Of the rest Of the regulars at his COM
Inand consisting OF only a regiment, and who
kent his scouts moving among the crowd during