Evening star., 1897-02-13
A Look Backward Over the Gen.
tury.
how FIRST PRESIDENTS QUALIFIED
The Gradual Growth and import
ance Of Inauguration.
CUSTOMS AND "REMINISCENCES

SPSSeoSAc 10 ~ SSchtcu, dS IL Is every lOuE
years, of one of their number passing over
the reins Of government to the one chosen
| as his successor. AS the nation. with
Increased facilities for travel, has grown.
| so have tie proportions and splendors
| attending the ceremony Of the Pres
| iden taking his seat, and with each
successive Inauguration the interest be-
Genes greater, the professions larger and
the crowds more numerous. Although in
the past the professions were mostly local
ones and diminutive, wnen compared with
those OF later years, in some respects they
were quite as attractive, for outside the
regular troops from Fort McHenry the ord
nance detachment from the arsenal and the
marines from the barracks and navy yard,
the major portion Of the military show
was made up of the local companies and
as no two of them were uniformed alike
each having band or field music and a
national flag of its own, the procession
showed as much variety of color as is to
be seen in a kaleidoscope. 1t can, there
fore, be conjectured with what interest
people saw the first appearance of whole
regiments in one uniform. 1t not infre-
Quently was the case, too that the old-time
| fremen, trades organizations, societies and
political clubs were in line. and, though the
latter-day professions may be great inn
provements on the old-time pageants in
size. they do not surpaSS them in appear
ance or enthusiasm.
The First Event.
The first event of the kind. when Wash
ington took his seat. was participated in
| by military escort. When. in April. 1888.
| he was summoned from Mount Vernon to
New York to take the office. his journey
was in the nature of a march of triumph.
| for there were demonstrations of joy all
along the route. After the ceremonies at
| the Federal Hall he was escorted to church
and attended services commemorative OF
| the event, and received the members of
Congress and others in the afternoon-fire-
works at night ending the ceremony.
The second inauguration of Washington
| took place in Philadelphia. on March 4.
1893. and was made the occasion for fine
| military display. and ball-the first in
| auguraI ball in our history. The third and
| the seat of government to Washington was
| that of John Adams. in Philadelphia, In
| 1897. and there was a fine military display.
| Mr.. Adams removed here with the seat of
government
Mr.. Jefferson was elected by the House of
Representatives. and though he had serv-
ed as Vice President under Mr. Adams,
SO divergent were the republican demo
cratic) and federalist lines, that the present
custom of the retiring President seeing his
successor in Office was not observed Mr..
Adams leaving on the morning of March
1, 1901, for his home in Massachusetts,.
While there was a parade of two military
companies-the Washington Artillery (who
fired salutes at sunrise and noon) and the
Alexandria Rifies-and demonstrations of
joy by the people. Mr.. Jefferson performed
his part of the program according to the
principles of Jeffersonian simplicity. The
military paraded in front of his lodgings,
and when the hour approached. he mounted
his horse. rode to the Capitol, dismounted
and entered the Senate chamber, where he
took the oath Of Office. and delivered his
| inaugural Returning to his lodgings.
with Mr.. Burr, he received many callers.
There was no ball at night. but general
illumination by the citizens. Mr.. Jefferson
had intended to drive to the Capitol in a
coach and four. but they were not at the
door on time.
Cooked Hat Times.
Mr.. Madison's two and Mr. Monroe's two
inaugurations were the closing cooked hat
inaugurations," far as the principals
were concerned. The term was applied
to them as the representatives of the revo-
lutionary period, but for some years in
the professions Revolutionary soldiers"
had place well as in the hearts of
the people. AS their numbers grew small
others were growing up, and the war of
1872 had brought Jackson and others to the
front. During the first administration of
President Monroe the federalist party dis
appeared, and he received for his second
term all the electoral votes save one. and
that was given that no man should re-
CeiSe ore noHOT tndn aSningtOn.
Toward the close of his second term the
era of good feeling was closed by the am
bitions of more than one candidate for the
presidency-John Quincy Adams represent
ing the north, jackson and Clay the west
and w. H. Crawford the south. Jackson
received the most votes but not enough to
elect. and the choice for the second term
going into the House of Representatives,
through Mr.. Clay's influence, Mr.. Adams
was elected. The Inauguration was a
grand affair despite the bad feeling en-
gendered by the turning down of the Hero
of New Orleans" The administration of
the oath of office took place in the hall
of the House Of Representatives and 1t was
the last indoor Inauguration.
When, however, the next term approac h.
ed, there was but two candidates in the
as rational republcan-and the former
was successful in a walk over" This
was the first open-air Inauguration, for the
procession with the friends of Jackson
made such multitude as would tax the
capacity of the building. and the occasion
is well remembered by few of the sur
vivors of the Young Hickory Club, which
subsequently became the Jackson Demo-
cratic Assc citation, as its first public ap-
pearance. For his second term, Henry Clay
a national republican was his oppc-
nent but he was again elected. and by
an increased majority. and his second in
auguration was even more imposing than
his first. At his first Inauguration Gen.
Jackson rode his favorite horse, and when
found barrels of punch provided. and in a
short time much disorder prevailed. He
was careful. however, that this should not
be repeated. The example of the elder
Adams was followed by the son, who alb
sented himself from the inaugural cere-
monies
Cabins, Cider and COons.
Mr.. Van Buren was the President sue
ceeding Gen. jackson, elected over the
elder Harrison. dSfebster. White and Man
gum. who. were classed as wings. and he
was inaugurated in 1887. This was. like
the preceding affairs. fine display. espe-
cially of the triumphant democracy.
Then the campaign Of ''Tippecanoe and
Tyler, too" came. and 1t resulted in q tri-
umph and the inauguration of Gen. William
Henry Harrison In March. 1S41. This was
up to this time the grandest display ever
witnessed in the city. the procession being
made up of the military societies, clubs
and trade displays and in the line there
were log cabins with the barrels Of hard
cider, live coons and dead chicken cocks
emblematic of the defunct democrats. The
procession was over a mile long, and both
to and from the Capitol the old hero who
had wfthstood the exposure Of campaigns
in the west, rode. bare-headed his favorite
charger. while 1t was a most inclement day.
a light snow falling after the ceremonies at
the Capitol. This exposure led to an at
ton Of vDla