The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1897-05-22
COL. JAMES G. BERRET.
[coNTISuED FROM FIRST PAGF.l

At the session OF the Legislature IN 1851
and 1883, Of which Col. Berret was a mem
Der. loan Of eight million dollars was author
lied BY the State. payable IN fifty years, to aid
il, the constrnctionuf the Baltimore and OHIO
Railroad and the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal
and bonds were issuedfo that amount. These
bonds had matured in the meantime and had
been paid by the state, and at the session of
1892 a concurrent resolution was adopted,
directing the Finance Committee of the Sen
ate and the Ways and Means Committee OF
the House, to count, examine and destroy
these bonds which had been issued by the
state ffty-three years before. 1t is quite
Sact that Col. Berret was mem
Der Of the Legislature when the loan was au-
thorized and after half century had passed
and the debt was paid he was chairman Of
one of the committees which was directed to
destroy the bonds.
On the 18th of December, 1892, Hon. w.
+. Harrity, chairman of the Democratic
National Committee, named number OF gen
tlemen sas a committee to take charge of the
ceremonies incident to the Inauguration Of
President-elect Cleveland, on March 4, 1898,
and all matters relating thereto, designating
Col James G. Berret as chairman OF the
committee, with authority TO increase its mem
bership. He added largely to the committee,
and meeting of its members was held in the
s'Red ParlOr'' of the s'Ebbitt House, Tues
day evening, December 20, 1892 Pursuant
to notice the committee assembled and was
called to order by Colonel Berret, the chair
man, who addressed them as follows
GENTLEafRN:--In entering upon the duties assigned
to ME as chairman of your committee charged with
the functions Of conducting the inaugural eere-
monies on the 4th of March, after President Cleye
land shall have been fairly indicted into Office, my
faith in the success Of that occasion rests entire
upon the cordial cooperation of this and other
committees in the work to be accomplished,
1t has been the uniform and becoming practice
to regard this welcome OF the new chief magistrate
rs an Expression of the respect of the community
for the great Office which he holds free from all
partisan cOloring and OF personal partiallty.
Conforming to the authority conferred upon me,
have esIareed the humber OF the Committee so as
10 include distinguished officers OF the army navy,
marine corps and prominent citizens whose expe-
Renee standing and consideration will materially
aid the main object we all seek to achieve.
The purpose Of this meeting needs no particular
explanation We have, in word, come together
to begin the business of practical organization.
First the election of permanent secreary second,
the election of vicecharmen; third the election Of
treasurer fourth by the selection of an executive
committee limited to a working number, and upon
which will iaH the chief burden OF active response
bility.
ing our hospitality to the incoming President. But
in the midst of these pleasant preparations, let us
not forget the great aiict9ns which M have DARK
ident who will go out of Office bearing with him
the confidence and esteem of his countrymen and
the earnest sympathy OF all the people OF the DIS
triet of Columbia, to whom he has long endeared
himself by faithful regard for their best Interests
The chair then announced that the business
first in order was the election of permanent
secretary. treasurer and yice-chairmen.
The committee thereupon elected the follow
ing officers Alexander Porter Morse, secre-
tary; Charles G. Glover, treasurer; vice-chair
men, William Cranch Mclntire, Walter ID.
Davidge, Alexander I. Britton.
The business next in order was the selec-
ton Of an executive committee. Mr.. G. G.
Glover offered the following resolution, which
was adopted:
WHEREAS, All committees necessary to garry for
ward successfully the part usually perforaed by
the citizens of Washington, as the representatives
Of the nation at large in the Inauguration Of the
President of the United States, are of necessity the
staff or assistants to the chairman; and
WHEREAS, The citizens of Washington have iull
confidence in the wisdom and fairness OF the chair
man of this meeting; now, therefore, be IL
Resolued, That it is the sense and the desire OF
this meeting that the selection and designation of
an executive committee, composed Of twenty-one
citizens shall be made by the chairman of this
meeting at his convenience. Said committee to
act with said Chairman and to exercise the usual
sions.
The chairman then announced that he had
appointed General Martin 7. Mcmahon grand
him the following note:
WASHINGTON D. c., December 20, 1892.
Ny DEAR GENERAL As chairman of the general
committee of the District of Columbia charged with
President Cleveland shall have been formally in
Quoted Alto Office on the 4th of March, have had
the pleasure to appoint you grand marshal Tor that
interesting oscasion with the cordial approval OF
nay colleagues.
friendship indulge the hope that 1t may suit your
IN in the shirt bicl
inspires it and thus crafty not only my own earnest
desire but the wishes and expectations of this COM
munity at large Respeetsqllyp yours, chairman
To Gen. Martin T. McMahan, New York Hotel, New
York city. n. u
Gen. McMahons letter, under date of
December 81, 1892, in response to this, in
formed the chairman of the general inaugural
committee, Col. James G. Berret, of his
acceptance of the appointment, and expressed
his sense of the distinction conferred upon
him.
The chairman, Col James G. Berret, ON
the 18th day of December, 1892. appointed
an executive committee, with James L. Nor
ris. chairman. to whom, with his associates,
all credit should be given for the pronounced
success which attended these inaugural cere-
monies.
Colonel Berret's various official duties
necessarily brought him in contact with many
distinguished men, He had the good fortune
to enioy the acquaintance of Webster, Cal
houn. Clay, Samuel Houston, Silas Wright
Thomas II. Benton, Charles Sumner and
many others. He has known personally
every President from John Quincy Adams to
William Mckinley, and many of them we're
his friends. In looking back over the vast
amphitheatre of faces he has seen he realizes
that glory and life are very evanescent things,
aad what fliHIng shadows we are. Many of
these prominent names have been carved
upon the cold marble for many years, and
while thess distinguished men made history
in their time their names now serve merely as
links between the past and present.
THE CITY OF WASHINGTON.
The extreme beauty of the Cny of Wash
ington commands the admiration of every
visitor. Situated in the midst of scenery of
surprising loneliness, it is worthy to be the
centre of the beautiful landscape surrounding
it. Its distance from the Atlantic is 1874
miles, and from the mouth of the Potomac
River, at Smiths Point, 116 miles. This sit
uation gives it an exceedingly pleasant eli
mate.
A glance over the city from some elevated
station, such as the Washington Monument,
or the Capitol, will convince the observer that
It is one of the loveliest cities on earth. while
lbs magnificent, wide avenHes and strsets,
stretching in every direction show that It is
Justly entitled to its sobriquet, The City of
Magnificent Distances. "
Its great cleanliness. the conveniences in
which it abounds-to say nothing of its superb
public buildings-all contribute to charm the
visitor and he finds it difficult to believe that
this magnificent metropolis is the same place
which Thomas Moore ridiculed after his visit
10 America, in the early part Of this century.
In fact. what he then intended as satire, now
reads like prophecy. He saw the city in its
chrysalis stage. The commencement of the
century saw Washington dreary waste, much
of which was marshy; but its close, sees it the
magnificent city of today, which, with its adj
mirable supply of gas, electric lights, and
water its supurb churches, colleges and other
institutions of Learning, and splendid hotels,
together with its telegraph and telephone
lines, more than fulflls the widest dreams of
its most enthusiastic founders.
The person, then, who views it today, can
scarcely realize that this lovely city grew from
the sleepy-looking place Of 1910. Yet in
CITY. seven years, all these marvellous changes
have taken place.
in 1910, the city was destitute of gas, and
had no water Mains Its streets were illu-
mined by oil lamps, hung at various points,
and their number was very small. Thus it
will easily be seen that travel by night was
exceedingly undesirable, and risky, since the
streets of the city at that time were like mere
i H..