The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1897-03-17
MISCELLANY.
The Third Inauguration.

The March number of the Centurv ia
mn Inauguration Number" and IL
contains several articles auy many BIC.
lures relating to the life that centers
around the White House. Mr.. Joseph
b. bishop contributes an article on
Inauguration Scenes and Incidents. +"
After speaking of the popular idolatry
OF Washington, Mr.. Bishop says:
The chief sufferer from this condition
of affairs was John Adams when the
time came to insugurate him as Wash
ington's successor. He is the only
president we have had, with the pos
sible exception of Mr.. Van Buren,,
who can be said to have played sec
ondary part at his own Inauguration.
The people had no eyes for him; they
saw only the stately figure of Washing
ton passing forever from the scene.
The ceremonies were held in Inde-
pendence Hall, Philadelphia, in the
House OF Representatives. Washing
ton drove to the hall in his coach and
four, and was Justify cheered both out
side and inside the building. He
passed quickly to his seat, as if eager to
stop the applause. Adams entered a
few minutes later, dressed in a light
drab suit, and passed slowly down the
aisle, bowling in response to the re-
spect'ul applause which greeted him.
He took the oath, and then delivered
his inaugural address. He described
the scene subsequently, as solemn one
indeed, made more affecting by the
presence of Washington, whose coun-
tenance was as serene and unclouded
as the day. There was food of tears,
which he sought in various ways to ex-
plain, though no explanation was nee
essary. There was, he said, more
weeping than there had ever been at
the representation of tragedy; but
whether it was from grief or Joy,
whether from the loss of their beloved
president or from the accession of an
unbeloved one, or some other cause,
he could not say. He suspected that
the novelty of the sun setting full.
orbed, and another rising, though less
splendid, may have had some thing to do
with il. For several days after the ex-
ercses he was still bewailing the ten
dency to weep. Everybody was an
noying him by talking of tears and
streaming eyes, but nobody told him
why; and he was forced to believe that
il was all for the loss of their beloved,
Two or three had ventured to whisper
in bis ear that his address had made a
favorable impression, but no other evil
dence of interest in him had reached
him. One thing he knew, and that
was that he was being of too much
sensibility to act any part well in such
an exhibition.
If the tears at the inaugural exer-
cises made Mr.. Adams unhappy, what
followed must have added greatly to
his sufferings. When, at the close,
Washington moved toward the door,
there was precipitate rush from the
gallery and corridors for the street, and
he found great throng awaiting him
as he emerged from the door. They
cheered him, and he waved his hat to
them, his countenance radiant with be.
nightly, his gray hair streaming in the
wind. He walked to his house, fol-
lowed by the crowd, and on reaching
it turned about for final greeting.
His countenance assumed a grave and
almost melancholy expression, his eyes
were bathed in tears, and only by ges.
lures could he indicate his thanks and
convey his farewell blessing.