The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-03-01
OTHER INAUGURATI0NS,
How This Distnctvey American Ceremony Has Been
formed in the Past.

SS4GI aDSOIulely, O1SIlncIlVely ana
uniquely American. Here is no des-
potic seizing by force of arms of the
governing power; no coronation with
tlnsel accompaniments of emperor or
king forced upon an unwilling people
by the iron law Of succession or mon
archical eXpediency, but in contrast
the sublime spectacle of man, one of
the people yesterday, today before his
peers taking a solemn oath to carry out
their mandates as expressed in their
constitution and through their repre-
sentatives, to govern their country
and his for a short term of years, and
then to relinquish his great charge at
their bidding.
Impressive and beautiful in its in
ception, though the lapse Of years has
added to its magnificence, the grand
motive underlying all of the pomp and
ceremony still stands out in all the
simplicity and with all the potent
meaning that it had in 1889, when
George Washington, the first of the
presidents of the United States, bowed
his head in deep emotion over the Bible
upon which he pledged himself to keep
the Union, $50 help me God"
When Washington assumed the presi-
dency, among other duties he was
obliged to devise the form and ceremo-
NAL of an Inauguration. Like the other
results Of his handiwork, it has been
found good and has endured with
little change, and that only in the line
of expansion, down to this day.
The general was living quietly at his
home, on beautiful Mount Vernon,
when notified Of his election. The seat
Of government was then in New York.
The president-elect made the journey
TO New York on horseback, in stage
oh 1..v 1orl-
never since witnessed such scenes as
attended his progress; in the country
the farmers gathered along the road
side to greet him; in the towns and
cities professions were formed to es-
cort him, and his carriage was drag
ged by hand by hundreds Of enthu-
siastic people. The City. of Brotherly
Love, distinguished for its loyalty in
those early days, was laVishly decOrat-
ed, and Washington, mounted on
magnificent white charger, rode be-
meath triumphal arches and streamers
- Of evergreen. On every side was flung
to the breeze the flag now known as
odd Glory" but a new sign in the
armament of nations then. In the
Jersey towns young girls scattered
flowers in his pathway, and everywhere
was the sign Of national rejoicing.
THE FIRST PRESIDENT
was indicted into his office in the old
federal building in New York city,
which was then the place of meeting
Of the new congress. He himself laid
down the order of exercises. A mill
tary escort waited upon him at his
temporary stopping place on Cherry
street. They were all regular United
States troops, for the volunteers who
had freed their country had gone back
to their farms and workshops and laid
aside for a time the tools of war. The
president-elect rode alone in his car
riage in the line, for there was no re-
firing president to bear him company.
Special committees appointed by con-
gress, just as the senate does today,
attended him into the presence of the
senate where the oath of office was adj
ministered by Chancellor Livingston,
and the formal announcement to the
multitude assembled out Of doors was
the signal for general rejoicing and
merry making that was concluded by
q display Of fireworks at night.
At the date of Washington's second
Inauguration the seat of government
Mad been re moved to Philadelphia, and
The ceremonies were more elaborate in
details A great coach drawn by six
white horses conveyed the president II
the meeting place of congress on Chest
nut street. and Washington himself
was attired in the greatest SplendOr,
even for those days, in black velvet
and silver laces and diamond-Studded
buckles and silken hose, with powdered
hair and cooked hat
The first great trial of the stability
Of the new republic came with the in
auguration of John Adams, and the re-
suit was a superb Vindication of the
wisdom of its founders, for it made GER
tain the fact that the great general,
who had been the idol Of his people
for a term of eight years could cheer
fully and willingly surrender the reins
of power into the hands of another.
Adams, like Washington. was inaugu-
rated in Philadelphia, and with similar
ceremony.
Then followed another strain upon
the young Republican system. for Ad
ans successor, Thomas Jefferson, had
not been elected by the people, but had
been chosen by the house Of represen-
tatives after q bitter contest, in the
first exercise Of its constitutional pow
er to act in case of a tie.
Jefferson, the sage or Monticello, was
a man Of plain tastes. He cared moth
ing for forms and ceremonials, and
besides the times were not suited to
ostentatious display with 50 much ugly
temper and adverse political feeling
abroad in the land. Again the seat Of
government had been moved. this time
to its permanent abode in Washington.
end here jefferson was inaugurated
with a simplicity much to his liking.
With a very small resident population
and removed from the pODulOus cen
ters the number of people that wit
messed his assumption of the presi-
Dental office in this day would seem
ridiculOusly small. Nevertheless the
people of the surrounding country
flocked into the city, and, although
there We're no great crowds along Penn
sylvania avenue, evidences of enthu-
siasm and hearty greeting to the pres
ident-elect were not wanting. A local
artillery battery fired a saluee at day
break and a company of Alexandria
riflemen did Mr.. Jefferson the honor Of
parading before his house.
The president-elect had come into
town almost unnoticed and alone on
horseback from his estate at Month
cello, not for lack Of proffered escort,
hut because he preferred that course.
The same simplicity marked his inau-
guratiOn. Like Washington he had no
retiring president to escort him to the
capitol, but for another reason; Presi-
dent Adams, in a bitter frame of mind
had quilted the city at day break. JEFF
ferson rode on horseback to the cap
itol attended merely by a number of
his party friends in congress and some
leading citizens; with his own hands
he hitched his horse at the eastern EN-
trance and made his way in to the sem
ate chamber, now occupied by the su-
preme court. Out of the regular or
der the new vice president, Mr. Burr
had been previously sworn in and seat
ed. He surrendered his chair to Mr.
jefferson, who received the oath at
the hands Of Chief Justice Marshall
and delivered his inaugural address ia
the assembled congress. throughout
the proceedings Mr.. Jefferson wore his
hut