Mexico weekly ledger., 1898-05-12

It seems 10 us that the present Is not an op.
perfume time for the exercise OF party power
on one side and the consequent proyocation OF
party resentment ON the other. Such conflicts
could well be postponed in the face Of ques-
tions that touch our common welfare and call
for our harmonious action. Better a tempora-
~ neglect Of this or that individual interest
than the fermentation Of grievances and resent
ments which may obstruct the formulation Of
national policies and paralyze the execution
OF national plans-
The present Ia no time for merely partisan
at this moment In q subordination Of party
schemes and suppression Of academic contro-
yersy In the interest Of . harmonious and con-
oerted patriotism.
Let us turn from the unpatriotic per-
formance Of Republicans unseating duly
elected Representatives in 1898 to an
event that happened lo9 years ago--an
event which was potent factor in
making us what we are.
washingsons First Inauguration.
Taken all In all, Washington's first
Inauguration stands forth as the most
marvellous political faot In the entire
history Of the human race. How it
came to pass is also remarkable. 1t is
the only instance where people de-
Hberately made all arrangements to es-
tablish government at certain and
somewhat distant date and held them-
selyes in abeyanoe and ON their good
behavior while waiting for that date
the 4th of March, 1859. Perhaps the
most interesting feature Of Washing
toms Inauguration is that he should
have been 30 reluctant to enter into his
exalted office and fulfill his high destiny
that he deferred taking the reins Of
government into his own hands from
the 4th OF March to the S0th of April.
None Of his successors has been behind
time in arriving at the seat Of govern
ment and taking the oath. and it is alb
solutely safe to say that none Of them
ever will be until human nature has been
remodeled and regenerated. Should any
Of them 30 far depart from the beaten
path Of human conduct as to be two
months late the world would hardly
contain the newspaper comments on the
strange event.
More historic characters participated
in that splendid pageant than In any
other single scene in American history.
OF course Washington was the central
figure. He was sworn in by Robert r.
Livingston, himself q great historic per-,
sonage, destined to link his name for.
ever with the Louisiana purchase. the
wisest, most astounding and most benefi-
cent act Of statesmanship and finance
ever accomplished In this world, and to
still further increase his fame by be-
coming the munifoent patron Of Robert
Fulton. Near him, and biting his lip
with envy, stood old John Adams. who
was strange compound Of patriot.
statesman, madman and egotist. Con-
spicuous in that glittering throng was
the slight but martial figure of Alex
ander Hamilton, the mighty man who
was the evil genius of Washington's ad-
ministration. In the shadow was .
small man of magnificent mental equip
ment destined to I'LL q great place in
American annals and to exert whole.
some and commanding influence on our
affairs through all time-James Madi-
son, "The Father Of the Constitution, !"
the neighbor, friend and pupil Of
Thomas Jefferson. Close by him was
the soldierly Virginian, his successor in
the presidency, q man Of whom Jeffer-
son said, "He Is 30 pure that you might
turn his soul inside ont and not find q
blot upon 1.-THE American whose
name Is at this juncture most frequently
mentioned--James Monroe. There wss
one youth In that assembly, sober
sided youth--foreordaine to hold more
offices than any other American from
beardless boyhood to trembling old age,
finally dying in the nations capitol
with hairless ON his back-John Quincy
Adams.
Americas Greatest Happiness.
In the crowd, but not near the presi-
dent-for he was no friend to Washing
ton-was boyish lieutenant colonel of
the Revolution, with leonine heart and
wondrous piercing black eyes, with a
brilliant military record behind him,
with high career and appalling fate
before him. the most fascinating and
enigmatical character in American his
tory-Aaron Burr-around whose life
romance has woven glittering and i'm
penetrable veil. And Governor George
Clinton was there with his strong
Scotch. Irish face, and Daniel d. Tomp-
kins, who rose to exalted station. and
John Jay. the first chief justice of the
United States, and Elbridge Gerry, who
died in the vice presidency, and Horatio
Gates, the conqueror of Burgoyne, and
brave old Charles Carroll Of Carrollton,
and John Marshall, the immortal jurist,
and young Dewitt Clinton, with his
head full Of lofty ambitions, and a host
of other worthless whose names will
never die. And the ladies' Solomon
In all his glory was not arrayed like
one Of these.
The awful Significance Of the scene
was that people having conquered
freedom by the sword after seven terri
BILE years of blood and having preserved
it through seven even more terrible
years of doubt and gloom were now es-
tablishing 10 on firm and enduring ba-
sis--a new and unheard Of basiB--that
governments derive their just pow
ers from the consent Of the governed. "
There have been more spectacular scenes
in the world-Napoleon's coronation
and his second burial, for instance--but
none 10 fraught with such vital conse-
quences to the human race. When
Washington had taken the oath, repre-
| sentative governments was upon its trial
"a fair, full and comprehensive trial.
a trial which has eventuated 80 happily
that kingcraft Is dead, really dead.
throughout the world. There are kings
yet, but they are mere figureheads. oum-
berers Of the ground. Imitation 10 the
sincerest fattery, and every republic on
earth is an imitation, copy, repro
duction Of ours. Fortunate In all things,
Americas greatest happiness was in
having o Washington TO inaugurate.
Blessed be his name forever!
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