The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1898-12-02
INAUGURATION OF
GOV. JOHNSTON
1t Proved to be a Purely Informal
Matter.
CEREMONIES WERE BRIEF
The Inaugural Address Was Short But
to the Point.
a
OATH OF OFFICE ADMINISTERED
By Justice HARRISON, Chief Justice Nc
Clellan Being Too Unwell to Per-
form the Duty-Governor
Congratulated on all Sides.


bama to serve a second term.
The inauguration was entirely in keeping
with the governors record as an economi-
cal, thoroughly business chief executive
There was no especial demonstration. 1t
was purely a formal matter, and the time
consumed in the ceremonies was only six
and three-quarter minutes. There was no
procession of carriages from the hotels
down town up Dexter avenue to the capital.
Nor was there any military display
Around the capitol an outsider would not
have recognized that an event of great
state Importance was transpiring within.
Governor Johnston spent the morning in
his office hard at work, as Is his daily
custom When the hour for the Inaugural
ton arrived the committee of arrangements
found the chief executive at his desk en-
gagged as if he were not cognizant of the
fact that within a very few minutes ne
was to take the oath of Office as never be-
fore administered to the chief executive OF
Alabama, a moment which must have been
the rpoudest of his career.
AS the clock over the speakers stand
was striking Il, Speaker Waller raped Tor
order The members of the body were re-
quested to occupy their own seats, ana
barely had this request been made when
Mr. Golfer moved that the members OF the
supreme court be invited to seats upon the
floor Mr.. Brandon wanted the same invi-
tation extended to all state officers, and
both were adopted with hearty ayes.
. Arrival of the Senate
At this juncture the doorkeeper an
nounced the senate of Alabama, and the
house members arose as the members OF
the upper house entered the chamber,
President Cunningham, with Senator
Meador, following next after the venerable
senate doorkeeper. President Cunningham
ascended the speakers stand and an
nounced the purpose of the Joint CONFER
ence, and that the speaker of the house
would preside. - : -
Mr.. Graves of Montgomery moved that
the Joint committee of the, house and SEN
ate retire: and escort the governor into the
chamber The. COMMITTEES retired. Inc
members of the supreme court entered the
chambr and.~were seated just in front OF
the speaker.
The gallery was a perfect vsion filled
to its utmost capacity with Alabama's love-
ly daughters. Neither was there vacant
seat left on the floor of the house. -Four
distinguished elderly ladies had been In
vited to seats just opposite those occupied
governor with escort entered the chamber
and again the members arose. The party
escort consisted of Senators Meador and
Caffee, and Representatives Graves, Patter-
son and Smith.
When the governor reached the speaker S
stand Speaker Waller said:
Gentlemen of the General Assembly: 1t
is one OF the highest honors and duties
of my life to introduce to you the governor
of the state of Alabama, Joseph F. john
ston." The applause that greeted this an
nouncement was deafening.
The governor then addressed the assem-
| bly, as follows:
inaugural Address
Gentlemen Of the General Assembly:
am here in obedience to the constitution
| and laws of the state and in compliance
| with your request to renew the oath taken
by me two years ago. We have been
| chosen by the people of Alabama to enact
| and execute laws that will tend to insure
] tranquility, maintain justice and promote
| prosperity.
/ 1.-THE enactment of wise, just and equal
/ laws, their faithful construction and fear
| less enactment, is a duty resting upon us
| that we should meet with fidelity and pat.
| riotism; nothing should divert US from the
| faithful performance of this duty.
| 1.-The men living. who are most honored
| and respected, and dead, whose memories
are most cherished by the people, are those
| who turn neither to the right nor the left
| in the performance of every duty.
| "Fw of us can hope to escape unjust
criticism SO long as we perform our whole
| duty, and envy, hatred and malice sur.
| vive, but we should console ourselves will
| the reflection that in the end the people will
remember gratefully all who have fearless
ly battled fer the things that are wise ant
honest and fair. The commentator of tn,
weak, teh venal and the corrupt, of mel
who have betrayed party or people or con
viction, is more to be dreaded than the
commentator.
Il pledge you, gentlemen, representative
of the free people of a sovereign state, IN,
cordial cooperation in the enactment o
every measure that will tend to promot,
peace, punish vice, develop the resources o
the state, elvate the standards of educa
ton and morality, and prevent unnecessar,
| expense"
Turning and facing Justice HARRISON
who was to administer the oath of offic
(Chief Justice Mcclellan being too unWel
to perform the duty the governor contin
ued
II am now ready to take the oath of offie
with a solemn sense of my dependence
upon a higher power to guide me in tn
discharge of my duty. and remembering
His injunction to do justice, love mere
and walk humbly."
Chief Justice Mcclellan then administers
the usual oath.
Governor Congratulated
AS the governor replied 81 WILL" he wa
grasped by the hand and congratulated frs
by Justice HARRISON, then by the speake
and president of the senate. This ende
the simple. yet most impressive, ceremony
| and President Cunningham announced:
1.-The purpose for which this joint con
| vention was called has been concluded an
now declare it dissolved. The senate vii
retre-to the senatae chamber
The friends of the governor swarme
around him as he descended from tn
speakers stand, and it was several min
utes before the house could proceed wit
the regular order. The after session wa
| very short, the speaker only signing fey
bills before adjournment
i Attorney General Brown, Secretary o
State McDavid and Superintendent Of Edu