The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1899-02-18
A Hundred Years After.


A Hundred Years After.
For the Democratic Advocate.
A great many good people have more
or less definite idea that | died about one
hundred years ago, viz, on the 18th of
December. 1899. In fact something did
die at that time, but whatever it may have
been it was not ego. Something was soon
afterwards buried at Mount Vernon, and
from that time to this many people have
visited there. what has been. by popular
consent. called Washington Tomb.
But whatever may be in that tomb wish
it distinctly understood that am not.
Since 1892 there has never been a day in
which have not looked ont over the world,
sometimes with one pair ofe eyes, sometimes,
ike Briareus of old, with hundred And
inst now | think | am more numerous in
the earth than ever before Thus much
by way of removing any doubts that might
steal into the minds Of some, who are wont
to boast of their iucredulity as To the truth
of the story which am about TO relate.
You all remember, my good children.
about that wonderful trip which | made to
New York in the early spring Of 1889.
Well. one hundred and nine years after
that. or towards the end Of SOS. made
another trip to New York. The country,
whose father happen to be, did not make
20 much noise over the recent trip as It dId
over the earlier one. perhaps because the
luStv infant Of that tar of time has now
grown to grave and diguifed Young man
hood, aud prefers 10 show hi, admiration
for NE by quoting my words in the Fare
well Address about keeping out of European
alliance, when | had in mind the French
and their terrible revolution, - though |
meant TO caution the { 00O, 600 Of people
over whom | ruled then, never TO increase
their numbers or grow any wiser. Young
man ii that /, the way ypu mean To honor
your father, let me tell you frankly now
that much prefer the noisy, bu, FAR more
sensible and natural method OF the infant
But perhaps YOU are asking, Father,
did YOU uo,iye auy changes in New York
sincc l7s9F lies indeed | dii and
that j. vha, started cat 90 tell Flrt
let me speak Of gcitin. Jo New York hen.
In the spring of 1859 it was known by
a few lesier~ in the thirteen state, which
had six years before won thcir Independence
from England. hat the Article q Con
federation. or League 90 Friendship had
failed aud that ncw constitution. which
had been adopted by a Convention in l5S,,
and afterwards ratified bs eleven ui the
.gate-. was a, last to he ru. 10 trial uuiy
Ten .iats-, had taken part IN the rlcet'on #
President; aud iu these elsciar, had been
chosen in A, least three different ways foT
ihe regipc Tor a government which wv we're
,Yyins blipiiy to follow called C"u-tiiu
iiau gave uo directions worth anything ou
ths. ps5ut In ~me u the states ;hcrr
fore. clect.rs wcrr chosen by iho le-iSl.
tursS. an ushcrs hy general rirkc;, a, Re~f
ag the state, 30 now. ani sill other. ty
llstriets. A. is Michigan AZ the present
time
uosic,I that the people dll no, take
much intcr,-s in tko election ln.iss'd
they wcrc not meant to have mueh 20 ~
With Il by The framers q that recipe for
government o. which have several iiusc,
alluded NJ nominations were mads for
either President ar Vice Pry-idsag All
the people could io VA to chnose few Of
their Leaders whp would afterwards mect
and agree upan slnseboiy Or President.
Th.. -..ztni uur oa the ll,t far President
ws> 70 tc Vice President
uf course, children. sou -lullc at saeh
an arrangement. A. utterly impossible noH,
bul / am ,ars it wcsld bas, sorked cN
ceIlcudy if, like yoar father ygu had AL
I,eyn unable g. s,ll De, and none oi yon
hsi ever b,ea ans more easvr for ctticc
than Wa
iii not ash la r. President | knew
that in ancient times the father had to BE-
raler and chief ia everything bu' ! Thought
the tune had come fer government. whose
ruler. should te chos.u with reference Co
aue thing only their fitness to Fule
Ncyeythel,-s | dii thlnk is would be 4
graceful thing for thts youn= strip 70 whom
had gwen liberty ai So tender an age 10
prove worthy ot hi, liberty Of ghaioe By
wisely -clectiu. hls father 10 show him just
huw much Of liberty sui hoN much ot ~
sinegiou was best in such a government
Moreover had great faith ia my young
family. aui | somehow islt iH my bone,
thai ! would i-r chosen FIRST President
Bat when the day came for ghe inauel
ration # the fr>l President, March !,
l7Sg. and there had ugi beou enough ia
lerc-i shown iu the matter 10 bring 10 New
York a quorum af Senator, and kepr'~cn-
tatiy,s necessary 90 the counting 0f thc
electoral votes, conit,, ! began % feel II .
was 4 burden should probably be asked
Ia accrIt, aud not au honor.
At last about the 9th Or 7ih Of April
Congress organized aud counted the presI-
dental votes Il was then fouui that
had been unanimously elected president
an honor that has never since been ar-
corded to any Of my children \ few days
later received the notification which for
souie while | had more than half expected
But | dil not take the next train Tor
New York although the time Tor my inau
guratiun had long past finished NY
breakfast ~ calmly a, If my foreman had +.
notified me that the affairs of nav rlanta-
tion had become much cntan-1eA. and that /
my personal attention would be needed for
a while insasrder to sot things "a slid .
foundation After breakfast however, | .
ordered ms horse. took look over the .
premises, gave fnal directions 10 my fore
nau. and told my ho>tlcr to have my best .
mount at the door early the next morning.
went up To Alexandria and ferried acro>S
the Potomac; OF course there was not a
house then where Washington now stands; /
| myself selected the site for that beautiful I
capitol some four year, later. After long I
and tiresome day ride stopped in Bal I
timore, then a little village in the marshes ,
Of the Patapsco. \ few Of Maryland
leading citizens called on me here and | I
began at last to realize that | was ON my !
way to be installed as president Of the first |
republic the world had ever seen. was |
late starting from Baltimore the next morn
ing, and with few companions covered |
that day no more than half the way to