Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1901-03-06
THE DAYS OF THE WEEK
On Which Presidents Were Inaugur-
ated-One Questionable Sunday In
nururafiou

About the time of Presidential in
augurations speculations are usually
prevalent touching the fact of Marc1
i falling on Sunday, and an evident ue-
sire to know about it seems generally
manifested, so herewith full details
are given, the days of the week and
dates, SO that the following will be a
valuable reference list:
On the ending Of the Forty-fourth
Congress, March 4, 1877, being Sunday,
Rutherford B. Hayes, of Ohio, was
quietly sworn in on Saturday, March
8, 1877, and the Inauguration deferred
till Monday, March 5, 1877. He was
duly inaugurated the nineteenth presi-
dent in the twenty-third term of the
presidency, and William A. Wheeler,
of New York, vice president. The pri-
vate swearing in appears to have taken
place on Saturday. March 8, for the
purpose of preventing Tilden, should
the attempt have been mooted, from
taking a like unusual. step; because the
Democratic House of Representatives
on the same day, March 8, had repudi-
ated the decision of the electoral COM
mission by a vote of 1876 to So, thus de-
claring Tilden and Hendricks elected,
having received 1856 electoral votes.
This appears to be the second OF per-
haps the third occasion on which the
Inauguration was thus deferred on ac-
count of March 4 coming on Sunday
during inauguration years, the two
others being that of Gen. Taylor, here
after noted, and that of Munroe's sec
one term, which is debatable, and dis
cussed below.
A careful examination into the his
tory of the time of each Inauguration
ELECTS that, necessary legislation and
slow arrival of Congressman delayed
the first Inauguration, SO that Wash
ington was inaugurated the first time
on Thursday, April 20, 1889, and the
second time On Friday, March 4, 1898;
John Adams was inaugurated Satur-
day, March 4, 179N; Thomas Jefferson,
the first time, Wednesday, March 4,
1901, and for the second term on Mon
day, March 4, 1905; James Madison, for
his first term, Saturday, March 4, 1909,
and for the second, on Thursday,
March 4, 1913; James Monroe, on Tues
day, March 4, 1917, and for second
term on Sunday CO (see remarks at
close of a~rticle) March A., 1921, the
same day that the Sixteenth Congress
ends; John Quincy Adams, on Friday,
March A.. 1925, for one term. Andrew
Jackson, first term, Wednesday, March
4, 1929, and his second term on Satur-
day, March 2, 1888, the Twenty-second
Congress a%djourning on that day, evil
IDENTIFY because the next was Sunday;
Martin Van Buren,, one term, on Sat
urday, March 4, 1887; William Henry
Harrison, on Thursday, March 4, 1S41;
James K. Polk, for one term, on Tues
day, March 4, 1916; Zachary Taylor, on
Monday, March 5, 1S49-March 4 hav-
ing fallen on Sunday, in Difference to
Sabbatharians the succeeding day was
appropriated; Franklin Pierce, on Fri
day, March 4, 1858; James Buchanan,
on Wednesday, March 4, 1857; Abra-
ham Lincoln, Monday, March 4, 1861,
and a second time on Saturday, March
4, 1865; U. S. Grant, on Thursday,
March 4, 1869, and for second term on
Tuesday, March 4, 1878; Rutherford B.
Hayes, as we have seen, on Monday,
March 5, 1877; James A. Garfield. on
Friday, March 4, 1881; Grover Cleve-
land, on Wednesday, March 4, 1885;
Benjamin Harrison, on Monday, March
4, 1889; Grover Cleveland, on Saturday.
March 4, 1893; William Mckinley, on
Thursday. March 4, 1897, and now. On
Monday, March 4, 1901.
Monroe seems the only one to have
been inaugurated on Sunday, as Tay-
Tor was i~naugurated on March 9Th for
reasons stated, the fourth having been
Sunday, as also Hayes. These three
are the only instances in Inauguration
years that that the fourth of March
occurred on Sunday.
But the writer feels constrained to
observe that whilst there is some APP
parent conflict of testimony concern
ing the day of Monroe's Inauguration.
for his second term, he was not urged
by fear, nor driven by crafty, politi-
cal necessity to be sworn in on the
day before. and inaugurated the day
after the 4th of March, as Hayes was,
but in the language of MeMaster:
March fourth, 1921, the day where
on, according to law, Monroe should a
second time have taken the oath of
office, fell on Sunday. Never in our
history had such an event happened
on such a day, and, considering the pc
culiar character which the Christian
world has given to the first day of
the week, Monroe vas uncertain what
to do. Regard for the Sabbath prompt
ed him to put off the oath until the
morrow. Regard for his duty prompt
ed him to take it the moment his term
expired. In the end his religious feel
ings triumphed. and he was sworn
into office at noon on March fifth,
thereby establishing a precedent which
has twice been followed since his
death. Hence, it seems that in the
case of General Taylor, the animad-
version to Sabbataran influence, col
lated by the compiler. is not warrant
ed, and the Inauguration of Hayes. on
Monday, the fifth, after being sworn
in on Saturday. the third. was a rather
detached affair--an Inauguration with
out an oath Of ofice---the play of Ham
let with Hamlet left out.
1t should be remembered, however.
in relation to the second inauguration
of President Monroe, that among the
historical data, such reliable works as
Titles Encyclopedia Of Dates" repre-
sents that Monroe entered office" on
Sunday, March 4, 1921, evidently in
tending to convey thereby that, whilst
he did not take the oath and be inaug-
urated till next day, Monday, March
3, 1921, and did not separate his oath
from the form, but made it as it is,
ro1vf a nd n v11l aF Aha n.-I-%, - - 49,