Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1901-06-11
MARCH THE FOURTH
HOW THAT DATE CAME TO BE
sELEcTEoAs INAUGURATION DAY.
It Was Originally Fixed For the
First "Wednesday In March and
Was Changed So as to Have 8 Fixed
Instcnd of a Movable Date.

| lnstcnd of a Movable Dute
Why was the fourth day of March Sc
\ ected as the day for the Inauguration Of
a president! This is a question which
| many citizens have doubtless asked them
solves as the lnadrennial event occurs,
and particularly on those occasions when
adverse weather makes the date seem an
especially unpropitious one Not only
does its relation to the season appear to
be an unsatisfactory one but the fact
\ that the date March 4 is neither the be-
! ginning Of Il calendar year, Il fiscal year
or even of n mouth adds interest to the
inquiry, Why was March 4 selected as
tho date for the inausuration of presi-
dent?' The facts seem 10 be as follows:
/ The convention which framed the con-
stitution reported the constitution to con-
gress on Sept II, lTs7 and on the 2Sth
of the same month it was transmitted by
4 congress to the several legislatures to be
4 submitted to convention of delegates
/ for its consideration. and in the latter
part OF the following year. 1883, congress
received ofiieiil notification that the nee
fessary number of states had ratified the
constitution. II therefore, on Sept. 10,
! 1IsS, passed the following:
Whereas The convention assembled in Philadel.
phia, pursuant - the resolution OF congress of
4 the DIST Of February. 1857. did, on the 18th Of
September, in he same year. report 70 the United
4 States III congress assembled constitution for
| tho people Of Ihc United states, wfercnpon con.
gtcss, The 2sh Of the same September t,if. re.
! sol'e unahimuus,. THAT the said report, with
the resolutions aud letter accompanying the same.
i be transmit led to the sevofa iegsia lures in order
,c be submitted to convention ~ dtiegaies
chosen in each state ~ tie people ,hcres. in on
toIinity T. tie resolves 4 the convention made
and provided astna case" and.
Whercas The consultation 50 reported by .l.e
| convention ard hs cengIess ,rausiaittci III the
several cgis!liprss has bfen rafiietl in the man
rer therein deva:'i TO be sufficient for tic esah,
4 ethnirnt Of The SINE. and saqh ratiaeatigIs duy
/ authenticated have been received by congress and
are filed in tie otlce of IT,. sacr.tary, therefore.
Resolved, Ifiat the FIRST Wednesday in January
4 rex, be thc day for nvooiutsag eleetors in tie
corral sates, Nsl,iah before The saiil day SHAH
! !.aye ratified tn said constitution; tat the frs,
"Wednesday ii February neyt he the day for the
lci6s;ots assemble, IA tieir Respective states a;.l
vote IL, president and thar the first We.ne.tlay
in March neg, be ne time and tie present seat
OF congress CSew york) The place for commencing
Proceedings under tie said constitution
1t will he observed from the above
that congress fixed the first Wednesday
in January for appointing electors, the
first Wednesday in February as the date
at which the electors should assemble
and cast their votes for IL president and
the first Wednesday in March for com
j mencing proceedings under the said con-
4 stitefion." This meant the assembling
4 Of congress under the new constitution,
the counting of the votes aud the inaugu-
ration of the president.
Il The members of congress did not. how
eyer, assemble ut The place of meeting. in
4 New York. in sufficient numbers 10 form
II quorum and count the votes until April
1 .. and after this duty had been perform
ed il was necessary to send II messenger
10 the residence of Washington, Mount
Vernon, To officially notify him of his
election. With the methods of travel
then in existence the trip both ways oc-
cupied a considerable time, and it was
not until near the end of the month TINT
i Washington appeared in New York. and
he was in:iugurated on April 30, 1850.
The fact, however. that "the first
/ Wednesday in March." which was the
4 date for commencing proceedings under
the said constitution. happened to fall
on the 4tll day Of that month evidently
i led congress to assume that its term and
the term OF the president began on thar
date aud that the four years period
4 should terminate at the corresponding
date in 1893, since in the early part of
the year 1192 it passed an act providing
the details relative 10 he election of ii
i president and vice president. which clos
ed with the following paragraph:
Section II. That the tsrm q four years Tor which
President and president shall be elected
s!ai3 IN all cases commence on the fourth day Of
March mkt and Succeeding the day ca which the
Votes ~ the electors shall have been given