Marietta daily leader. (Marietta, Ohio) 1895-1906, 1901-03-27
The Marietta Daily Leader.
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 81, 1901.
INAUGURATION DATE.
How the Fourth Day Of March Was
Chosen.

WHY NdS lHt lOullu vi Wal VI
selected as the day for the Inauguration
of president? This is a question
which many citizens have doubtless
asked themselves as the quadrennia
event occurs, and particularly on thost
occasions when adverse weather make!
the date seem an especially unpropi
tious one. Not only does its relation
to the season appear to be an unsatis
factory one, but the fact that the date
March is neither the beginning of q
calendar year, fiscal year or even oi
a month adds interest to the inquiry
why was March 4 selected as the dats
for the Inauguration of a PRESIDENT
The facts seem to be as follows:
The convention which framed the
constitution reported the constitution
to congress on September II, 1887, and
on the 2Sth of the same month it was
transmitted by congress to the several
legislatures to be submitted to con-
vention of delegates for it's considera-
tion, and in the latter part of the fol-
lowing year, 1888, congress received Of
fetal notification that the necessary
number of states had ratified the con-
stitution. 1t therefore, on September
!, 1888. passed the following:
Whereas, the convention assembled
in Philadelphia, pursuant to the reso-
luton Of congress of the 21st of Febru-
ary, 1887, did, on the 18th day of Sep
tember, in the same year, report to the
United States in congress assembled. a
constitution for the people of the I'm
tied States; whereupon, congress, on
the 2Sth of the same September, did re.
solve unanimously, that the said re-
port with the resolutions and letter ac-
companying the same, be transmitted
to the several legislatures, in order to
be submitted to convention of dele
gates chosen in each state by the peo
pie thereof, in conformity to the re-
solves Of the convention made and pro-
vided in that case: and whereas the,
constitution so reported by the con-
vention and by congress transmitted to
the several legislatures, has been rati-
fled in the manner therein declared to
be sufficient for the establishment of
the same, and such ratifications duly
authenticated have been received by
congress, and are filed in the office of
the secretary; therefore,
Resolved, That the first Wednesday
in January next be the day for ap-
pointing electors in the several states,
which before the said day shall have
ratified the said constitution; that the
hrst Wednesday in February next, be
the day for the electors to assemble in
their respective states and vote for a
president; and that the first Wednes-
day in March next be the time, and the
present seat of congress New York; |
the place for commencing proceedings
under the said constitution"
1t will be observed from the above
that congress fixed the first Wednes-
day in January for appointing electors.
the first Wednesday in February as the
date at which the electors should as
semble and cast their votes for a presi-
dent, and the first Wednesday in
March for commenting proceedings un-
der the said constitution" This is
meant the assembling of congress un-
der the new constitution the counting
OF the votes and the inauguration of
the president.
The members of congress did not
however, assemble at the place of meet
ing, in New York, in sufficient numbers
70 form quorum and count the votes
until April 9Th. and after this duty
mad been performed it was necessary to
SEND a messenger to the residence of
washington, Mount Vernon, to official
y notify him of his election. With the
methods of travel then in existence the
rip both ways occupied a considerable
lme, and it was not until near the
ND OF the month that Washington an
~ ~ -NVW 1Olh anu ne was in
.ugurated on April Both, 1889. :
The fact, however, that the first
Wednesday in March," which was the
ate for commencing proceedings un-
er the new constitution" happened to
all on the fourth day of that month
led congress to assume that :
S term and the term of the president ,
egan ON that date, and that the four
ears period should terminate at the ,
corresponding date in 1892 it passed an
ct providing the details relative to the
lection of a president and vice presi-
ent, which closed with the following
araGraph:
Section II. That the term of four
ears for which q president and vice
resident shall be elected shall in all
ases commence on the 4tl day of
iarch next, and succeeding the day
IN which the votes of the electors shall
ave been given"