The National tribune., 1901-03-14

covered IL years OF the history VI ILL
Republic.
The constant reader of these stories
since the Inauguration of George Wash
ington, April 80, 1IS9, has been in toucl
with the onward march of this Republic
The evolution of civilization has been EN-
phaticaIly marked every four years since
the morning of April 80, 1lS9, dawned
upon waiting, anxious multitude, which
: had poured into the City of New York to
witness the first Presidential Inaugural
ceremonies.
For the benefit of those who may not
have seen the first story, we will repeat
how it came about that the 4th Of March
was selected as Inaugural Day.
After the ratification of the Constltu-
tion by the several States, the Congress
of the old Confederation fixed upon the
first Wednesday in January, 1889, for the
choice of electors: the first Wednesday in
February for the voting by the electors,
and the first Wednesday in March for the
Inauguration of the President. The latter
day fell on the 4th that year, and the 18th
amendment TO the Constitution settled
upon this as the legal date.
George Washington should have been
inaugurated March 4, but many of the
States we're backward in getting their
representatives on the ground, and a
quorum was not present until April g.
washington did not receive the news of
his election until April II. Two days
later he left Mount Vernon, arriving in
New York, April %.
ApriI 80 is therefore an historic day in
a1arlaE
reason, beside that of bad weather. make
that day the Nations festal day. Wash
ipgton's Inaugural was attended with all
the pomp and parade, military and civic,
that could be mustered into service, and
for that time surpassed any function that
had been incorporated officially.
The Inauguration of Thomas Jefferson
was the first to take place in inc Capital
City.
The records of the day say that at high
noon the President-elect, Thomas Jeffer-
son, accompanied by the heads of Depart
ments, the Marshal of the District of
Columbia, and a long procession of mill
tary officers and men in civic authority,
came into the Senate Chamber. Ii seems
that everybody subject to be enrolled in
the Government service answered present
when the procession was in line, but VIC
must not forget that this was in the early
morning of this Republic. and when We
remember that the November before, when
the Sixth Congress took up its abode at
the Capital, the Government officials num-
bered 81 persons, including the President.
Secretaries and various clerks, it could
not have been very imposing body, as
far as numbers went, that escorted the
President-elect, Thomas jefferson, to the
Capitol; neither could it, hardly, be placed
10 his credit, the lack of greater ceremony.
They did the best they could with the ma
terial at hand, and if Jefferson footed it,
as some say, or rode, and tied his own
horse, as others say, this plebian manner
was evidently one of Hobson's choice; his
brother-in-iaw, Jack Eppes, was stalled in
the mud of Virginia with the magnificent
fOur-ln-hand, which he was sent to pur-
chase by jefferson for the occasion, for
which he paid $1,000. But luck it was
for the JeffersOnian party that mud was
monarch in Old Virginia. Without it
"Jeffersonian simplicity" would never
have been heard of in the land.
We have never seen picture of Jeffer-
son that did not represent him in knee
breeches, buckles, low-cut shoes, ruffied
wristbands, etc, and have been told by
members of his family that he was most
punctihous regarding his personal appear
ance. II he appeared on this Inaugural
day in coarse shoes, tied with leather
shoestrings," and other articles of wear
ing apparel in keeping, we are wondering
If he threw aside his usual apparel to
make an impression. We prefer 10 be-
ieve all this stuff the concoction of an
imaginative mind. Jefferson was the only
President that so adhered to rules of eti-
quet as to publish manual on the sub
ject. which is in vogue today.
Circumstances were the governing
power of events in those days TO a degree
that would not be possible today. The
march Of progress along the different
paths in civilization which marks the
epochs of history are not more plainly
photographed than in the spectacular dis
play offered to please the eye and whim
of the citizens OF the Republic in its quad
rennial festal of Inaugural Dayi
When President Mckinley rode from
the White House to the Capitol on March
4, 1901, attended by the old veterans and
military bodies, and cheered by tens of
thousands who had gathered to do him
honor and view the wonderful spectacle
Of the City Beautiful in gala dress, he
was celebrating the Tooth anniversary of
that ceremony in Washington. Just a
hundred years ago Thomas jefferson was
inaugurated President.
Washington hundred years ago was G
muddy village, and this first Inaugural
that christened its avenue was tame af-
fair. Enthusiasm did not run high in
politics, for there had been a tie in the
vote of Congress. The tie was not, as
some writers have asserted, between JEFF
1erSOn ana AOaInS, but Jt was between
Jefferson and Burr. each getting 13 votes.
John Adams got 60 votes and Charles G.
Pinckney GA votes. Had Mr. jefferson
received one vote more than Burr. which
Burr'sN ambition prevented, the dilemma
would have been obviated; but il was
thrown into the House for settlement and
on the 36th ballot Jefferson was elected.
1t left an ugly acrimonious feeling. There
were no features Of the celebration. for
want OF concert OF action, except those
provided by the law. There are other
things beside the apotheosized "hitchin9-
strap" and Inaugural professions which
history says Jefferson would have elimi-
mated of which his followers today say
little. Among them his effort with his
followers to assail the Supreme Court
with repeating statutes and proposed con-
stitutional amendments. He moored the
navy in the Potomac, and would gladly
have dragged the frigates Constitution,
Constellation, Chesapeake, United States
and Philadelphia out on dry land.
The supremacy of consolidated Nation
he laboTed necessarily TO supplant by the
supremacy of the State. That Admins
tration was but a hundred years ago, and
today National power is supreme. The
first Inauguration of the new century is
founded upon the principles laid down by
Hamilton, carried on by Clay, Webster,
and other statesmen of the day; the same
for which Grant led the forces of the Gov
ernment. and for which Abraham Lin
coin died.
The second Inaugural of Mr. McKin-
ley gave unbounded evidence of the inter
est OF the citizenship of the Republic in