The National tribune., 1901-02-14
8 (ORIESm'|
The heMAZyGlZRALC
By MARY S. LOCKWOOD.
Rutherford B. HAYES.
Copyrighted, 1900, by THE NATIONAL TRIBUNE.

has not passed from the memories of thu
people.
When Congress convened in December
the whole question of the disputed Presl
dency came before that body for adjust
ment.
The question at issue was whether tht
electoral vote of the several States shoulC
at the proper time be opened and counted
by the presiding officer of the Senate. II
accordance with immemorial and constl
tutiOnal usage.
The Senate was Republican, the House
Democratic. The Democrats demurred, il
view of the existence of duplicate and
spurious returns from some of the States
and advocated some additional court to be
constituted to open and count the ballots
The spirit of compromise prevailed,
after much debating, and it was agreed
that all disputed election returns should
be referred to Joint High Commission,
consisting of five members from the
United States Senate, five from the House
of Representatives, aid i've from the SUI
preme Court Their decision should be
final. This Commission is known in his
tory as the Electoral Commission"
When the counting began, all disputed
and duplicate returns were referred to the
Commission. Two days before the 4th of
March the final decision was reached.
Hays and Wheeler received 1S5 votes, and
Iilden and Hendricks, 1S4. The greatest
political crisis in the history of the coun-
try was passed peacefully oyer-Ruther-
ford B. Hayes was the 18th President. Mr..
Hayes was born in Dartmouth, o.; his an
cestors were soldiers of the Revolution.
= He was a graduate of Harvard Uniyer-
sity, and won distinction as q lawyer in
Ohio. He enlisted when the civil war broke
out, and rose in rank to Brevet Major
General. He was elected to Congress while
still in the field, and was afterward chosen
Governor of Ohio; was reelected in 1869
and in 1875, and received the nomination
for President at the Convention in Gin
cinnati in 1876:
Governor and Mrs. Hayes left Column
bus for Washington on the afternoon of
March l. En- route Air. Hayes was in
formed by a telegram of the result of the
electoral count, and that Senator Ferry,
the president pro TEN. of the Senate, had
announced that Rutherford 3. Hayes had
been elected President and William A.
Wheeler, Yice-President. Mr.. and Mrs.
Hayes were met on their arrival in Wash
ington by Senator Sherman and Gen.
Sherman, who escorted them TO the home
Of the Senator.
During the morning the President-elect
and eX-Gov. DenniSOn paid their respects
10 President Grant. From the Executive
Mansion they went to the Capitol, where,
in the Vice-President's room, he received
calls from all the Republicans and many
Democrats. The Georgia delegation paid
their respects in a body.
Again the 4th of March fell on Sunday.
Many consultations were held as to
whether the PreSident-elect should take
the oath the following day, or whether it
should be administered Saturday evening.
The observation-disclosures a guest at din
ner at the Executive Mansion. While the
guests were assembling, Mr.. and Mrs.
Hayes. with two or three friends, stepped
into the Red ParlOr with President Grant,
where Mr.. Hayes took the oath of office,
by which he became de jHre and dc fQcto
Chief Magistrate of the United States. The
proceedings We're kept a secret, the other
guests not knowing what had happened.
Monday, March >, the clouds hung
heavy over the Capital and the rain fell
continuously, yet it did not prevent thou
sands hocking to the city to witness the
persons left New York for Washington on
Saturday and Sunday.
pennsylvania avenue was in gala dress
for the occasion. The procession was un-
der the direction OF Mai. Whipple, as
Chief Marshal. 1t was escorted by the
United States troops, which had been con-
centrated in Washington The marines,
the volunteer militia, the Philadelphia
State Fencibles, and the Columbus (Ohio)
Cadets were there. Gov. Hayes occupied
carriage with President Grant They
were followed by the Grand Army OF the
Republic, Veteran Associations from Bal
umore and Philadelphia, and local politi-
cal associations.
In the Senate Chamber there was the
usual assemblage of dignitaries. Vice
President Wheeler was sworn in and de-
lyered his address, after which he admin
lstered the oath 10 the new Senators. The
body then moved TO the Eastern POrticO
where Chief Justice Waite administered
the oath TO the President. The Inaugural
Address was delivered, and amid cheers Of
the multitude and salutes of artillery the
new President was escorted to the Execu- |
tive Mansion, where lunch had been pre-
pared for the party, consisting Of Pres- |
dent Hayes and family, ex-President |
Grant and family, with a few others. |
After the lunch had been served ex-Presi- |
dent and Mrs. Grant were driven to the !
residence Of Secretary Fish, and the new
President and Mrs. Hayes took up the
reins Of political and social government.
In the evening there was grand torch !
light procession III honor of the new Ad- !
ministration by the Republicans OF the |
District Of Columbia.
A reception was rendered the Presi- |
dent in Willard's Hall (since demolishedI
In the evening, under the auspices of the
Toledo, O., Cadets. The President and es-
co1 attended. Mrs. Hayes was not pres
ent.
There was no Inaugural Ball. Vice
President Wheeler, Senator McCraTy,
Gen. Grant, Secretary Of Treasury Lot NJ. |
Morrill,, Secretary OF the Interior Zach. |
Chandler, Col. Casey, Gems. Sherman and |
Hancock, Gen. Chester A. Arthur, Gov. |
Dennison, Gen. Benz. L. Butler, Chief JUS |
tice Waite, Hon. James 4. Garfield, all |
were in attendance upon the ceremonies of
that day, and not one of these has a voice
IN the issues of their country to-day. They,
with the President, have passed over with
the great majority that has nc question
Ing.
1t is q fact of history that the Demo
Gratis, in proposing an Electoral Commits
zion, fully expected the tables TO be turned
In their favor, either by majority vote or
To plunge the country into the turmoil Of
another election. When the reverse was
the case, the cry has never ceased that Mr..
Hayes was not elected. Had il so hap
pened that that one uncertain vote of the
Supreme Court had been cast for Mr.. Til
den, the cry Of no election" would never
have been heard. They cast their all on
that one chance and lost, and President
Hayes was the victim who received con-
uemnation, because he quietly accepted the
sltuation In which the people had placed
him.
President Hayes was a well-built man
of pleasing address. He bore himself with
dignity, yet was affable to all Politicians
did not always obtain the places they
wanted for their friends, and, of course.
they criticized; sometimes going further
than that-almost maligned the President.
who made some appointments without