The Washington times., 1901-12-01
Ceremony Once Attended
With Great Display.
SENATORS RODE IN THE PARADE.
At the Capitol President Delivered
an Grafton - The Scenes at the
White House When Congress
Made Acl1no wiedgmont.


seen at the convening of the Fifty-sev
snth Congress. soon to take place with
in the historic walls OF the Capitol il
the practice in vogue in the days ol
Washington and Adams were followed
From the White House down Penn
sylvania Avenue would pass a parade
grand as any that ever greeted q
conquering hero returning victorious
from war or civilian celebrating the tri-
umphs of peace. This would be fol-
lowed by an grafton by the President at
the Capitol.
A few days later the grave and aus
tere Senators. mounted upon chargers
bearing with pomp an elaborately pre-
pared reply to the Presidents message,
would pass up the old historic Avenue
to the White House. and there deliver
In a body their acknowledgements to the
President
The next day the House of Represen-
tauves IN procession would leave the
scene of its deliberations and convey
to the President its reply. Then again
the President would make two brief re-
Eponses, one TO each house of Congress.
Thus the first days of the new Congress
would be occupied in imposing parades
and in the presentation of elaborate ad-
dresses.
In those days the opening Of Congress
was attended with as much ceremony
and display as the Inauguration of a
President. Congress was regarded, GER
tainly as important. if not of more inn
portsl nee, than the President It was
the oldest branch Of the Government
The nation had existed six years after
the treaty of peace and thirteen after
the Declaration Of Independence with
out any President. and the other co-or-
dinate branches of the Government, the
executive and judicial. had been created
by a Constitution drafted by Congress.
These departments were in a measure
the creatures of Congress. Congress
had carried the country through the
war Of independence, and why should
not the assembling of such a body be
attended with as much ceremony as the
Inauguration of a President?
Jefferson. however, sought to abolish
ceremony at both inaugurations, and
the first meetings of Congress. He set
the precedent Of sending his message
to Congress in writing and stated that
both Houses might waive the formality
Of replies. His reason for abolishing the
old ceremonial was economy of time
and Is wish TO relieve Congress of the
embarrassment Of immediate answers
on subjects upon which it had not had
time TO deliberate and which were not
fully before that body. His example of
simplicity in public routine has been
followed in the Observation-Disclosures of
the assembling Of Congress, but not in
case of Presidential inaugurations.
Some assert that JeGersons sim
plicity was brought about by the condi
tions that then prevailed. The sur
roundings of Congress during his Ad
ministration. perhaps. did almost pre-
clude the spectacle of imposing cere-
monials. The new turnpike from the
Capitol to Georgetown, past the Presi-
dents House, was then in an unfinished
condition, and any procession would
certainly have got mired on this new
Avenue. Washington's and John
Adams Administration. except few
months of the latter had been in the
large cities Of New York and Philadel-
phia. The former had her Broadway
and the latter had Chestnut Street, both
even then considered great avenues
Besides boggs and quagmires in the
great avenues Of Washington, both the
Capitol and White House were in an
unfinished condition. The two houses
of Congress occupied temporary quar-
ters, too small for an ostentatious
gathering and a Presidential ovation
But nevertheless since then, although
conditions have become more favorable
for display. the practice that prevailed
in the early days Of the Republic has
never been adopted by any Congress.
In these days We hear much specula-
tion concerning what specific policy the
President in his forthcoming message
viii recommend or formulate for Con-
gress. In the early days the two
branches. the executive and the legisla-
tive, were not only regarded as sepa-
rate and distinct. but each body prided
itself on its independence and freedom
from advice or interference by the
otter
Read Washington first message and
you win find that an old writer was
correct when ne said the President
touched lightly upon measures of prac-
tical administration, deferring in this
respect to the wisdom of Congress-"
Messages were supposed to contain
certain information as to the state of
the country, and its relations with 9TH
er nations, that would enable Congress
TO act in a more intelligent manner,
but specific recommendations were gem
orally regarded as inappropriate in
message. There was no consultation
between individual members of Con-
gress and the President upon matters
OF governmental policy. Congress in a
BODY gave the President what II night
have TO say, and the President com
municated with Congress as a body,
Measures were fought and defended on
their merits in open debate on the floors
of Congress.
Vice Presidents who have become
Presidents have usually had rather
stormy time in their relations with both
houses.
John Tyler and his party In Congress
)kere not in harmony on the bank bill.
atoed ii. and Clay. then a leader In
=, determined to drive Tyler