Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-02-16
HAYES OFFICIAL OATH
As President Was Admins
tered First March 8,
THEN AGAIN MARCH 5
THIS WAS DONE AS A MATTER OF
PROBATION.
Old Newspaper Man Relates Interview
With Grant at White House
at the Time.
THEN AGAIN MARCH 5

Not infrequently the question has been
mooted in many places as to the circum-
stances under which Rutherford B. Hayes
subscribed to the oath by which he became
President Of the United States. Almost
every one who has given the matter any
thought can recollect that the 4th Of March,
1877, was the day upon which Mr.. Hayes
was, by law and the Constitution, to take
upon himself the administration Of the
office Of President of this republic, and
among many folk there has always been
a rather unQuiet feeling that an official act
performed upon what In law was a dies
non would be null and void. At the same
time there was an impression in some quar-
tiers that Mr.. Tilden might take the oath in
New York on Sunday and that there would
follow a complication the deplorable events
no one could foresee.
These topics were being talked over by
several gentlemen few evenings ago and
the majority of the peaceful wranglers were
welded to the impression that the successor
to Gen. Grant did take the oath Of office on
Sunday, though he was not inaugurated I'M
til the next day, which was the 9th OF
March. Contention was equally strong on
the other side that the oath of Office was
subscribed to and the inauguration followed
on the same day, that is on Monday,
March 8.
Unraveled by Newspaper Man.
An old newspaper man who was at that
period an active worker in his profession
sought to unravel the tangle and asserted
that Mr.. Hayes was sworn into office as
President on the evening Of Saturday,
March 3, and he was right.
Il remember" he said, 1.-The 4th of March,
1877 as we'll as If 1t were yesterday. I
was then in the employ of the New York
Associated Press, and was under instruc-
tions, received late Saturday night, to
watch all events about the White House,
then known as the Executive Mansion. /
was also instructed to keep an eye on
Senator Sherman's mansion in K street,
where Mr.. Hayes was staying. So on Sun
day morning l started to carry out the
Instructions as closely as circumstances
would permit me to do. The leased wires
of the Associated Press / IeCollect were
opened early that Sunday morning and
manned at all points by the best operators.
my first Journey was toward Senator
Sherman's house. The senator had gone
out and was accompanied by Mr.. Hayes,
was informed. 1 recall perfectly well the
feeling Of suppressed excitement that per-
meated the very atmosphere at that time.
Every one was expectant. There were,
however. no troops visible, nor anything
which would indicate an approach to dis
order.
First News Came From Grant.
my steps, and they were brisk ones,
were then directed toward the White
House, where 1 was admitted Immediately.
Going up the broad old stairway I went
into the office Of the assistant secretary,
where found that affable and ever cour-
teous gentleman, Mayor C. c. Sniffen. He
is a colonel now. Major sniffen. though he
had already been appointed an officer in
the army. was lingering at his old desk
assisting in gathering up the odds and
ends Of official correspondence, etc.
while 1 was talking to Major Sniffen
young Mr.. Grant, the one known in the
family as Buck came into the room, and
calling me by name, said: Father is in the
library and wants to see you / think he
has some important news for you.
" OF course. let not a second escape,
but went Into the library. where General
Grant was standing in the middle of the
floor. He said without any delay:
You can telegraph to the Press that
Mr. Hayes has taken the oath Of office as
President Of the United States
When did he take 1t. general? asked.
He told me that it was administered to him
on the previous evening. That was Satur-
day, March 3, and was administered by
Chief Justice Macarthur Of the District
Court. He further gave me the Informal
ton that the ceremony was performed in
the red parlor. You may be sure I made a
double quick run to the Associated Press
office and before long the facts were known
from one end Of the country to the other.
An Army Was Accessible.
Now. here's another thing happen to
know. I know that in case of any tumuIt
happening about that time there was an
army within Geographic call ready to sup
press any violence. One reason why 1t was
not present was because Of protest from
Police Commissioner Alexander F. Briston,
who assured President Grant that he ad a
sufficient force to prevent any trouble
General Sherman, I also happen to know,
was very much pleased at not having to
order more troops to Washington than were
already here. Some persons were very aux-
ious just then, for gay and brilliant Henry
Watterson. in a speech delivered at one Of
the city theaters just before that time,
promised about one hundred thousand me n
to see that Mr.. Tilden was seated. The
promise. however. did not materialize
Il believe Mr.. Hayes took the oath again
on the day Of his Inauguration, the cere-
| mony on that occasion being administered
according to the usual form by Mr. Chief
Justice Waite of the United States SUI
preme Court. The function of the proceed
Ing Saturday was considered proper and