Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1905-03-10
The Early Inaugurations.

In the current number of Every
todv's we find an interesting review of
the uuadrennial dramas which began
when George Washington took the oath
of office as President in New York in
April, 1889. At that time New YORK
had only 10000 inhabitants. Chancel-
Tor Livingston administered the oath
ON the balcony of the Federal building
and with Il wave of the hand the chan
cellor cried. when the oath had been
taken. Long live George Washington.
President of the United States" 1t is
recorded that as no Bible was at hand
| in the Federal building upon which to
| administer the oath. one was procured
from the hail OF n Masonic Lodge near
by. This was most appropriate as
| Washington. like NEST of his generals
and prominent associates in winning
freedom for America, was an ardent
Free Mason. and was for years the
master Of the lodge ut Alexandria. Fir-
.inia ON his Inauguration. Washing
ton appeared, Il stately figure in brown
homespun. woven at Mt. Vernon. He
also wora the conventional knee
shoe buckles. powdered hair and queue.
IN the evening he led the dance, which
was Il formal minuet, at the Inaugural
ton ball.
WaShinSton's second Inauguration
was 1T Independence hall, Philadelphia.
Here, four years later John Adams was
inaugurated amid copious tears on ac-
count of the retirement of the beloved
Father of his Country, which, as
Adams wrote to his wife, gave the
whole performance the Semblance of n
tragedy. JeffersOn's Inauguration was
| the first to take place in Washington.
| Malign influences attended il, for Chief
Justice Marshall. who was to admins
other. and they both hated Aaron Burr
| the third figure in the ceremony. who
had been defeated for the presidency
! by 4 single vote in the house of repre-
| sentatives. Adams. the retiring Presi-
| dent. was so hostile to jefferson that
he absented himself from the ceremo-
| lies. Madison, at his inauguration.
appeared in clothes Of American manu-
| facture, and this example has been 10y
| ally followed by all his successors.
| The exercises of Monroe's Inaugural
ton were held out of doors on a plat
form erected beneath the portico of the
capitol. This custom has since pre-
vailed with but two exceptions. when
at Monroe's second Inauguration and
that of John Quincy Adams, Indictment
weather forced the chief participants
within doors. The inauguration of the
second Adams was an imposing affair."
in striking contrast to that of jackson,
who was followed to Washington by a
bowling mob of Indian fighters and
frontiersmen, impressed with the idea
that in JaCkson's election the country
| had been saved from ruin. He and
John Quincy Adams We're at swords
points. and both Adams and his friends
refused to be present at the Inaugural
ton. At Van Buren's Inauguration the
central figure was Jackson. who
| through two terms. had remained the
idol of his party. On his quiet en-
trance into Washington, Gen. William
Henry Harrison was forced to head a
parade made up Of campaign clubs.
with barrels of hard cider and log cab
ms. The numbers who attend the in
augurai ceremonies has gone on con-
stantly increasing. and the parade with