Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1905-03-09
Washington LETTER.

administering the oatn OF ONCE. NO sooner
the oath than all Washington reverberated
with the boom of the great 10-inch guns on
the monitor Puritan which lay anchored in
the Potomac Once, twice, thrice, the great
guns doomed from the monitor when there
sounded a medley of roars from up and
down the river, the seige guns at Fort Myer,
opposite Georgetown, and those at Forts
Foote aud Washington below Washington
taking up the salvo, each fort firing the
presidential salute of twenty-oue guns. As
the guns roared their stentorian greeting,
] the great crowd on the Capitol piazza sent
MP mighty cheer
AS soon as the noisy demonstration ceased
the President stepped forward to the front
of the rostrum and apparently addressing
the classic statue Of George Washington,
delivered his inaugural address. For but
ten minutes he spoke, rapidly, but with
clear erunciaton. At the conclusion of his
brief address the President descended from
the platform and returned to THE Presi-
dents room in the Capitol. where he re-
ceived the congratulations of Senators and
Representatives, of diplomats and jurists
aud of a host Of personal friends
1t was almost two o'clock when the Presi-
dent accompanied by the picturesque, en-
thusiastic Rough Riders, who followed him
in the famous charge up San Juan Hill, Land
by Troop A of the New York National
Guard, drove rapidly up Pennsylvania
Avenue, followed slowly by the greatest
civic and military pageant that has thus far
| assembled in Washington to do honor to a
newly inaugurated President At the
White House the President received the
two hundred guests who had been invited
to the buffet lunch Mr. Roosevelt ate a
hasty mouthful and then proceeded to the
handsome stand erected in front Of the
executive mansion, from which during the
next three hours, he reviewed the procession
saluting the flag each time it passed before
him. From time to time he turned to
those about him commenting on the notable
features of the parade, exchanging jokes
with cabinet members and friends and in
every possible manner displaying that al
most boyish exuberence which is one of his
characteristics
When the last of the procession had
passed the stand the President returned to
the front portico of the White House and
there received informally the members of
the Rough Riders Troop which had served
him as escort in the day, as well as a num-
! Der of the boys' who had known him in
his ranching days. Among those at the
luncheon and at this informal reception was
big Bill'' Sewall, the Maine guide. who
has been the Presidents companion on so
many hunting trips together with Bills
wife and sons and daughters and lnnumer-
able grandchildren, for Bill' is no demon
strator of race suicide Another notable
| figure at the White House luncheon was
Seth Bullock, the Wyoming guide whose
| laconic warning, MIR President, | smell
dent received of the inoipient rebellion
against bis nomination which occurred in
the National Committee little over year
ago Another notable character who greeted
the President on Inauguration day, being
among the first to grasp his hand under
the White House portico, was a gentleman
who had left his native State, Missouri, for
that States good, who once played ONE
what important role in successful effort to
escape the western penalty for horse steal
ing, but who is a good Iniun' and a loyal
Republican now. Still another piratical
looking gentleman the President recalled
with the remark, Il believe the last time
/ J." f'Yes, Colonel, and | never GOT
through thanking God that you drew quick
est. = was the obviously sincere reply
La the evening the President, accom-
palfed by Mrs Roosevelt, Miss Alice and
his military and naval aides, attended the
inaugural ball in the great hal OF the PEN
sion Building, but he did not dancess con-
tenting himself with looking down on the
throng of beautifully uniformed men, and
responding to their salutes with smiles and
uoWS. Inc DaiA ioouu pitSeHttu plctuFe
of exceptional beauty with its profusion of
flowers, its artistic arrangement of tiny
electric lights and the magnificent assem-
blage which had gathered to see aud he seen
Throughout the day there was evidenced
that spirit of good fellowship which is the
chief characteristic of American crowds
4 Democrats and Republicans forgot poll
tics and joined in rejoicing over the in
auguration of man whom all can respect
however much they may differ with him
politically, of whom Americans can be
proud, even when they believe be is mis-
taken, whose personality, whose courage,
whose purity and whose Americanism APP
peals to men Of all parties, and all nations
The Inauguration of Vice President Fair
banks, according to custom preceded that
of the President and occurred in the Senate
chamber As the hands of the great clock