Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1905-03-06
The Inauguration of 1908.

/
March 1. lS05. and that of Theodore
| Roosevelt. March 4. 1905. The con-
trast is not so much in the matter OF
| ceremonies, though OF course this year
saw vastly larger crowds in attendance
and many more features of a public
| nature giving dignity and impressive
ness to the affair. The spirit OF the
occasion was the same as that which
| marked the Inauguration of a century
| ago. and when il comes TO the question
| of simplicity. doubtless Theodore Eoose-
welt is more democratic and closer to
the people than ever Thomas jefferson
was But the nited States. To-Day. is
Il different country from that of Il cen-
tury ago, and ii is fitting that there
Eshculd be more imposing ceremonialS
than marked the early inauGuration,.
The most conspicuous difference be-
tween the inauguration of 1895 and that
Of last Saturday was III the methods of
reporting the event. If Il private SOL
der marching in the ranks. last Satur-
day, had stumbled to the pavement. Or
if the hat of General Chafee had been
blown away by the March breezes.
there would have been much more
sna"e devoted to the incident in the
newspapers than was given in the
IS in
aueural ceremonies. The National IN
telligencer, long the leading newspaper
of Washington. gives this account of
the Inauguration of 1865:
ION Monday, after Thomas JEFFERSON
had taken the oath of office as frtS'-
dent of the United States. the oath Oh
office was likewise administered I"
George Clinton as vice-President OF IN"
United States After the delivery oi
the speech the President WIS waited
on by Il large asacmbla@e of members
Of the legislature. citizens and Stian@-
ers of distinction. and n procession was
formed ut the Navy Yard composed Of
the several me chanicS engaged. which
marched to military music. displaying
sigma of the profeSisonS.
This is all the narrative part Of the
affair. and it has done yoeman service
i'm All the histories of inaugurationS
| which have since been written. That
Navy lard procession has been elab-
GRATED according to modern standards,
~ ca.an1a1 mighty
course. Whether there We're five. or
fifty. or two hundred men nobody
knows. The diary of John Quincy
Adams throws a little light on the af
fair. 1t tells of his going to the Sen
ate chamber where he saw the Presi-
dent and vice-President sworn into
| Office. Here is an important differ
| encc from the exercises today. when
| the President is sworn in outdoors. be
| SponSe 10 the popular demands of the
occasion. Mr.. Adams tells that Presi-
dent Jefferson. previous to taking the
oath. delivered the Inaugural address
in 50 low a voice that mot half of it
was heard in the crowded auditory.
His remaining comment was this: Mr..
Eurr was this day present at the in
auguratiOn in the gallery"
Augustus Foster, the British minister
at that time. described the inaugura-
ton in one of his letters home, but
COMFORTABLE With the promptncSS of
that day, his letter was dated July ].
1865. nearly four months after the af-
fair. This is his account of an Ameri
can coronation:
Il don't know whether I have yet
transmitted to YOU an account of tn"
installation of the successor of Monte
yuma in last March. On the 18th he
proceeded on horseback from the Pal
ace which is of white stone and the
largest building here. and attended by
his secretary and groom, rode up the
| long avenue Of Pennsylvania to the
Capitol. which is an unfinished rival in
stone of the Roman building of that
name. and dressed in black and silk
stockings. delivered speech of some
| length to q mixed assembly of senators.
populace. representatives. and ladies'
| 1t was too low spoken to be heard We'll.
He then kissed the Book and SwOre
before the Chief Justice to be faithful
to the Constitution. then bowed and re-
| tired as before. When he received al
| who chose attended the levee. and even
| toward the close blacks and dirty boys
drank his wine. and lolled unon his
| couches before us all. There was
| nothing digniied in the whole affair"
| Minister Fosters account of the or
der of oatE-taking and address is diff
ferent from that of Adams, but other
wise they agree. His final conclusion
regarding the lack of dignity in the in
auguration. is still true today. al
though in somewhat different lines 1t
| is hardly dignilied thing to ask the
ambassadors and other diplomats here
| to come out in their gorgeous apparel.
suitable for similar exercises in West
minister Abbey. to sit on an out door
| wooden plattOrm for an hour or more.