The semi-weekly messenger., 1905-03-07
MOST BRILLIANT INAUGURATION
In THE HISTORY OF THE REPUBLIC

Eacn of these grand divisions of Off
I cial life, or official death, was announc-
ed and saluted by the Senate rising.
Al this prolonged form with it's solemn
progress and weighty dignity was pre-
li1ninary TO the ceremonies outside and
the march at once began to the i'm
mense platform where the President
was to deliver his inaugural and take
the oath of office.
Almost a Perfect Day.
Here the great pageant for the bene-
! fit OF the public began to unfold itself
and the people were on hand to see.
For the day, long winter had given
way, and the never more welcome sun
blessed the occasion.
The windows Of the capitol Were
crowded; there was a deep fringe Cf
spectators along the roofs of Senate
and House and the porticoes Of the
dome. The trees Of the park were load
ed with boys and men; the broad acres
, of the park itself We're crowded with
thousands. Back of this windows, roofs
and porches Of the library of Congress
acconm odated a multitude and every
| residence fronting on the park added
to the imposing scene. All these We're
the plain people. Surrounding the plaza
i'm front of the Presidents platform
rade, while from the adjacent streets
everywhere projected heads of columns,
military and civic, waiting to fail into
their places in line.
A Remarkable Demonstration.
With the appearance of the President
from the Senate chamber the shouting
began, swelling into a roar like Mag
ara, rising to cyclonic effects, and con-.
tinuing while the Senate and members
of the House, the cabinet, the Supreme
! court, the heads of the army, and navy,
ambassadors, representatives of every
subordinate branch of the government
and great company of guests 11ad
out of the Senate doors, and filled the
immense platform.
At length all was ready for the
croWning ceremony. The sea of hu-
manfty was stillad. The President ad-
vanced to take the oath of office With
his hand upon the Bible, held by the
Chief Justice, he reverently repeated
the oath, kissed the book at the end,
and Theodore Roosevelt, a. soldier of
the republic became President by the
votes of the people, following the un-
broken line of soldier Presidents which
his party has installed since the close
Of the Civil war. He then delivered
his inaugural, which surprised his
hearers by it's breWty. AS the ceremo-
ny closed he was again greeted by the
| roaring cheers of the immense throng.
| Accompanied by his escort and followed
| by the troops and civilian paraders he
started for the White House.
Brilliant Inaugural Parade.
It was the most perfect column that
ever marched in an inaugural parade,
though it's numbers were less. General
Chaffee had insisted that a brigade of
! the national guard from each state
should be the maximum representation.
This obviated the imposing, but weari-
some and finally monotonous sight,
when parading twelve thousand finely
equipped state troops marched in the
Mckinley inaugural. Everywhere, as
the column passed, the skill of General
Chaffee's supervision, aided by his
chief of staff, General John H. John
son, was apparent to every practiced
eye. Nothing was left to chance. The
regulars, the national guard and the
civic grand division had their orders
Of formation for each unit of the col
umn. and conformed DO them.
Never has there been so perfect a
regular army column in any previous
| national pageant. Cavalry, infantry,
artillery, engineers, marines, seanen
Annapolis and West Point cadets,
thrilled all behoiders with this exponent
of the perfection of our military ar
rangement.
Elements of Special Interest.
While the whole military column was
a marvel and a delight by the con lin
| uing tornado of cheers where it passed,
there were elements of special interest.
The ninth cavalry, that splendid col
ored regiment, the heroes of many IN
dian ba tiles and known to fame at San
Juan hill, received the attention they
so we'll merited. The crowds went Wild
over the section of Rough Riders, which
participated with the President in the
wildess of the rush ad the joy of VIC
tory at Santiago. 1t is not strange. that
there were soldiers tears in a soldiers
eyes as he bowed to the salutes OF MS
comrades sn war
The scouts from the Philippines. and
the Porto Rico battalion excited in
tense interest and they will never for
get their welcoIre.
Cadets from Military Schools.
The brigade of cadet battalion from
Annapolis, organized by General Cnaf-
fee, attracted universal attention and
received unbounded applause. Those
from the south recalled the sad but
most brilliant fighting at New Market,
when the cadets of The Virginia Mill
dary Institute were called into the
field under Stonewall Jackson AS
whole it was a column that took fair
rank with the perfection of West Point
and Annapolis. Being arranged alpha
betically by states, the high school reg
iment of Washington, a thin battalion
organization, ten companies strong, and
it's separate battalion, colored, came
last in the brigade. Under Colonel
Ross instruction, it had been well
drilled i'm the new infantry tactics, and
in this it was without a rival in the
the non-regular column, and only West
Pont and Annapolis could have been
ranked above it by inspection officers.
Civic Grand Division.
The civic grand division of eight hri-
gades in three slivisons, made UP os
over so organi zations was in every re-