Evening star., 1909-03-04
SOME |NAUCURALS
OF EARLY TIMES
Display Features Date From
Jackson's Day.
SMALL CROWDS BEFORE
Means of Travel Limited to the
Capital City.
COMMITTEE WORK IS RECENT
Organized Celebration of Great
Event Quite a Modern Institution.
Washington's "Barge of State"
COMMITTEE WORK IS RECENT

The months of hard work preceding the
Inauguration are over. a committee of
leo good men and true. under the chair
manship of Edward ]. Stellwagen, has
devoted time and energies and has spent
$500 in preparing to give about 100000
fellCw-countrymen a day of pageantry so
far removed may be from the incon-
veniences and discomforts necessarily at
tending such a concourse of people.
Expenditures for this inauguration have
reached the high-water mark in the his
tory of inaugural committees. Had it been
necessary the committee could have just
as easily secured 100000 to prepare for
the event, but did not need that sum.
Even the amount expended would have
been looked on in the early days as fore
shadowng the dissolution of the govern
ment and return to monarchical regime.
1t is probably not realized by those
who have enjoyed former inauguratons
that the inaugural committee, with it's
large membership and its great expendi-
ture of money is quite modern insti-
tuition. In the early days there was no
committee and but little crowd.
jefferson was the first President to be
inaugurated in Washington. Preceding
inaugurations In New York and Phila-
delphia came at time when transporta-
tion facilities in the United States were
most meager. 1t was impossible in those
days for a great crowd to come to the
Inauguration.
In the case of the earlier inaugurations
notably the two Of Washington the plau-
incoming President as he travelled slow
1y by coach and on horseback from his
home to the place where he was intro
duced into office. The journey from
Mount Vernon to New York in the early
days was much more of an undertaking
than visit to central Africa at pres
ent. The new President was seen by those
along the route, but by comparatively
scant assembly when he came to take the
oath.
At the first inauguration in New York
Washington, the beloved of the country
wanted to have the oath administered in
private and to accompany his induction
into Office with as little display as possi-
BILE. 1t was found that the people expect
ed some sort of display. AS many as TO-
900 had assembled on Manhattan Island
when the first executive appeared on the
balcony of the famous house at Broad
and Wall streets and took the oath of Of
flee - first President of the United States
State Barge for Washington.
When he arrived at New York there
was a crowd Of distinguished citizens
waiting to convey him from the Jersey
enough. and the citizens had rugged up
barge of state. He was escorted to the
city and, against his own desire. received
the oath of office in public The old
records say that when he bowed before
the chief justice and reverently kissed
the book "a great shout arose which was
echoed from the city to the Jersey
shores"
There is current superstition that the
4th of March was chosen as the date for
inauguration because after intricate cal
culation 1t was found that it was a day
that never fell Sunday. 1t is only
necessary to recall Monroe's second inau-
guration in 1921, and Tayior's in 1S43. to
see that both these times March fell on
Sunday, and the President was inausI-
rated the next day.
As a matter of fact Washington's first
Inauguration did not occur until April 10
IL had been arranged that the electors
should be chosen the first Wednesday
in January; that they should assemble
to first cast their votes on the first We'd
nesday In February, and that the inau-
guration should take place on the first
Wednesday in March. In that year il
happened that the first Wednesday I'm
March fell on the 4th, so that the date
was but chance selection. after all.
If Washington had Insisted on serving
out the full four years OF his first term
We should have had inaugurationS there
after coming on April 80, in the latitude
of Washington much better time. The
date of the inauguration has ever since
been early in March instead of late i'll
April.
WaShington's second inauguration was
in Independence Hall, Philadelphia and
came nearer his idea of a private affair
The oath was administered to him in the
Senate chamber. Although Washington
was accompanied by both military and
civic bodies. there was much less pomp
and display than at any of the other
inaugurations with which history deals.
Adams Was Peevish.
At the end of his second term. when
Adams was introduced into office, the
inauguration seemed 10 be not so much
a welcome to the incoming President as a
lament for the parting one. While Adams
was one of Washingtons warm friends
he felt the distinction keenly and S lowed
il both at the time and in subsequent let
tiers.
lie said in writing TO his wife There
were more tears shed than at d tragedy"
and declared himself at a loss TO under
stand whether IL was regret on the part
of the people at losing much loved
President or sorrow at having TO welcome
an unpopular one.
Many people do not realize how near
there came 10 being no Jefferson inaugu-
ration at all. II was al a time of stress
and strife. Through political machina-
tions. he came near losing the seat alto
gether.
When the final vote was taken there
VAS a strong effort made to throw the
ballot t0 the courtly and polished Aaron
Burr. lie was winning conspirator
as ever gave a banquet or put powder in
n safe. and his followers thought they
had the electoral college fixed To throw
The vote his way. But the scheme fell
through at the last moment. Jefferson
was inaugurated in the Senate chamber.
IL was the first inauguration ever held in
Washington. Burr did not take the oath
as Vice President until the next day. 1t
may be as we'll, at this point. to put a
period 10 the old school story to the ef-
feet THAI jefferson rode up alone on horse
back to the Capitol. hitched his horse to
then existing railing and walked practi-
cally unaccOmpanied TO the Senate cham
ber.
Walked to Capitol.
As matter of fact he stopping at
boarding house on New Jersey avenue,
only little way from the Capitol. He
walked over TO the Capitol. accompanied