Martinsburg statesman-democrat. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1906-1921, 1909-06-25

III SnVte hefnaS Magazine;
AZ for the official Inauguration. that
was done in a much more quiet and
undemonstrative manner. There are
many versions OF the way II was done,
and some Of them are hardly worth
ones while consi isring. One OF these
latter, however, has been made much
OF, and has been told SO often by his
terians that ought to have known bel
ter, that II deserves special notice
here. The more SO as this story Is the
regular traditions always retold 10 the
rising generation as an examp pie OF the
simplicity Of our early American
statesman. This common tradition is
really one of the prcttiest Of cur ma
tional m tbs, but as the actual facts
in the case are Ia reality very much
prettier, it Will do no special harm 10
pulverize IL. II is the story of how
Jefferson went to the Capitoisto be in
augarated, aud 1t runs usually about
as follows:
I ''Nf . AtTeE WI W tVbNNf WV
great Democrat just threw his leg care
lessly ever his horse and amblei along
all by himself TO the Capitol, !where he
carelessly jumped off and tied the bril-
die to the picket fence, before slipping
up to take the cath. This story has
been told SO often that ii has acquired
a distinct musty flavor. Always se-
companied by explanatory statement
that this historical piece II simplicity
was related by an eye witness who
was there, and who Is, therefore, sup
! posed to have seen ii, the story hos
long since passed into the myth stage,
where it survives AS green as bay
tree, putting forth its buds and leaves
once every four years like quadren-
nial plant.
sThe eye witness was certain John
Davis, Englishman by birth, and
hence traveller by profession. Davis
CHANGED to he in Washington about
the time Of the Inauguration, took CO.
pious notes Of everything he saw and
heard, and published them on his re-
turn to bis own country. One OF the
things that he heard was this story OF
how Jefferson went to the Capitol on
the morning of the inauguration, and
the persons he heard il from swere
number Of good fellows at the board
! Ing house where Mr.. Davis hads lodg-
ings. Not only did these accommo-
/ dating fellows furnish Dir. Davis! with
/ this piece Of immortal copy, but they
even went SO far as to make history
for i'm in any line he liked. sHis book
was publ he'd la 1898 at London, and
can still be seen.
Jefferson did not so 10 the Capitol
in that way. 1t had beea his inten-
tion 70 go in his own coach, which
had been IN process OF building, but
which could not he finished in time.
In The absence of the coach. he walk
ed.
'.rhat Jefferson was troubled with
none Of the problems that Washing
ton had 10 consider, in the way OF
dress AID Ie like, no enc need doubt,
if We reme.aber that Jefferson was u
born aristecrat and man OF quality
who believed and proclaimed as loud
| ~ as he could that all men were born
equal. With every right in the wsrld
TO wear gold shoe-buckles and jewel
hiited swords, to say nothing at all
Of silk stockings, he hagrantly attired
himself IN the babiliments of the
common man.
when the time came for him to
set out Tor the Capitol, he rcque steti
four or five Of the gentlemen in his
boarding house to bear him company,
and they proceeded TO the Capitol on
! foot. The little village that Washing
ton yet was had been almost deserted
| by the departure OF the other crowd
and owing to Jeiiersons expressed de-
sire to have the Inauguration made as
quietly as was possible, no new crowd
had come in.
aAs he was about to take the oath
he approached the table on which the
Bible was resting, but there is no re-
cord that he laid his hand upon the
book or kissed 1t After he had sworn
the cath he quickly ascended the lii
tie platform to deliver his powerful,
passionate, and prophetic inaugural
4
address, and then, with two orjthree
Vt the Democrats, he returned Z, his
boarding house gu foot, as hehad come.
He would permit no reception Of any
kind whatever, but there was no OBJ
lection to having 10 one or two friends
to dinner in addition to the regular
guests of the establishment.
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