Weekly independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 1887-1914, 1909-06-25
Jefferson Walked To The Capitol

ride horseback to his inauguration. He
walked. Here is the story of the i'll
augurntIon. rs told by VI. \. Lane in
Uncle Remus' Magazine;
rs for the official inauguration, that
was done in II much more quiet anti mn
dcmonstrativc manner There are many
versions of the FAY it was done. and
some uf them are hardly worth ones
while considering. Onc Of thcSc Latter. ;
however, has been made much OF, and
has been told - often by historians
that ought to have known better, that
it deserves II special notice here. The
more 81 rs this story i the regular
tradition always rctold to the rising
generation rs IN example of the sim
pliCity' of our early American states
men. This common tradition is really
one of the prctticst of our national
myths. hut as the actual facts in the
case are in reality very much pr"tticr,
il will do no special harm to pulvcrizc
it. 1t is the story of how jefferson
went I" the Capitol To bc inauguratcd,
and it runs usually about as follows:
After Il hasty cup of coffee, tn" great
Democrat Just threw hi, leg carclcs>ly
over his horse and unblcd along all by
himself to the capitol. where. lc care
l"s>ly jumpr pff and tied the bride To
the picket fence. before slipping up Ia
take the oath. This story has been told
So often that il has acquired "A distinct
musty flavor. Always accompanied by
tn" explanatory statement that this
historical piece of simplicity WAS re-.
lated Ivy an 'cv" witness who WAS there.
and who il. therefore. supposed L. have
seen il, the story has long since passed
into the myth stage. where it survives
as green rs Il bay tree. putting forth
its buds and leaves unr" every four
years like a q~uadrcnnial plant.
The eye witness was - certain John
Davis. Englishman 10y birth. and hence
4 traveller 10y profession. Davis CHANG
ed 10 bc in Washington about the time
Of the inauguration, took C~upiuuS notes
of everything he SAW and heard. and
i'''i"A'' i"Ai 'll " lfANlH ~ MS
own country. On" of tn" things he
heard WAS the story of how jefferson
went to th" Capitol ON tin" morning of
TIA" Inauguration. and III" pcr>un~ Ia"
heard it from wcr" u number Of good
fellows at IN" boarding house where
Mr.. Davis had lodgings. Not only did
th,N" accommodating fellows furnish
Mr.. Davis with this piece IF immortal
copy. hut they even w"rit - far u, 10
max" history for him in any line he
liked. His book WAS published in IsU3
1t London. and can still he seen.
jefferson did not % to the Capitol
III that way. II had been his intention
to 20 III his own coach, which had been
in PROCESS of huildiug. but which could
not b" finished in time. In Ia" absence
of III" coach. h" walked. r
That jefferson was troubled with
non" of I'll" problems that Washington
had t" consider, in tn" way Of dress
and the like. no one need doubt. if W..
remember that jefferson was "A born
arI>t"crat and man of quality who
believed aud rr,rl,imoJ -. L,,,lr,.
he cnplJ th,,t an u,.r ,r.r. r,ru o.,.I,
With .v.rv ri,b, - tim w,r,d ,.
r,II shnc hnrLl.. ,rJ io,.o, Lii,aI
swords, to say nothing at AL of silk
| a'''N",EN, Nv ingenuity "''ircd himself
in the hahilim"ntS Of the common man.
"Whcn the time came for him To SET
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