The Springfield herald., 1913-03-07

south scored triumph ana ne was
hailed as a "man of the people" This
character was emphasized on the day
of his Inauguration the following
March, for never before had such, a
huge motley throng gathered in Wash
ington. Jackson's wife had died not
long before, and he asked that the
ceremonies be made very simple, but
the masses were too hilarious to heed
the request. The weather was pleas
ant and the east front of the capitol
was used for the first time for the in
auguration. In front OF 1t surged
10000 persons who were restrained
only by great iron chain. Jackson
rode to the capitol on white horse
and went through the ceremonies with
dignity, and started back to the White
House. Then began his troubles, for
the people broke loose with a ven-
geance.
"The president was literally pursued
by a motley concourse Of people, rid
ing, running. helter-skelter. striving
who should first gain admittance into
the executive mansion, where 1t was
understood that refreshments would
be distributed" wrote a contempo-
rary, Mrs Samuel Harrison Smith. In
their mad rush the crowds smashed
furniture and dishes and seized the
food as II they were starving. THE
confusion became more and more al
palling. At one moment the presi-
dent, who had retreated until he was
pressed against the wall Of the apart
ment, could only be secured against
serious danger by number of gen.
tlemen linking arms and forming
themselves into q barrier. 1t was
then that the windows were thrown
open, and the living throng found an
outlet. 1t was the peoples day, the
peoples president, and the people
would rule"
Exposure Killed Harrison.
For 12 years the Democrats con-
troiled the destinies of the country,
and then the Wings elected William
Henry Harrison, who was inaugurated
March 4. 1841. BY this time trans
portation was made easier by the
building of railways and the crowd
that focked to Washington was i'm
mense. 1t was much better behaved
than that which "honored" Jackson,
but it was hungry for offices.
Cold, wintry blasts swept the streets
of Washington that March day, and
Harrison, already old and rather
feeble, rode his white horse without
cloak or overcoat, and with his hat
on in salute to the cheering crowds.
The line of march was unprecedent-
edly long, and so was the inaugural
address, and then the president led
the procession back to the White
House. The exposure was too much for
him and within one month he was
dead
LIncoIn's First Inauguration.
Immensely dramatic was the first
Inauguration of Abraham Lincoln in
1861. from the day of his election
threats against his life were numer-
Gus, and detectives discovered and
foiled an organized plot to assassinate
him on his way to Washington. The
big bodies Of troops that had been
employed at former inaugurations
merely to add pomp to the occasion
now were used for the protection Of
the president. AS he rode to the
capitol in carriage he was preceded
by a company of sappers and miners;
double file of cavalry rode on each
side, and in the rear were infantry
and riflemen. On house tops and in
windows all along Pennsylvania ave-
nue. were posted rifiemen.
The day had opened cloudy. chilly
and dismal, but as the president step
ped forward to take the oath from
the aged Chief Justice Taney the sun
burst through the clouds and shone
full on the bowed head Of the man
who was to give up his life for the
country he loved. Lincoln himself
noticed this "sunburst" and drew
frcm it happy augury.
In Recent Years.
The inaugurations of Cleveland and
Roosevelt are too recent to need tell
ing. To the former the Democrats
flocked in tremendous numbers. Wash
ington entertained 100000 visitors
that day, and $4,000 persons march
ed in the parade Colonel Roosevelt's
Inauguration attracted another i'm
mense throng, and was made espe-
cially picturesque by the Rough
Riders and other Spanish war vet
Grams who appeared in the process
sion.
II one wishes to stir the wrath of
the weather man" in Washington, 1t
Is only necessary to mention March
l.. 1909. when William Howard Taft
was inducted into the ofilce of presi-
dent Every preparation had been
made for an imposing ceremonial and
parade, but the entire affair was spoil
ed by fierce blizzard and snowstorm
that swept over the national capital.
The weather bureau was caught nap
ping. and gave no smallest hint OF the
coming storm. The parade was held,
after fashion, but the ceremony of
inaugurating the president had to be
transferred from the front of the cap
itol to the senate chamber where but
few could gain admittance to witness
them. The weather bureau will not
hear the last of that fiasco in tlis
generation.