The Meridian times. (Meridian, Idaho) 1909-1938, 1913-08-08

eAecule lue OlHCe Vi pISSldchS Vi thS
United States, and will. to the best
of my ability, preserve. protect, and
defend the Constitution of the United
States" and then, bending to kiss the
Bible held before him. bowed his head
and said $50 help me God!" in tones
no man could mistake, so deep was
their thrill Of feeling.
Hailed as President.
Long live George Washington,
president OF the United States!" cried
Livingston to the people; and great
shout went UP with Che booming of
the cannon in the narrow streets.
Washington was profoundly NOV
ed, and, with all his extraordinary
mastery OF himself, could not hide
his agitation.
1t was a company of friends, the
senators and representatives who
stood about him within the senate
! chamber as he read his address. after
the taking of the oath.
Some very old friends were there
men who had been with him in the
first continental congress, men who
had been his intimate correspondents
the long years through, men who
were now his close confidants and
sworn supporters. Not many stran-
gers could crowd into the narrow
hall; and it was not mere love OF
ceremony, but genuine and heartfelt
respect, that madea the whole com
pany stand while he read.
Washington VisibIy Moved.
He visibly trembled. nevertheless
as he stood in their presence, strong
and steadfast man though he was
land several times could scarce make
out to read" shifted his manuscript
uneasily from hand to hand; gesture6
with awkward effort; let his voice
fall almost inaudible; was every way
unlike himself, except for the simple
majesty and sincerity that shone il
him through it all.
His manner but gave emphasis
after all, to the words he was reading
THE magnitude and difficulty o
the trust" he declared, could not bu
|. overwhelm with dependence on
who, inheriting inferior endowment
from nature, and Impractical in tn
duties of civil administration, ough
to be peculiarly conscious of his owl
Deficiencies" and no one there coul
look at him and deem him insincer
: when he added, "All ! dare aver
that it has been my faithful study t
: collect my duty from just apprecie
tion of every circumstance by whic
it might be affected. All / dare hop
:. is that if in executing this task
have been too much swayed by
: grateful remembrance of former ii
= stances. or by an affectionate sens
! bility to this transcendent proof {
: the confidence of my fellow-citizeni
and have thence too little consulte
= my incapacity as well as disinclin;
: ton for the weighty and untried care
:, before me, my error will be palliate
I, by the motives which misled me, an
/. its consequences be judged by m
: country with some share of the pa
TALLY with which they originated"
Some Vital Truths.
y His hearers know how near tt
: truth he struck when he said. 18th
. smiles of Heaven can never be e
~ pected on a nation that disregards tn
+ eternal rules of order and rigl
" which Heaven itself has ordained
\ and the preservation of the sacred fiji
5 of liberty. the destiny of the repu
lican model of government, are jus
y ly considered as deeply, perhaps ;
e finally, staked on the experiment i
y trusted to the hands of the America
Is people"
AZ 1t was, no doubt. "a novelty in IL
le history of society to see a great pc
re pie turn calm and scrutinizing e.
upon itself" as the people of Anne
o. lea had done; ITO see it carefully e