Smyrna times., 1921-02-23
GEORGE WASHINGToN's INAUG-
URATION TRIP

~ vic IllhS lie was unanimously |
elected President Washington was the
idol OF his country, and his name and
Iame were known to the entire civil
llzed world. His trip from his beau
utul home on the Potomac was inter-
rupted by receptions, fetes, addresses
and dinners. Every person who was
able to reach the roads along which
ne was to pass, or the cities selected
as stations on his slow journey north
ward, Joined the throngs that made
nus trip the most triumphal procession
this continent had witnessed. To those
thousands who lined the roads from
Virginia to New York, the great, seri-
Gus figure of the "Father OF his Coun-
try was the center of all their ma
tlonal hopes.
On April 6; 1889, both houses of
Congress met in New York Citv. at
the time the capital, elected George
Washington President of the United
States. No other name had been pro-
posed. For Vice President there were
eleven nominations: John Adamas re-
ceiving the highest -thirty-four
was announced elected. Washington
received siXty-nine votes. AS soon as
it could be arranged, Charles Thom-
son, secretary of Congress, was dis
patched to Mount Vernon to apprise
General Washington of his election.
Thomson, who had been secretary of
the continental congress, reached
/ Washington's home on April ID, be-
tween 10 and IL o'clock in the morn
ing. The master of Mount Vernon
was making his usual tour of his
farms and Mrs. Washington entertain
ed the messenger of the Congress.
Before sunrise on the morning of
April 16 messenger had come from
Alexandria with an invitation to
public dinner there, and in his diary
for the day Washington wrote:
"About 10 o'clock 1 bade adieu to
Mount Vernon, to private life, and to
domestic felicity, and with a mind op-
pressed with more anxious and pain
full sensations that l have words to
express, set out for New York, in
company with Mr.. Thompson and
Colonel Humphreys, with the best dis
position to render service to my coun-
: try in obedience to its call, but with
less hope of answering it's expecta-
; tions."
: Of Washington's reception in Phila-
delphia chronicler of the day wrote
r Thousands of freemen, whose
5 hearts burned with patriotic fire, fell
= into the ranks almost every square
| we marched, until the column swellec
t beyond credibility itself and, having
: conducted the man of our hearts to {
\ very grand and plentiful banquet
: which was prepared for him by the
: citizens. At dinner thirteen patriotic
y toasts were drank.
The night of the goth the President
: spent as the guest of Robert Morris
then one of the senators of Pennsyl
vania, and better known as the finan
+ cial genius of the country, having
f founded its first bank and financed tn
d cause of liberty at a time when tn
IS outlook was chilling.
Ie The trip through New Jersey wa
J. continued through Princeton, Ne
If Brunswick and Elizabeth, whel
,e Washington boarded barge and wa
Or rowed to New York. Flags and flo
Mt al decorations marked each steI
te everywhere he went WashingtC
s. heard shouts for conqueror's ear
a. He was hailed as a deliverer and a
or claimed as deity, but throughout e
lg the heartfelt adulation paid him
b. those who almost worshipped him, Il
IT. greatness of the man was revealed
tie his artless modesty, his composu
a. and his graceful, tactful acceptance
the honors paid him.
Washington arrived in Elizabeth
- April %, just week from the day
err set out from Mount Vernon. A "pl
pitious gale" was blowing when
las party set out across Newark bay
CT New York. A barge, built for
Do purpose, and rowed by "twelve I
oth captains of vessels who had retil
for from business" conveyed the Pre-
rs. dent and party. The oarsmen W.
IN white shirts adorned with ribbons. {
ing after another vessels fell into line
ca hind them and by the time they w
full nearing the Battery there was a sm
es- fiotilla. Every ship and sloop bor'
holiday appearance save one, Sp
all ish vessel. 1t was with some conc
ally the committee noted its solemn
pect. They feared some discourtt
but as the barge approached, its c
WN tain gave signal at which flags OF
nations were burst into view,
-eap from its battery a salute of thirt
guns was fired.
die "A laIge Sioyp sd &c n nos