Evening star., 1927-03-13
Fifty Years Ago
In The Star

Despite all the Examinations of mar.
'isans the decision Of the electoral com
Hayes Takes the aeo mls'iGn in ssvoy f. year; r;
Oath of Office. the election Of
Wheeler led to no distnrhsrcs ~
washington or elsewhere. President
Hayes took the oath of ofice AZ
O'Clock on Saturday evening.
March g.. 1877, In the red room al
Inc White House. 1t had been first
decided to administer the oath on sun
day, put In view of some doubt an 10
the validity of an oath on that dav
the hour was advanced. Chief Justice
waite administered the oath and the
witnesses to the act were President
Grant. Senator Sherman and, as The
oIar In lts issue of March says, zone
or TWO other persons" The formal In.
auguration took place on Mondav
March 5. and was a scene of briIlia ncy
me city was crowded with visitors
and participants in the inaugural pa
raoe. Ihere was no disturbance.
1t was currently reported on the
streets last evening" says The Star
or March 5. 1877, that Mr.. Tiiden
LOOK tne oath. as President of the
United States at New York YESTERDAY
This Is not unlikely, in view ~ fhe
dispatch that was sent him SATURDAY.
evening signed by a number OF Con.
gressmen. 1t is likely, too, that Gen.
Daniel Pratt, the great American
traveller, took upon himself the same
solemn obligation at Boston. and that
the immortal ]. n. assumed the nrss-
sure somewhere in Ohio. II is probab bic
also that Emperor Norton was issI,.
ing proclamation in San Franrisco
ABOUT the same time. There is In
Iact, nothing in the Constitution or
laws or the country to prevent any
number OF citizens of the limited
states from taking presidential oaths
at any time or place they NAV desire.
put IL any sane person should assume
oy virtue OF having taken such an
s ostn. TO exercise any OF the functions
OF tnat office, he will be in danger of
nnding himself indicted for reason
ana swinging from the cross timber ~
gioDet without much loss of tins
me country has suffered enough Al
READY from the uncertainty and any.
lety attending the presidential ouss.
tlon, and now that Il is settlad tbs
peopie want 1t to stay settled. No
;H ;MeXlcanlzation for the United states
Is the universal sentiment"
On wednesday, March Z. Presids,,
Hayes sent his cabinet noninstjons
Cah;rs+ to the Senate as follows.
William NJ. Evarts of New
Choices. York, Secretary of state.
c John Sherman OF Ohio
Key OF Tennessee, Postnastsr d.,
eral: Richard w. Thompson Of In.
diana. Secretary of the Navv. csrI
Schurz OF Missouri, Secretary NJ tba
interior; George w. McCrary Of iowa
secretary of War; Charles Deven. ~
massachusetts,. ATTORNEY GenersI
Inese nominations were displeaHnV
10 number Of the Republicans. The
star OF March s, 1877, says:
1t Is quite evident that the onnox,.
tlon In the Senate to the conf rn,,tior
OF seFaral OF the new cabinet officers
VIII be vigorous and bitter. II not mn.
merlcally large. The weight of this
oppoSltlon VIII douhs'ess be concen.
.rateo on MesSrs. Key and Schurz,
though II would appear that Mr.
Evarts Is not to get through v1thout
running the gantlet of a fierce ~.
tack. Some OF this opposition will he
based upon the ground that the ar
tempt has been made in the seIection
OF cabinet officers TO fit round pers 10
square holes: that the men have not
Deen selected for their particular ht.
ness for the respective positions. but
with view 10 political and geographf.
cal apportionment. In other RESPECTS
the radical Republicans complain that
there has been singular infelicity In
some OF the appointments. In that OF
Mr.. Key to the Post ONCE Department
they charge that a great bIunder- has
been made In a party sense in giving
the control Of the enormous patronage
or that department. aggregating about
10000 appointments. to a Democrat
They scout the idea that the Republi-
can party can be built up In the South
by giving Southern Democrats post
masterships any more than John Tyler
could build up Tyler party by the aid
Of his postmasters. Against Schurz
and Evarts the opposition will be
mainly personal on the part Of sena-
tors, but II is not probable that II will
secure their rejection, unless II should
receive oountananee on the Demo
cratic side Of the chamber.