The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1928-03-01

edgment." For, instead OF retiring to
the restful private life he anticipated,
he was to be called on to guide the
destinies of the nation which he had
been so instrumental in creating. So
it was that on April II, 1889, as he
was on his way to New York to be in
augurated, he came to Baltimore
again and was met and escorted to
Grants Tavern, where he held a pub
lie reception and graciously greeted
large number of the elated town
people. 1t was too late for a formal
dinner, but the general accepted a
supper and next morning was escort
ed on his way by a notable cavalcade.
"These gentlemen escorted him sew
en- miles," says the old chronicle of the
! visit, "when, alighting from his carri-
age, he would not permit them to pro-
coed any further, but took leave after
thanking them in an affectionate and
obliging manner for their politeness. "
He also left with the community the
following pithy pre-inaugural:
"The tokens of regard and affec-
ton which l have often received from
the citizens of this town were always
acceptable because l believed them
always sincere. Be pleased to ac-
cept my best acknowledgements for the
renewal of them on the present occa-
sion. If the affectionate partially Of
my fellow-citizens has prompted them
to ascribe greater effects to my con-
duct and character than were justly
due, l trust the indulgent sentiment
on their part will not produce any pre-
sumption on mine.
81 cannot now, gentlemen, resist
my feelings so much as to withhold
the communication of my ideas con-
corning the actual situation and pros
pect of our national affairs. 1t ap-
pears to me that little more than
common sense and common honesty in
the transactions of the community at
large would be necessary to make US a
great and happy nation. For if the
general government, lately adopted,
shall be arranged and administered in
such a manner as to acquire the full
confidence of the American people, I
sincerely believe they will have great
er advantages from the natural, moral
and political circumstances for public
felicity than any other people ever
possessed.
''In the contemplation of those ad-
vantages, now soon to be realized, I
have reconciled myself to the sacrifice
of my fondest wishes, so far as to
enter again the stage of public life. I
know the delicate nature of the du-
ties incident to the part which | am
called to perform and l feel my in
competence, without the singular as
sistance of Providence, to discharge
them in satisfactory manner. But,
having undertaken the task from 4
sense of duty, no fear of encounter
ing difficulties and no dread of losing
popularity shall ever deter me from
pursuing what l conceive to be the
true interests of my country"
In the following September Balti-
more had an opportunity to pay her
respects to the first President, for he
and Mrs. Washington with their suite,
arrived from the seat of Government
at Philadelphia on their way home to
Mount Vernon. They were suitably
received and elegantly entertained"
There were other pleasant visits and
finally, in the furry over war with
France, in 1898, Washington, who had
consented to take command of the
army again, stopped in Baltimore and
reviewed the troops here, on his way
to Trenton, where he was to reorgan-
ize the national forces.
This part of Maryland lies well
within what might be called Washing
tons peculiar sphere of influence. ;"
His outstanding material monument,
of course, is the city which bears his
name, reared upon land which was
once part of the State and given free
ly for the purpose. His great desire
was to place the made-to-order capital
on the Potomac and there We're good
and sufficient reasons for this. Rough
ly midway of the original States, in
land, in sense, and yet within easy
reach of the sea and not too far dis
tant from the all-important centers of
New York and Philadelphia, proba-
bly, no better location could present
itself. A very human man with all
his greatness, the founder could hard
ly have helped a sense of pleasure
that these manifest advantages fitted
in so well with his love for the region
of Mount Vernon and Alexandria. But
So when the project started, he might
we'll have hoped to see considerable of
its growth from his retirement at
Mount Vernon. However, he was not
even to see the Government take up
its abode in Washington.
1t was in 1890 that Congress, still
sitting in Philadelphia, provided for
the permanent capital and commits