Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-02-01
Thomas Jefferson.

FROM boarding house on New
Jersey avenue, Thomas Jefferson
| went to the Capitol to take the oath
OF ONCE as President and to this board
ing house he returned when the cere-
| mony was over.
There he had spent the Winter with
other plain people," enjoying their
company and the beautiful view from
the hill, loath to take UP his residence
in the half finished executive man.
sion q mile away in the swamp"
JEFFERSON. Apostle of the masses" and
founder Of the Democratic party of
today, was the first President inaugu-
rateo IN Washington. George Wash
ington's hrst Inauguration took place in
New York, his second and that of John
Adams in Philadelphia.
The seat Of government had been
moved from Philadelphia to Washing
ton In 1900, and November q of that
year, Jefferson arrived in Washington
from his home at Monticello and took
nto1slngs at the boarding house about
zoo steps from the Capitol.
Although. there was booming of cam
non, a large attendance of out-of- town
people and some festivities, the inaug1l-
ration apparently was of Jeffersonian
simplicity. John Davis, an English
traveller OF the day, contributes this de-
scription:
His dress was Of plain cloth, and he
rode on horseback to the Capitol without
a single guard or even servant in his
train. dismounted without assistance
ana hitched the bride of his horse to
the palisades" ~
Other chroniclers say, however. that
DAVIS evidently confused Jeffersons
entrance into with his exit from the
presidency: Mrs. Upton in her "Our
Early Presidents" says:
Mr. Jefferson, like Washington. was
iond OF horses, handsome equipages and
handsome dress, despite what has been
SAID OF his Republican simplicity. He
may nave ridden horseback I'D to the
Oapltoi Ior MS Inauguration, as goes the
myth. but he meant to have q fine coach
and four for the occasion-only .Jackv
Eppes, his Son-in-law, did not get to
washington with them In season."
What is regarded as an authentic con-
temporary account OF the Inauguration
was published In the National Intelli-
gencer Of March 6, 1901. II said. "a
discharge from the company of WASH
ington artillery ushered In the day. and
about 10 o'clock the Alexandria COM
pany OF rihemen, with the company of
artillery, paraded In front Of the Presi-
dents lodgings.
AT II o'clock, Thomas jefferson. at
tended by a number of his fellow citi-
zens, repaired to the Capitol. His dress
was, as usual, that Of a plain citizen
without any distinctive badge of once.
He entered the Capitol under a dis
charge OF artillery. On his entry into
the Senate chamber. here were as
sembled the Senate and the members
OF the House. The members rose and
Mr.. Burr left the chair of the Senate.
which Mr.. Jefferson took.
After q few minutes Of silence. Mr..
Jefferson rose and delivered his address
before the largest concourse of citizens
ever gathered here. After seating him
sell Tor short period. he again rose and
approached the clerks table, where the
oath of Office was administered bv the
Chief Justice; after which, accompanied
by the Vice President, Chief Justice
and heads of departments. he returned
TO MS lodgings. where he was waited
upon by a number Of distinguished
citizens.
"As soon as he withdrew, a discharge
OF artillery was made. The remainder
OF the day was devoted to festiyity and
az night there was pretty general
Illumination"
Jefferson did not give up his lodg-
ings at the boarding house for nearly
three weeks after this. He made him.
self popular with the other boarders by
refusing to take the head Of the table.
although urged to do so.
He was described by q visitor as "a
tall man, with very red, freckled face
and gray neglected hair; his manners
good natured, frank and rather friendly,
though he had somewhat Of a cynical
expression. He wore blue coat, thick
gray colored hairy waistcoat, with q
red underwaistcoat Tapped over it, green
velveteen breaches with pearl buttons.
yarn stockings and slippers down at
the heels"