INAUGURATING OUR PRESIDENTS
By EDGAR C. SNYDER
- MORE women will be in evidence at the Wilson inauguration than at any since the girls of Trenton. whence Governor Wilson comes to Washington, in a flower-laden procession greeted the first President on his way to New York." It is an imposing array of the elect of the Republic that Mr. Snyder marshals in his review of twenty-seven inaugural ceremonies; from "The Father of His Country to the "Scholar of Princeton. who is to be seated in office this month.
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Harris & Ewing
WHEN the founders of this Republic provided for the highest office within the gift of the people. they ordained in the Constitution in Article ll. Section 1. Paragraph 7: "Before he shall enter on the execution of his office. he shall take the following oath or affirmation: ‘ I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will faithfully execute the office of President of the United States. and will. to the best of my ability. preserve. protect and defend the Constitution of the United States.' "
That was what was at first termed the "inauguration." It was designed by the fathers to be as simple as it was solemn. as solemn as it was simple. But. although divested in no wise of the impressiveness of sacred consecration to mighty powers and exalted responsibilities. the initiative of the first inauguration was made an occasion of unrestrained popular jubilation. The christening of the Government under the Constitution. celebrating anew the birth of the Republic. when blossoms of new life made brilliant the bosom of the springtide. filled Americans of the first generation with an overbrimming joy.
All the way from near Virginia‘s heart to the site of the great metropolis of the New World there was unfeigned enthusiasm for the world's greatest champion of liberty. There was no moment's cessation to these demonstrations anywhere along the route until the taking of the oath prescribed by the Constitution.
General Washington. having borrowed $3.000 wherewith properly to equip himself for the extraordinary emergency in which he was required to exhibit himself. kissed his mother goodbye. and on April to. 1780. set out on his way to New York. for his inauguration. A great crowd of Virginia men. women and children bade him Godspeed. with the parting optimistic injunction from the mayor of Alexandria. "go and make a grateful people happy."
On the northern bank of the Potomac all the citizens of Georgetown greeted him. Many of them accompanied him all the way to Baltimore. and from there many Marylanders went with him far along the way toward Wilmington. Delaware. The next pause was at Chester. Pennsylvania. for an elaborate breakfast. Then at Philadelphia a multitude welcomed him with every sign of delight. There Angelica Peale. a daughter of one of the famous painters of the Revolution. crowned him with a wreath of laurel. the climax of that day's feting being a banquet at the City Tavern. The historic "City Troop" of Philadelphia was his cavalry escort to Trenton. New Jersey. where they found long lines of young girls on either side of the highway. which they had strewn with flowers. That night he spent at Trenton with the famous Presbyterian minister. Rev. Dr. John Witherspoon.
Crossing the waters between the Jersey shore and New York. he was borne on a barge manned by the masters of thirteen vessels. Then with him were a joint Con- gressional reception committee and. as the chroniclers of the time have it. "a committee of effervescent spirited gentlemen of New York." The weather was fine.
