Virgins fair and matrons grave, Strew your Hero's way with flowers. His progress through New Jersey was everywhere accompanied by similar festivities-" festive illuminations, the ringing of bells, and the booming of cannon." He had written to Governor Clinton, that he hoped he might enter New York without ceremony; but this was hardly to be expected. A committee of both houses met him at Elizabethtown; he embarked in a splendid barge manned by thirteen pilots, masters of vessels, and commanded by Commodore Nicholson; other barges and boats fell in in the wake; and a nautical procession swept up the Bay of New York. On board two vessels were parties of ladies and gentlemen, who sang odes as Washington appeared. The ships in the harbor were dressed in colors and fired salutes as he passed. On landing at Murray's Wharf he was welcomed by Governor Clinton and General Knox. It is of the landing at this point that the anecdote is told that an officer asked Washington's orders, announcing himself as commanding his guard. Washington, with his ready presence of mind, begged him to follow any directions he had already received in the arrangements, but said that for the future the affection of his fellow-citizens was all the guard that he required. At the end of the day, in his diary, the sad man says: The acclamations of the people filled my mind with sensations as painful as pleasing. It was some days before the formal inauguration. The two houses of Congress did not know by what title they should address him, and a committee had been appointed to discuss this subject. It was finally agreed that the address should be simply, "To the President of the United States "—a form which has remained to the present day. The inauguration finally took place on the thirtieth of April. On the thirtieth at last all things were ready, and the inauguration went forward. The place was at what they then called Federal Hall, in New York, and Chancellor Livingstone administered the oath: I do solemnly swear that I will faithfully administer and 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. A salute of thirteen guns followed, amid the cheers of thousands of people. Washington then delivered his inaugural speech to both houses in the Senate Chamber. After this ceremony he walked to St. Paul's Church, where the Bishop of New York read prayers. Maclay, who was a Senator in the first Congress, says: He was agitated and embarrassed more than he ever was by the leveled cannon or pointed musket. He trembled and several times could scarce make out to read his speech, though it must be supposed he had often read it before. Fisher Ames says: He addressed the two houses in the Senate Chamber. It was a very touching scene, and quite of a solemn kind. His aspect, grave almost to sadness, his modesty, actually shaking, his voice deep, a little tremulous, and so low as to call for close attention. John Adams had taken his place as President of the Senate two days before. As he did not always in after life speak any too cordially of Washington, it is worth noting that at this critical period he said that he congratulated the people of America on "the prospect of an executive authority in the hands of one whose portrait I shall not pretend to draw. . . Were I blessed with powers to do justice to his character, it would be impossible to increase the confidence, or affection of his country, or make the smallest addition to his glory. This can only be effected by a discharge of the present exalted trust on the same principles, with the same abilities and virtues which have uniformly appeared in all his former conduct, public or private. May I nevertheless be indulged to inquire, if we look over the catalogue of the first magistrates of nations, whether they have been denominated presidents or consuls, kings or princes, where shall we find one whose commanding talents and virtues, whose overruling good fortune, have so completely united all hearts and voices in his favor? who enjoyed the esteem and admiration of foreign nations and fellow-citizens with equal unanimity? Qualities so uncommon are no common blessings to the country that possesses them. By these great qualities and their benign fects has Providence marked out the head of Nation, with a hand so distinctly visible as to h been seen by all men, and mistaken by none." Whether on this occasion, there were too m ceremony was a question discussed at the time connection with the heated discussion as to etiquette of the new Administration. There i correspondence between Washington and an friend, Stuart, of Virginia, who had told him the people of that State accused him of "regal m ners." Washington's reply, with his usual good se answers a good many questions which are bru to-day. Dr. Albert Shaw, in the Review of views, once brought some of these questions ward. "How far is it right for the people of a state to kill their magistrates by inches?" Thi the question reduced to its simplest terms. It generally understood, when the late Gover Greenhalge died in Massachusetts, that his car invaluable to the people of that State and of country, had been cut off untimely by a cer etiquette, which obtains in Massachusetts, whenever there is a public dinner the Governor the State must be present and make a speech. W reference to a somewhat similar notion, Washi ton says: Before the present custom was established I was un to attend to any business whatever. Gentlemen, cons ing their own convenience rather than mine, were cal from the time I rose from breakfast, often before, I sat down to dinner. To please everybody was impossible. I therefore adopted that line of conduct which combined public advantage with private convenience. In another place he says: Had I not adopted the principle of returning no visits, I should have been unable to have attended to any sort of business. In contrast with the simple ceremonies at which a sensitive democracy took exception, we find now that a great nation considers no honors too profuse for the ceremonies which attend the inauguration of its chief magistrate. WASHINGTONIANA Extracts from the Contemporary Newspapers and other Accounts of the Inauguration of our First President in 1789 From The Massachusetts Sentinel, May 6, 1789: New York, May 1. Yesterday the great and illustrious Washington, the favorite son of liberty, and deliverer of his country, entered upon the execution of the office of First Magistrate of the United States of America; to which important station he had been unanimously called by the united voice of the people. The ceremony which took place |