Democratic Sentinel, Volume 13, Number 7, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 8 March 1889 — BENJAMIN HARRISON. [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

BENJAMIN HARRISON.

CLETELAXD’S SUCCESSOR TAKES THE OATH OF OFFICE. Fifty Thousand People Throng the Streets of Washington to Witness the Inaugural Exercises —Chief Justice Fuller Administers the Oath. Washington, March 4. —Benjamin Harrison took the oath of office which made him President of the United States at 12:15 o’clock noon Monday. - '.The ceremony took place on the eastern portico of the capitol, on which were gathered thousands of the noted public men of the country. The party stood facing the famous “Peace” monument, which seemed to rise from a black-waved ocean of umbrellas. The people surged into the plaza jn front of the capitol, and as the new President raised his hand from the Bible on which he swore to

©bey and preserve the constitution of the United States, a cheer so intense in its enthusiasm that it seemed to make “Peace” wink told the waiting thousands that formal act of the_ jQWWGr SCENES. . Scouring Rain Scarcely Dampens the Enthusiasm. Washington, which generally sleeps late, was astir early. The beating of drums, the sound of bugle and fife, aud the marching and counter-marching of arriving troops were heard all night long and the dawn of day saw Pennsylvania avenue and the streets busy with military and with the preparations for the events of the day. At ail the centers there was great activity. Hotels were crowded to their utmost limits; so were the apartmenthouses and boarding-houses. In the capitol and departments companies of troops of the various States had been given temporary quarters and daylight found the corridors of those great buildings strewn with sleeping men in military uniform. (Ks As the morning wore on the bustle and activity increased. The great event of the

day was not to take place until high noon, and the huge procession of 50,000 peo/le, military and civic, would not move /ntil near that hour. Yet by 10 o’clock the long line of seats which had been erected up and down Pennsylvania avenue began to be black with people anxious to see the spectacular features of the day. The great mass of people of course were deprived of the privilege of witnessing the event which took place inside the capitol, for but a bandful compared with those who are in the city could be given accommodation in the Senate chamber. At the inauguration proper, however, all are permitted to see, provided they can get near enough to the grand stand to do so. INAUGURATED. The Oath of Office Administered to the Vice President. The ceremonies of inauguration began with the organization of the Senate. At 10 a. m. the Senate and House had named the usual joint committee of notifi-

cation of the President of the readiness.© the two houses of Congress to adjourn. The joint committee having been communicated with President Cleveland conveyed his answer to their respective houses that he had no further communications to make. The committee of arrangements then waited upon Mr. Morton, who was in attendance at the Vice-Presidence’s office at the capitol. Having received their notification the Vice-President-elect entered the Senate chamber by the main door. His presence having been announced by the door-keeper the Senate arose. President pro tempore Ingalls standing said: “Senators; The Chair has the pleasure to announce that the Vici-President-el-ct of the United States is in the Senate chamber and if agreeable to him the Chair will administer to him the oath of office. ’ ’ The Vice-President-elect, having advanced to the President’s dais, there took the oath prescribed by law, after which he was conducted to a seat at the right of the Presi-

pent of the Senate. Tflat retiring officer -ilie new President of the Senate the instant his predecessor retired from his seat took the chair. The retiring President delivered to him the ivory gavel, the insignia of the authority of the body over which he presides. The Vice-President of the United States and the president of the Senate, Mr. MortOn, after a few introductory remarks, proclaimed the Senate in session by virtue of the proclamation of the President, which the Secretary of the Sehate read. The newly elected Senators whose credentials were on file were called forward in alphabetical order in groups of four by the Secretary and the oaths of office administered. TAKING THE O ATMS. Benjamin Harrison Solemnly Swears to Support the Constitution. Senators Cockrell, Hoar, and Cullom, representing the inaugural committee, called upon Mr. Halford and upon the President-elect at 10:30 o’clock, and the

finishing touches of the plans for the program at the capitol were completed. At 10:45 o’clock, Mr. Harrison and his party took carriages and were driven to Willard’s hotel, where they were to meet President Cleveland, who was to escort, according to the usual custom, his successor to the capitol for inauguration. The delay at Willard’s was very brief, and at 11 o’clock the retiring President and the one who was so shortly to be his successor were driven to the capitol, followed by a selected military guard and accompanied by the Vice-President elect. The families of President Harrison and VicePresident also followed in carriages, and on their arrival all were shown to rooms in the Senate end of the capitol. Adjoining the Senate chamber are two rooms set aside for the use of the President and VicePresident, elegantly furnished and only a few steps from the Senate chamber. Here the three central figures of the occasion, the retiring President, the President-elect, and the Vice-President elect, remained un-

til the hour set for the great event of the day. The newly-elected President, who had

been escorted from his temporary residence at the Arlington hotel by the retiring President and the committee of arrangements and attendant body of soldiers, entered the Senate chamber, accompanied by his predecessor and the committee, and was shown to a seat in front of the secretary’s desk, the ex-President and membeis of the committee sitting on his right. The Vice-Prosident then announced from the chair: “The sergeant-at-arms will now execute the order of the Senate relating to the inaugural ceremonies of the President of the United States.” The persons in the Senate chamber thon proceeded to the platform on the eastern portico of the capitol in the following order: Marshal of the District of Columbia and Marshal of the Supreme court of the United States, ex-President Hayes, ex-Vice-Presi-dent Hamlin, the Supremo court of the United States led by Chief Justice Fuller, the sergeant-at-arms of the Senate, the committee of arrangement, the President and President-elect, the Vice-President and the Secretary of State, the members of the Senate, the diplomatic corps, the heads of executive departments, the members of the House of Representatives and Representa-tives-elect, Governors and ex-Governors of States and others admitted to the floor. U pon reaching the platform on the eastern portico the President-elect, Chief Justice and committee of arrangements occupied seats on a raised dais. It was still raining and the party had to use umbrellas. The others of the distinguished parties present in the Senate occupied seats in the vicinity. Before the stand were thousands of people, filling the spacious plaza east of the capitol and the escorting soldiery massed in the rear, the saluting battery in the park and the participating soldiery and civic bodies formed in positions converging upon the plaza ready to swing into column when the procession moved from the capitol to the reviewing stand of the President in front of the Executive Mansion. The President, as soon as the arrangements on the platform were completed, turned facing the Chief Justjea-m-* 1 —

ence of the people; the clerk of the Supreme court advancing between held an open Bible, the President resting the palm of his right hand upon the open page and repeating after the Chief Justice the oath proscribed by the constitution. Having finished the new President leaned over and kissed the sacred book as a symbol of acknowledgment of his great trust in behalf of the people and their institutions. Chief Justice Fuller then extended his hand in greeting, the Vice-President advanced/and extended the same form of salutation on behalf of the legislative coordinate branch of the government. The moment the President placed his lips upon the Bible in response to a given signal the batteries in the park fired a national salute and the troops presented arms. Then the President delivered his address The Senate returned to its chamber and formally adjourned for the day. The committee on arrangements having charge of the President escorted him to the state carriage, drawn by four horses, awaiting him at the Senate ‘entrance. The President took a position near the head of the column, passing down Pennsylvania avenue to the VV hite House, where he reviewed the great procession from the stand erected * for the purpose in company with a large number of prominent officials of the States and nation and the diplomatic corps. REVIEWING 'IHE I'ROCESSION. A Magnificent Display in Honor of the New President. The procession, which was one of the longest ever seen in Washington, was arranged according to the historical rank of the States represented by the organization. The military and civic organizations of the State first ratifying the constitution had the first place on the list; then those of the second State to ratify, and so oh till the end of the original thirteen States. Then followed the representatives of the other States in the order of their admission into the Union. The number of persons taking part in the procession, including civic and military organizations, is estimated at nearly 50,000, and the display is counted the grandest ever witnessed in Washington on any occasion of this kind. The Inaugural Ball-Room. The inaugural ball was held in the immense interior court of the Pension Office building. It easily accommodates 5,000 people, and from 2,000 to 3,000 can dance at one time. A grander place for an inaugural ball could not have been planned. There is more room for gorgeous decoration and lighting than is to be found perhaps in any other building in the country. In fact there is nothing just like it in the United States. The he ght from the floor to the roof is fully 150 feet, and with the balconies running all around festooning can be done that would be impossible in a hall of the ordinary height.

INAUGURATION OF PRESIDENT HARRISON.

THE INAUGURAL BALL-ROOM.

MRS. HARRISON.

MRS. MORTON.