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First inauguration of George Washington

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First presidential inauguration of George Washington
DateApril 30, 1789;235 years ago(1789-04-30)
LocationFederal Hall,
New York City
ParticipantsGeorge Washington
1st president of the United States
— Assuming office

Robert Livingston
Chancellor of New York
— Administering oath

John Adams
1st vice president of the United States
— Assuming office
John Langdon
President pro tempore of the United States Senate
— Administering oath
1793

Thefirst inauguration ofGeorge Washingtonas thefirstpresident of the United Stateswas held on Thursday, April 30, 1789, on the balcony ofFederal HallinNew York City,New York.Theinaugurationwas held nearly two months after the beginning of the first four-year term of George Washington as president.Chancellor of New YorkRobert Livingstonadministered thepresidential oath of office.With this inauguration, theexecutive branch of the United States governmentofficially began operations under the new frame of government established by the1787 Constitution.The inauguration ofJohn Adamsasvice presidentwas on April 21, 1789, when he assumed his duties as presiding officer of the United States Senate; this also remains the only scheduled inauguration to take place on a day that was neither January nor March.

Start of the first presidential term

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The first presidential term started on March 4, 1789, the date set by theCongress of the Confederationfor the beginning of operations of thefederal governmentunder the new U.S. Constitution.[1]However, logistical delays prevented the actual start of the operations of the Executive Branch on that day. On that date, theHouse of Representativesand theSenateconvened for the first time, but both adjourned due to lack of aquorum.[2]As a result, the votes of theElectoral Collegefor president could not be counted or certified. On April 1, the House convened with a quorum present for the first time, and the representatives began their work, with the election ofFrederick Muhlenbergas its firstspeaker.The Senate first achieved a quorum on April 6, and electedJohn Langdonas its firstpresident pro tempore.That same day, the House and Senate met injoint sessionto count the electoral votes and certify the results; Senator Langdon presided. Washington and Adams were certified as having been elected president and vice president respectively.[3][4]

Washington's journey to New York

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Secretary of theContinental CongressCharles Thomsonwas appointed by the Senate to deliver to Washington the letter containing the news of his election.[5]Thomson delivered the official notification to Washington atMount Vernonon April 14, 1789. Washington replied immediately, and set out two days later for New York City,[6]accompanied byDavid Humphreysand Thomson.[7]

Along the way, Washington received triumphal welcomes in almost every town he passed through. These includedAlexandria;Georgetown, Maryland(now part ofWashington D.C.);Baltimore;andHavre de Grace.One of the places he spent the night wasSpurrier's Tavernin Baltimore. Just after noon on April 20, Washington arrived to an elaborate welcome atGray's FerryinPhiladelphia.On April 21, the Ladies of Trenton hostedhis reception at Trenton.[8]On April 23 he leftElizabethtown, New Jerseyand took a small barge with 13 pilots through theKill Van Kulltidal strait into theUpper New York Bay,and from there the city. A variety of boats surrounded him during the voyage, and Washington's approach was greeted by a series of cannon fire, first a thirteen gun salute by theSpanishwarshipGalveston,then by theNorth Carolina,and finally by other artillery.[7]Thousands had gathered on the waterfront to see him arrive.[9]Washington landed at Murray's Wharf (at the foot ofWall Street), where he was greeted byNew York GovernorGeorge Clintonas well as other congressmen and citizens.[7]A plaque now marks the landing site.[10]They proceeded through the streets to what would be Washington's new official residence, 3Cherry Street.[9]

Inauguration

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Federal Hall, New York City, site of George Washington's first inauguration, April 30, 1789.

Since nearly first light on April 30, 1789, a crowd of people had begun to gather around Washington's home, and at noon they made their way to Federal Hall by way of Queen Street and Great Dock (both nowPearl Street) andBroad Street.[7]Washington dressed in an American-made dark brown suit with white silk stockings and silver shoe buckles; he also wore a steel-hilted sword and dark red overcoat.[11]

Upon his arrival at Federal Hall,then the nation's capitoland the site where the1st United States Congressmet, Washington was formally introduced to theHouseandSenate,after which Vice President John Adams announced it was time for the inauguration (Adams had already assumed the vice presidency on April 21, when he began presiding over the Senate sessions). Washington moved to the second-floor balcony. Chancellor of New YorkRobert Livingston,who had served on theCommittee of Fivewhich had drafted theDeclaration of Independence,administered the presidential oath of office in view of throngs of people gathered on the streets.[12][13]TheBibleused in the ceremony was fromSt. John's Lodge No. 1,[14]the Master of which wasJacob Morton,who served as Marshal of the Inauguration. The Bible was opened at random to Genesis 49:13 ( "Zebulunshall dwell at the haven of the sea; and he shall be for an haven of ships; and his border shall be untoZidon").[11]Afterwards, Livingston shouted "Long live George Washington, President of the United States!"[15]to the crowd, which was replied to with cheers and a 13-gun salute.[16]The first inaugural address was subsequently delivered by Washington in the Senate chamber,[7]running 1,419 words in length.[11] At this time there were noinaugural ballson the day of the ceremony, though a week later, on May 7, a ball was held in New York City to honor the first President.[17]

George Washington had to borrow money to travel to his first inauguration. (Photo by Universal History Archive/Getty Images)

George Washington had to borrow money just to get to New York City, which was the capital at the time. Although he owned 60,000 acres of land and 300 slaves,[18]Washington had little in the way of cash, and could not get any by trading with other landowners, as they were equally strapped for cash. Washington said to his nephew that the salary was at least part of the reason why he accepted the presidency, "as my means are not adequate to the expense at which I have lived since my retirement."[19]

Three days before George Washington took the oath of office as the first president of the United States, Congress passed the following resolution: "Resolved, That after the oath shall have been administered to the President, he, attended by the Vice President and members of the Senate and House of Representatives, shall proceed to St. Paul's Chapel, to hear divine service."[20]Accordingly, the Right Rev.Samuel Provoost(1742–1815), newly appointed chaplain of the United States Senate and first Episcopal bishop of New York, officiated at a service inSt. Paul's Chapelon April 30, 1789, immediately following Washington's inauguration, with the newly inaugurated President and members of Congress present.[21]

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  • The inauguration is depicted in an episode of the 2008 HBO miniseries,John Adams,although Robert Livingston is erroneously depicted as shouting "God bless George Washington!" at the conclusion of the ceremony, rather than "Long live George Washington!"
  • This event, its location, and date of April 30, are given particular significance inMetal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty.

See also

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References

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  1. ^Maier, Pauline (2010).Ratification: The People Debate the Constitution where in 1787–1788.New York: Simon & Schuster. p. 429.
  2. ^"March 4: A forgotten huge day in American history".Philadelphia:National Constitution Center.March 4, 2013. Archived fromthe originalon March 3, 2015.RetrievedJanuary 5,2017.
  3. ^"Presidential Election of 1789".George Washington's Mount Vernon.Mount Vernon Ladies' Association.RetrievedJanuary 5,2016.
  4. ^"Journal of the First Session of the Senate of The United States of America, Begun and Held at the City of New York, March 4, 1789, And In The Thirteenth Year of the Independence of the Said States".Senate Journal.Gales & Seaton. 1820. pp. 7–8.
  5. ^"A Century of Lawmaking for a New Nation: U.S. Congressional Documents and Debates, 1774 - 1875".memory.loc.gov.
  6. ^Washington, George (1835).The Writings of George Washington: pt. III.American Stationers' Company. pp. 491–492.
  7. ^abcdeMcMaster, John Bach (2006).A History of the People of the United States: From the Revolution to the Civil War.Cosimo, Inc. pp. 539–540.ISBN978-1-59605-233-8.
  8. ^Washington, George(April 21, 1789)."From George Washington to the Ladies of Trenton, 21 April 1789".Founders Online, National Archives.
  9. ^ab"Cherry Clinton Playground".New York City Department of Parks & Recreation.RetrievedJanuary 21,2009.
  10. ^"Plaque commemorating George Washington's landing at Murray's Wharf".The City University of New York. Archived fromthe originalon May 22, 2011.RetrievedJanuary 21,2009.
  11. ^abc"Inauguration of President George Washington, 1789".Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies. Archived fromthe originalon January 23, 2009.RetrievedJanuary 21,2009.
  12. ^"George Washington's Inaugural Address".The National Archives.RetrievedJanuary 29,2009.
  13. ^"Presidential Oaths of Office".Library of Congress.RetrievedJanuary 21,2009.
  14. ^"St. John's Lodge No. 1 A.Y.M. - Oldest Masonic Lodge in N.Y."St. John's Lodge No. 1 A.Y.M.
  15. ^http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/ampage?collId=llsj&fileName=001/llsj001.db&recNum=15&itemLink=r?ammem/hlaw:@field(DOCID+@lit(sj0011)):%230010001&linkText=1Senate Journal April 30, 1789.
  16. ^"Our Documents - President George Washington's First Inaugural Speech (1789)".ourdocuments.gov.April 9, 2021.
  17. ^"Inaugural Ball".Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies. Archived fromthe originalon January 29, 2009.RetrievedJanuary 22,2009.
  18. ^Randall, Willard Sterne (July 13, 2017)."Washington Was Broke? Why Founding Fathers Were Strapped for Cash".DAILY BEAST.
  19. ^Giannini, Nathan (January 20, 2017)."11 strange moments from past US presidential inaugurations".Yahoo News.RetrievedJanuary 20,2017.
  20. ^Annals of Congress, Vol. 1, p. 25, April 27, 1789
  21. ^"Washington National Cathedral: Presidential Inaugural Prayer Services".Archived fromthe originalon January 20, 2009.RetrievedJanuary 16,2009.
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