Homes of American statesmen: . d action of the time ;and it is evident that, as far as selfish feelings went, he wasmuch more afraid of losing the honor he had gained than ofacquiring new. The heart of the nation was with him, how-ever, even more than he knew; and the mind oppressed withmore anxious and painful sensations than he had words toexpress at the outset, was soon calmed, not only by the sug-gestions of duty, but by the marks of unbounded love and con-fidence lavished on him at every step of his way by a gratefulpeople. The Inaugural Oath was taken, before an immenseconcourse of peopl
Homes of American statesmen: . d action of the time ;and it is evident that, as far as selfish feelings went, he wasmuch more afraid of losing the honor he had gained than ofacquiring new. The heart of the nation was with him, how-ever, even more than he knew; and the mind oppressed withmore anxious and painful sensations than he had words toexpress at the outset, was soon calmed, not only by the sug-gestions of duty, but by the marks of unbounded love and con-fidence lavished on him at every step of his way by a gratefulpeople. The Inaugural Oath was taken, before an immenseconcourse of people, on the balcony of Federal Hall, New-York,April 30, 1789, and the President afterwards delivered hisfirst Address, in the Senate Chamber of the same building, 52 HOMES OF AMERICAN STATESMEN. now no longer standing, but not very satisfactorily replaced bythat magnificent Grecian temple wherein the United StatesGovernment collects the Customs of New-York. The house inwhich the first Presidential levee was held will always be a. House of the First Presidential Levee. Cherry street point of interest, and the consultations between Washingtonand the great officers of state about the simple ceremonial ofthese public receptions, are extremely curious, as showing themanners and ideas of the times, and the struggle between theold-country associations natural to gentlemen of that day, andthe recognized necessity of accommodating even court regula-tions to the feelings of a people to whom the least shadow ofaristocratic form was necessarily hateful. We must not con-demn the popular scrupulousness of 1789 as puerile and foolish,until we too have perilled life and fortune in the cause ofliberty and equality. WASHINGTON. 53 A dangerous illness brought Washington near the grave,during his first Presidential summer, and he is said never tohave regained his full strength. In August Ins mother died,venerable for years and wisdom, and always honored by herson in a spirit that would have satisfie
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1850, booksubjectstatesmen, bookyear18
