1789
George Washington Gives First Presidential Inaugural
Address
On this day in 1789, George Washington is sworn in as the first
American president and delivers the first inaugural speech at Federal Hall in
New York City. Elements of the ceremony set tradition; presidential
inaugurations have deviated little in the two centuries since Washington’s
inauguration.
In front of 10,000 spectators, Washington appeared in a plain
brown broadcloth suit holding a ceremonial army sword. At 6′ 3, Washington
presented an impressive and solemn figure as he took the oath of office
standing on the second balcony of Federal Hall. With Vice President John Adams
standing beside him, Washington repeated the words prompted by Chancellor
Robert R. Livingston, kissed the bible and then went to the Senate chamber to
deliver his inaugural address.
Observers noted that Washington appeared as if he would have
preferred facing cannon and musket fire to taking the political helm of the
country. He fidgeted, with his hand in one pocket, and spoke in a low,
sometimes inaudible voice while he reiterated the mixed emotions of anxiety and
honor he felt in assuming the role of president. For the most part, his address
consisted of generalities, but he directly addressed the need for a strong
Constitution and Bill of Rights and frequently emphasized the public good. He
told the House of Representatives that he declined to be paid beyond such
actual expenditures as the public good may be thought to require. In deference
to the power of Congress, Washington promised to give way to my entire
confidence in your discernment and pursuit of the public good.
After delivering his address, Washington walked up Broadway with
a group of legislators and local political leaders to pray at St. Paul’s
Chapel. Later, he made the humble and astute observation that his presidency,
and the nation itself, was an experiment.
Bonus Story
1939
New York World’s Fair opens
On April 30, 1939, the New York World’s Fair opens in New York
City. The opening ceremony, which featured speeches by President Franklin D.
Roosevelt and New York Governor Herbert Lehman, ushered in the first day of
television broadcasting in New York.
Spanning 1,200 acres at Flushing Meadow Park in Queens, the
fairground was marked by two imposing structures–the “Perisphere” and the
“Trylon”–and exhibited such new technology as FM radio, robotics, fluorescent
lighting, and a crude fax machine. Norman Bel Geddes designed a Futurama ride
for General Motors, and users were transported through an idealized city of the
future. Sixty-three nations participated in the fair, which enjoyed large
crowds before the outbreak of World War II interrupted many of its scheduled
events.