May 7, 1789: George Washington’s first inaugural address, spanning 1,419 words, was delivered in the Senate chamber. Notably, there were no inaugural balls on the day of the ceremony; however, a ball was held in New York City a week later, on May 7, in honor of the first President.
First inauguration of George Washington
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The first inauguration of George Washington as the first president of the United States was held on Thursday, April 30, 1789, on the balcony of Federal Hall in New York City, New York. The inauguration was held nearly two months after the beginning of the first four-year term of George Washington as president. Chancellor of New York Robert Livingston administered the presidential oath of office. With this inauguration, the executive branch of the United States government officially began operations under the new frame of government established by the 1787 Constitution. The inauguration of John Adams as vice president was 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.
Inauguration
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 now Pearl Street) and Broad 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 capitol and the site where the 1st United States Congress met, Washington was formally introduced to the House and Senate, after which Vice President John Adams announced it was time for the inauguration (Adams had already assumed the office of Vice President on April 21, when he began presiding over the Senate sessions). Washington moved to the second-floor balcony. Chancellor of New York Robert Livingston, who had served on the Committee of Five which had drafted the Declaration of Independence, administered the presidential oath of office in view of throngs of people gathered on the streets.[12][13] The Bible used in the ceremony was from St. John’s Lodge No. 1, A.Y.M.,[14] and due to haste, it was opened at random to Genesis 49:13 (“Zebulun shall dwell at the haven of the sea; and he shall be for an haven of ships; and his border shall be unto Zidon“).[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 no inaugural balls on 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]