Who Knows Where and When?
 First Capitol Inauguration 1829 Chief Justice John Marshall administering the oath of office to Andrew Jackson |
In 1829, Andrew Jackson was the first president inaugurated outside the completed East Portico of the Capitol. The outdoor venue accommodated members of Congress as well as thousands of well-wishers. According to a letter
dated March 5, 1829 from James Hamilton to Martin Van Buren, this
crowd "hailed the Chief with the most enthusiastic applause
and greetings."
|
|
Joseph Bishop's 1897 Century Magazine article entitled, "Inauguration Scenes and Incidents" provides another account of the proceedings: "Andrew Jackson's ceremony went smoothly but his post-inaugural celebration is legendary for the unruly mobs that swarmed the White House. In a letter to Martin Van Buren that uses some very disparaging (and objectionable) language, James Hamilton described the festivities as "a regular Saturnalia. The Mob broke in, in thousands...in one uninterrupted stream of mud & filth..." |
|
| Four years later, Jackson's second (and far more subdued) inaugural address was held in the Capitol's Hall of Representatives. | |
 |
 |