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Scenes of President Polk’s Inauguration at the Capitol

Page from The Illustrated London News, April 19, 1845, with text and two black and white prints. One print shows a crowd of people with umbrellas walking up the steps on the Capitol West Front on a rainy day, captioned, “Inauguration of President Polk.—Approach to the Capitol.” The second print shows people on a platform outside the Capitol, with James K. Polk taking the oath, and spectators, some with umbrellas, below, captioned, “Inauguration of President Polk.—The Oath.” Text reads, “dressed multitude crowding and jostling to the Capitol, having just alighted from their carriages, no vehicles being allowed to enter the grounds or square. Here, accordingly, the company had to alight. Professor Morse brought out the Magnetic Telegraph to the platform, close to one side of it, from which point he could hear every thing that went on, having under review all the ceremonies performed, communicating results to Baltimore as fast as they transpired. The Inaugural Procession moved to the Capitol in the following order:—Chief Marshal and Aids. Military. Officers and Soldiers of the Revolution. Reverend Clergy. President Elect and his Predecessor, in an open carriage. Ex-Presidents of the United States. President Tyler's Cabinet. Justices of the Supreme Court. Diplomatic Corps. Members Elect of the 29th Congress, and ex-Members of Congress. Members of the Baltimore Democratic National Convention of 1844. Governors and ex-Governors of States and Territories. Members of State and Territorial Legislatures. Federal and State Judges. Officers of the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, and Militia. Citizens of States and Territories. Corporate Authorities of Washington, Georgetown and Alexandria. Democratic Associations and Clubs of the District of Columbia, and others from a distance. Professors and Students of Colleges of the District of Columbia. Citizens of the District of Columbia. The Chief Marshal and his aids were bedizened with silks and ribbons in the way of scarfs and rosettes, and for batons of office, each was provided with a piece of young hickory about two feet long, which was decked with ribbon. There were several fine companies of military, all in excellent order, and apparently well drilled. Their appearance gave universal satisfaction, and attracted the greatest share of attention next to President Polk. The ‘Officers and Soldiers of the Revolution,’ were represented by one fat, pursy gentleman, in a sort of navy undress, two young naval officers, and two boys, apparently midshipmen, about 16 years of age; and this respectable number of five individuals represented the Revolutionary warriors. The Clergy turned out well. There were about twenty. The President came next, looking well, though thin and anxious in appearance, with President Tyler in the same carriage. Ex-Presidents—none. Tyler's Cabinet—Wickliffe and Wilkins. Supreme Court—none. Diplomatic Corps—none. Then came the members and ex-members of Congress, of whom there were a goodly number. The sum total, however, of Members of Congress, of the Baltimore Convention, Governors and ex-Governors, Members and ex-Members of State Legislatures, Federal and State Judges, did not number more than 100 or 120 persons. Then came the Empire Club, or rather the banner with the few accompanying members and the band, and the piece of ordnance aforesaid; and the balance of the procession, perhaps, numbered four or five hundred persons--certainly not more. In this order the procession reached the west gates of the Capitol grounds, where the President and those accompanying him left their carriages, and the procession, with the members of Congress and others who were entitled to admission into the Capitol, and proceeded through the grounds to the Capitol. And on the procession coming in sight of the Capitol grounds, there was a new scene for wonder; for every conceivable foot of space on the elevated terraces of these grounds, where a spectator could have a chance of seeing the procession and the President and suite, was crowded to suffocation. It was literally black with the swarms of people—here and there relieved by the bright dress of some democratic lady, who was not afraid of either the falling rain or the thronging crowds, but was determined to see and be seen. At twelve o'clock the President Elect, with Chief Justice Taney, stepped forward to the front of the platform, the latter holding in his hand a richly gilt Bible; when in the presence of the high functionaries of Government, and of the assembled representatives of foreign Governments, the Chief Justice proceeded to administer the oath of office to the President, who, after he had concluded an eloquent and well conceived Inaugural Address, took the oath of office. The rain fell steadily and more heavily, while the President was delivering his Inaugural Address than before. Mr. Polk, however, spoke from the portico and uncovered, except that he was sheltered from the rain by an umbrella. His address was received with no enthusiasm. As he appeared before the multitude he was received with cheers of welcome, and the same marks of respect followed him as he retired with his friends. The lowest estimate of persons present is 25,000. Our second illustration shows the multitude upon the steps of the Capitol, and the impressive scene of the Inauguration in front of the portico. To the left is the Chief Justice administering the oath of office; and behind them is Mr. Dallas, the Vice-President, upwards of six feet high, with a profusion of long white hair. The platform was crowded with fashionably-dressed ladies; and the foreign diplomatic body in the court suits of their respective nations. The magnificent sculpture on the left is Periso's group of Columbus and the Indian Girl, traced from a Daguerreotype.”/tiles/collection/3/35906.xml
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Page from The Illustrated London News, April 19, 1845, with articles including, “Inauguration of the American President. By the activity of our artist at New York, we are enabled to present to our readers two of the principal scenes of the Inauguration of President Polk, on the 4th ult., together with the accompanying details of this great political triumph. The whole plan of an Inauguration was first arranged by General Washington, which has been observed by all his successors. The President elect, with the President in fact, leave for the Capitol together, side by side. The term of the latter does not expire till twelve o'clock, or the new term commence till the new President is sworn in, and subsequent to twelve o'clock. As they proceed to the Capitol, the President elect walks on the left hand of the President. As they return from the Capitol to the White House, their position is changed—the ex-President walks on the left-hand side of the President. The crowd assembled in Washington on the 4th ult., is said to have been the largest ever before assembled on any similar occasion in the metropolis. At break of day a national salute of twenty-eight guns were fired. A fine band of music paraded the streets, followed by a well-drilled uniform company. Car-load after car-load of people continued to arrive from Baltimore, till the whole Avenue seemed to swarm with people. Every hotel, every place of public resort, became perfectly jammed. The whole area, from the platform erected in front of the eastern portico of the Capitol, to the iron railing of the garden in the rear, was one dense mass of human beings. No persons were allowed to enter the Capitol, save and except those designated in the programme. But such was the anxiety to witness the inauguration, that the people gathered round about the Capitol by the square acre, long before the hour of twelve M. arrived. The procession line and military was formed in different parts of the city. The military escort was very handsome, and numbered all the independent companies of the District, one from Baltimore, and another from Virginia. There were two mounted companies, and half a dozen on foot, and these were followed by the politicians and political clubs. Cannon were fired at eight, nine, ten, and eleven o'clock, and when the procession entered the Capitol grounds. The sun did not deign to shine at any moment, and the rain fell copiously from ten o'clock throughout the day. The procession lost all the display of their magnificent dresses, by being enveloped in umbrellas. The white silk badges of the marshals, with their blue ribbons, stuck to their black coats, while the plumes of the military hung drooping. The rain, indeed, spoiled the display of the day. As the rain increased, umbrellas became in great request, and as all were well supplied, a spectator some distance up the Avenue, looking towards the Capitol, could see only a long line of moving umbrellas, terminating at the Capitol, the dome of which towered up like a gigantic umbrella held up by some invisible hand. Our first scene represents the Private Approach to the Capitol, with the British and Russian Ministers in the foreground ; and the gaily-”/tiles/collection/3/31876.xml
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Page from The Illustrated London News, April 19, 1845, with text and two black and white prints. One print shows a crowd of people with umbrellas walking up the steps on the Capitol West Front on a rainy day, captioned, “Inauguration of President Polk.—Approach to the Capitol.” The second print shows people on a platform outside the Capitol, with James K. Polk taking the oath, and spectators, some with umbrellas, below, captioned, “Inauguration of President Polk.—The Oath.” Text reads, “dressed multitude crowding and jostling to the Capitol, having just alighted from their carriages, no vehicles being allowed to enter the grounds or square. Here, accordingly, the company had to alight. Professor Morse brought out the Magnetic Telegraph to the platform, close to one side of it, from which point he could hear every thing that went on, having under review all the ceremonies performed, communicating results to Baltimore as fast as they transpired. The Inaugural Procession moved to the Capitol in the following order:—Chief Marshal and Aids. Military. Officers and Soldiers of the Revolution. Reverend Clergy. President Elect and his Predecessor, in an open carriage. Ex-Presidents of the United States. President Tyler's Cabinet. Justices of the Supreme Court. Diplomatic Corps. Members Elect of the 29th Congress, and ex-Members of Congress. Members of the Baltimore Democratic National Convention of 1844. Governors and ex-Governors of States and Territories. Members of State and Territorial Legislatures. Federal and State Judges. Officers of the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, and Militia. Citizens of States and Territories. Corporate Authorities of Washington, Georgetown and Alexandria. Democratic Associations and Clubs of the District of Columbia, and others from a distance. Professors and Students of Colleges of the District of Columbia. Citizens of the District of Columbia. The Chief Marshal and his aids were bedizened with silks and ribbons in the way of scarfs and rosettes, and for batons of office, each was provided with a piece of young hickory about two feet long, which was decked with ribbon. There were several fine companies of military, all in excellent order, and apparently well drilled. Their appearance gave universal satisfaction, and attracted the greatest share of attention next to President Polk. The ‘Officers and Soldiers of the Revolution,’ were represented by one fat, pursy gentleman, in a sort of navy undress, two young naval officers, and two boys, apparently midshipmen, about 16 years of age; and this respectable number of five individuals represented the Revolutionary warriors. The Clergy turned out well. There were about twenty. The President came next, looking well, though thin and anxious in appearance, with President Tyler in the same carriage. Ex-Presidents—none. Tyler's Cabinet—Wickliffe and Wilkins. Supreme Court—none. Diplomatic Corps—none. Then came the members and ex-members of Congress, of whom there were a goodly number. The sum total, however, of Members of Congress, of the Baltimore Convention, Governors and ex-Governors, Members and ex-Members of State Legislatures, Federal and State Judges, did not number more than 100 or 120 persons. Then came the Empire Club, or rather the banner with the few accompanying members and the band, and the piece of ordnance aforesaid; and the balance of the procession, perhaps, numbered four or five hundred persons--certainly not more. In this order the procession reached the west gates of the Capitol grounds, where the President and those accompanying him left their carriages, and the procession, with the members of Congress and others who were entitled to admission into the Capitol, and proceeded through the grounds to the Capitol. And on the procession coming in sight of the Capitol grounds, there was a new scene for wonder; for every conceivable foot of space on the elevated terraces of these grounds, where a spectator could have a chance of seeing the procession and the President and suite, was crowded to suffocation. It was literally black with the swarms of people—here and there relieved by the bright dress of some democratic lady, who was not afraid of either the falling rain or the thronging crowds, but was determined to see and be seen. At twelve o'clock the President Elect, with Chief Justice Taney, stepped forward to the front of the platform, the latter holding in his hand a richly gilt Bible; when in the presence of the high functionaries of Government, and of the assembled representatives of foreign Governments, the Chief Justice proceeded to administer the oath of office to the President, who, after he had concluded an eloquent and well conceived Inaugural Address, took the oath of office. The rain fell steadily and more heavily, while the President was delivering his Inaugural Address than before. Mr. Polk, however, spoke from the portico and uncovered, except that he was sheltered from the rain by an umbrella. His address was received with no enthusiasm. As he appeared before the multitude he was received with cheers of welcome, and the same marks of respect followed him as he retired with his friends. The lowest estimate of persons present is 25,000. Our second illustration shows the multitude upon the steps of the Capitol, and the impressive scene of the Inauguration in front of the portico. To the left is the Chief Justice administering the oath of office; and behind them is Mr. Dallas, the Vice-President, upwards of six feet high, with a profusion of long white hair. The platform was crowded with fashionably-dressed ladies; and the foreign diplomatic body in the court suits of their respective nations. The magnificent sculpture on the left is Periso's group of Columbus and the Indian Girl, traced from a Daguerreotype.”
Page from The Illustrated London News, April 19, 1845, with articles including, “Inauguration of the American President. By the activity of our artist at New York, we are enabled to present to our readers two of the principal scenes of the Inauguration of President Polk, on the 4th ult., together with the accompanying details of this great political triumph. The whole plan of an Inauguration was first arranged by General Washington, which has been observed by all his successors. The President elect, with the President in fact, leave for the Capitol together, side by side. The term of the latter does not expire till twelve o'clock, or the new term commence till the new President is sworn in, and subsequent to twelve o'clock. As they proceed to the Capitol, the President elect walks on the left hand of the President. As they return from the Capitol to the White House, their position is changed—the ex-President walks on the left-hand side of the President. The crowd assembled in Washington on the 4th ult., is said to have been the largest ever before assembled on any similar occasion in the metropolis. At break of day a national salute of twenty-eight guns were fired. A fine band of music paraded the streets, followed by a well-drilled uniform company. Car-load after car-load of people continued to arrive from Baltimore, till the whole Avenue seemed to swarm with people. Every hotel, every place of public resort, became perfectly jammed. The whole area, from the platform erected in front of the eastern portico of the Capitol, to the iron railing of the garden in the rear, was one dense mass of human beings. No persons were allowed to enter the Capitol, save and except those designated in the programme. But such was the anxiety to witness the inauguration, that the people gathered round about the Capitol by the square acre, long before the hour of twelve M. arrived. The procession line and military was formed in different parts of the city. The military escort was very handsome, and numbered all the independent companies of the District, one from Baltimore, and another from Virginia. There were two mounted companies, and half a dozen on foot, and these were followed by the politicians and political clubs. Cannon were fired at eight, nine, ten, and eleven o'clock, and when the procession entered the Capitol grounds. The sun did not deign to shine at any moment, and the rain fell copiously from ten o'clock throughout the day. The procession lost all the display of their magnificent dresses, by being enveloped in umbrellas. The white silk badges of the marshals, with their blue ribbons, stuck to their black coats, while the plumes of the military hung drooping. The rain, indeed, spoiled the display of the day. As the rain increased, umbrellas became in great request, and as all were well supplied, a spectator some distance up the Avenue, looking towards the Capitol, could see only a long line of moving umbrellas, terminating at the Capitol, the dome of which towered up like a gigantic umbrella held up by some invisible hand. Our first scene represents the Private Approach to the Capitol, with the British and Russian Ministers in the foreground ; and the gaily-”
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Date

1845-04-19

Publisher

The Illustrated London News; Herbert Ingram

Dimensions

15 5/8 × 10 15/16 in. (39.7 × 27.8 cm)

Accession Number

2019.138.000

Credit Line

Collection of the U.S. House of Representatives

Object Details

“By the activity of our artist at New York,” The Illustrated London News reported in 1845, “we are enabled to present to our readers two of the principal scenes of the Inauguration of President Polk.” The newspaper went on to describe how crowded Washington was (“perfectly jammed”) and how wet, in a steady downpour that turned the procession to the Capitol’s East Front into “a long line of moving umbrellas.” Sogginess aside, it was a triumph for The Illustrated London News. Their images gave British readers a rare look at American political ceremonies, and are the earliest newspaper illustrations of a presidential inauguration in the House Collection.

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