George Washington's First Inaugural Address
On April 30, 1789, George Washington took the oath of office
as the first president of the United States. He delivered
his first
inaugural address to a joint session of Congress, assembled
in Federal Hall in the nation's new capital, New York City.
With one exception, his first inaugural address did not contain
specific policy recommendations. Washington urged Congress
to add a bill of rights to the Constitution that would express
“a reverence for the characteristic rights of freemen
and a regard for the public harmony…” Although
not required by the Constitution, every president since Washington
has followed his example and delivered an inaugural address.
Library of Congress Web Site | External
Web Sites | Selected Bibliography
A
Century of Lawmaking for a New Nation
The Annals
of Congress contains a summary of the inaugural
ceremony and the text of Washington's first inaugural
address. Additional copies of the address are available
in the American
State Papers, House
Journal, and Senate
Journal.
This collection also includes Maclay's
Journal, a diary kept by Senator William Maclay
describing his experiences in the First Congress. The
entry for April
30, 1789, provides a detailed description of Washington's
first inauguration.
George
Washington Papers at the Library of Congress
This collection includes a manuscript copy of George
Washington's first
inaugural address. A copy of the address is also available
in Washington's letterbook.
Search
Washington's papers on the word inaugural
to find congressional documents concerning the 1789 inaugural
ceremony.
"I
Do Solemnly Swear . . .": Presidential Inaugurations
This collection contains a special presentation on George
Washington's first
inauguration, which includes manuscripts, letters,
and prints. In addition, Marvin
Kranz, former specialist, Manuscript Division, Library
of Congress, provides historical insights into Washington's
first inauguration.
The
Nineteenth Century in Print: Periodicals
In 1889, The Century Magazine
published an article providing an overview of Washington's
first inauguration.
The
James Madison Papers
On May
10, 1789, James Madison, then a representative from
Virginia, wrote a letter to Edmund Randolph. Beginning
on page 2 of this letter, Madison describes why Washington
was delayed in coming to New York for his inauguration,
the certainty of his election, and the removal of titles
in his inaugural address as prescribed beforehand by a
joint congressional committee.
Words
and Deeds in American History
This collection presents a copy of George
Washington's first inaugural address dated April 30,
1789.
American
Treasures at the Library of Congress - Washington's First
Inauguration
George Washington passed through several cities -- including
Philadelphia and Trenton -- on the way to his first inauguration
at Federal Hall in New York City, then the temporary capital
of the United States. Aware of the importance of this
national ritual, the brown-suited Washington set many
precedents during his first inauguration: the swearing-in
took place outside; the oath was taken upon a Bible; an
inaugural address was given that set the pattern for all
subsequent addresses; and festivities accompanied the
inauguration, including a church service, a parade, and
fireworks.
"I
Do Solemnly Swear..." Inaugural Materials from the
Collections of the Library of Congress
This online exhibition presents a letter from George
Washington to Henry Knox addressing the quality of
the cloth and buttons that would be used for Washington's
suit of plain brown cloth. Also shown is a letter by the
first Inaugural Committee on Ceremony in the Senate and
a Currier & Ives print illustrating the public adulation
that greeted the first president-elect along his route
to New York.
Feature
Presentations - Inaugurations
This feature is a supplement to the American Memory collection
"I Do Solemnly Swear...":
Presidential Inaugurations. It includes an essay
on the history of presidential inaugurations and links
to primary source materials, including items related to
Washington's first inauguration.
Conservation
Corner: Washington's First Inaugural Address
This 2001 article examines the treatment of Washington's
first inaugural address by the Library of Congress Conservation
Division.
April
30, 1789
On April 30, 1789, George Washington delivered his first
inaugural address to a joint session of Congress, assembled
in Federal Hall in the nation's new capital, New York
City.
George
Washington's Inaugural Address, National Archives and
Records Administration
Our
Documents, President George Washington's First Inaugural
Speech, National Archives and Records Administration
The
Papers of George Washington: First Inaugural Address,
University of Virginia
Ellis, Joseph J. His Excellency: George
Washington. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 2004. [Catalog Record]
Flexner, James Thomas. George Washington
and the New Nation, 1783-1793. Boston: Little, Brown,
1970. [Catalog Record]
Freeman, Douglas Southall. George
Washington: A Biography. 7 vols. New York: Scribner,
1948-1957. [Catalog Record]
McDonald, Forrest. The Presidency
of George Washington. Lawrence: University Press
of Kansas, 1974. [Catalog Record]
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