The  cabinet  jointly  sent  a  letter  to  him,  by  the
hand  of  Fletcher  Webster,  acquainting  him  of
the  death  of  the  President.  By  great  despatch
both  ways  the  Vice-President  arrived  at  the
capital  at  four  o'clock:  on  April  6  (1845),  and  at
twelve  M.  he  was  waited  upon  by  the  cabinet,
when  he  took  the  oath  of  office  as  President,
administered  by  Judge  Cranch,  of  the  Circuit
Court  of  the  District  of  Columbia.  After  the
funeral  of  the  dead  President,  Mr.  Tyler  issued
an  inaugural  address  to  the  people,  through  the
press,  which  gave  general  satisfaction.  He  re-
tained the  cabinet  of  President  Harrison  (which
see).
Inauguration  of  President  Van  Buren  took
place  at  the  national  Capitol,  March  4, 1837.  It
was  a  beautiful  day  at  Washington,  and  the
Presideut-elect  took  his  seat,  with  his  venerable
predecessor,  in  a  phaeton  made  of  wood  from  the
frigate  Constitution,  and  presented  to  Jackson  by
the  democracy  of  New  York.  They  were  escort-
ed from  the  President's  house  to  the  Capitol,
through  Pennsylvania  Avenue,  by  a  body  of
cavalry  and  infantry,  and  accompanied  by  an
immense  concourse  of  citizens.  AJfter  reaching
the  Senate -chamber,  Mr.  Van  Buren,  attended
by  the  ex-President,  the  members  of  the  Senate,
of  the  cabinet,  and  the  diplomatic  corps,  led  the
way  to  the  rostrum  erected  at  the  ascent  to  the
eastern  portico  of  the  Capitol,  where  he  delivered
his  inaugural  address  in  clear  and  impressive
tones,  and  in  an  ea.sy  and  eloquent  manner.  At
the  close  of  the  address  the  oath  of  office  was
administered  by  Chief-justice  Taney.  The  tone
of  his  inaugural  address  satisfied  the  people  that
in  the  administration  of  Van  Buren  there  would


INAUGURATION  OF  WASHINGTON       672       INCAS  OF  PERU,  KMPIRE  OF  THE


lie  no  change  in  policy  from  that  of  President
Jackson.
