bwaugh
In this year of the 250th anniversary of the United States it is good to remember the jubilee anniversary celebrated two-hundred years ago in 1826. A committee, headed by the mayor of what was at the time called Washington City, R. C. Weightman, was appointed to plan a celebration in the national capital and the schedule for it is provided in this post as transcribed from the Washington newspaper, The National Daily Intelligencer, Monday, July 3, 1826. The announcement was also published in local newspapers around the nation. Some cities and groups planned celebrations of their own. It was an important commemoration because what the Founding Fathers had described as “The Great American Experiment” had proven itself and the nation had a promising future.
Notice that the opening paragraph of the announcement is a quote attributed to “Holy Writ” with all the text coming from Leviticus 25, however the text in the paragraph is incomplete and omissions were not noted with elision marks. The quote within its proper context is provided as follows with insertions in brackets and missing text in italics. Verse references are added in parentheses.
“Then shalt thou cause the trumpet of the jubilee to sound on the tenth day of the seventh month, in the day of atonement shall ye make the trumpet sound throughout all your land (25:9). And ye shall hallow the fiftieth year, and proclaim LIBERTY [liberty] throughout all the land unto all the inhabitants thereof: it shall be a jubilee unto you; and ye shall return every man unto his possession, and ye shall return every man unto his family (25:10). [insert verses 11-16 here which further define the jubilee, its grace, God’s mercy shown in it, and its holiness] Ye shall not therefore oppress one another; but thou shalt fear thy God; for I am the Lord your God (25:17)—and the land shall yield her fruit, and ye shall eat your fill, and dwell therein in safety (25:19).”
The jubilee in Leviticus occurred in the fiftieth year after seven Sabbath years, seven times seven yielding forty-nine years. On the Day of Atonement, the High Priest under the Old Covenant entered the Holy of Holies and made sacrifice, a sacrifice that was merely a shadow of the true atonement that was to come. It was the highest of holy days as it looked forward to the seed of the woman, Christ, who would crush the head of Satan and atone for the sins of his people. Liberty from cancelled debts, freedom from bondage, and restored land had temporal benefits under the Old Covenant, but these physical blessings anticipated the spiritual liberty achieved by Christ that frees individuals from sin and death. Moses was making a theological statement for the Covenant people in Leviticus.
The great semi-centennial celebration was accomplished but due to another event its importance was overshadowed. One of the most remarkable events in American history occurred July 4, 1826 when both John Adams, the Federalist, and Thomas Jefferson, the Republican, died. Adams’s vision for strong centralized government and Jefferson’s promotion of localized government by the states to limit centralized power caused them to clash. The two had been vocal opponents promoting their visions for what the United States should become, but in later years they were reconciled and enjoyed friendly correspondence thanks to mediation by fellow Founding Father, Benjamin Rush. The deaths of Jefferson and Adams symbolically marked the end of the era of the Founding Fathers.
Notice in the transcription that President’s House or Executive Mansion were the terms most often used to describe what is currently called the White House. Theodore Roosevelt made The White House the official letterhead designation for his presidential home in 1901.
Barry Waugh
Notes–The header of a postcard showing Independence Hall, circa 1915, and the portrait of John Quincy Adams are from the New York Public Library Digital Collection.
THE JUBILEE.
“Then shalt thou cause the trumpet of the jubilee to sound throughout all your land. And ye shall hallow the fiftieth year, and proclaim LIBERTY throughout all the land to all the inhabitants thereof. Ye shall not therefore oppress one another; but thou shalt fear thy God—and the land shall yield her fruit, and ye shall eat your fill, and dwell therein in safety.”-Holy Writ.
The Committee appointed by the citizens of Washington to make arrangements for celebrating the 50th Anniversary of American Independence, have the honor most respectfully to invite the President of the United States [John Q. Adams], the Vice President [John C. Calhoun], Heads of Departments, Foreign Ministers, Officers, and Agents, the Civil, Military, and Naval Officers of the United States and of the District, the Clergy and Inhabitants generally of Washington and its neighborhood, Strangers, and the Volunteer Companies, to participate in the ceremonies of the day, according to the following plan:
First, A National Salute will be fired at sunrise, at noon, and at sunset, at the Navy Yard, the Arsenal, on the square North of the President’s House, and on the Hill North of the Capitol.
Second, The Volunteer Companies of the First Brigade will assemble in the square North of the President’s House, at 8 o’clock. As those Companies purpose to pay their respects to the President in military form, a signal gun will announce their movement to perform that duty.
Third, The Heads of Departments, those Foreign Ministers, Officers, and Agents, to whom it may be agreeable to join in the procession, the Civil, Military, and Nava 1 Officers of the United States, and of the District, the Clergy, Citizens, and Strangers, will assemble at the same place before 9 o’clock.
Fourth, At 9 o’clock precisely, the procession will be formed, and will move towards the Capitol in the following order:
Trumpeters.
Captain Andrews’ troop of Calvary.
Marine Corps.
Band of Music.
A Detachment of Infantry.
The Mayor, as Chairman of the Committee.
The Orator and Reader,
[Supported on each side by a member of the Committee.]
The two Chaplains.
Two members of the Committee.
Standard of the United States,
Borne by General Stewart and supported by Com. Bainbridge and Gen. Jesup.
The President of the United States,
[Supported on each side by a member of the Committee.
The Vice President,
[Supported on each side by a member of the Committee.]
Heads of Departments.
Foreign Ministers, Officers, and Agents.
Civil, Military, and Naval Officers of the United States and District.
Clergy.
Citizens and Strangers.
Volunteer Companies.
Fifth, The procession will enter the Capital Square at the North Gate; as soon as it halts, those who are in carriages or on horseback will alight, and proceed in the same order on foot to the entrance of the Representatives’ Hall.
Sixth, As the procession enters the Hall, a National March will be played by the Band of the Marine Corps—other airs will be played until the performances of the day are commenced. The Order will be as follows:
A Prayer by the Rev. Mr. Ryland [Chaplain of the Senate, Methodist].
Music.
The Declaration of Independence, read by Judge Joseph Anderson [veteran Revolutionary War].
Music.
An Oration by Walter Jones, Esq.
Music.
Prayer by the Rev. Mr. Post [Chaplain of the House, Presbyterian].
Music.
Seventh, After the ceremonies at the Capitol are closed, the Procession will return in the same order to the North front of the President’s House, to pay their respects to the Chief Magistrate of the nation, and will then separate.
Eighth, The doors of the Representatives’ Hall and of the Western Gallery will be opened at 9 o’clock. At that hour, citizens and strangers will have free admission to the Western Gallery, by the entrance on the South side of the Capitol. The Eastern Gallery will be reserved exclusively for the Military part of the procession. The interior spiral staircase will be for the use of the Band. Places will be reserved for those Foreign Ministers, Officers, and Agents, to whom it may be agreeable to attend. Ladies will also be admitted to the Hall at any time after 9 o’clock—Gentlemen cannot be admitted until the procession has entered the Hall. Two members of the Committee will attend from 9 o’clock, to receive the company.
Ninth, Major Randolph is appointed Marshal of the day, who, with his assistants, will have charge of forming the procession, and conducting it to and from the Capitol.
Tenth, Rockets and fire works will be exhibited at half past 8 o’clock in the evening, on the square South of the President’s House, and on the Point at the junction of the Tiber and Potomac.
The members of the Committee will be designated by a blue ribbon in the buttonhole; the Marshals of the day by a blue sash.
C. WEIGHTMAN, Chairman.
Watkins, Secretary.
