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Date March 4, 1837; 180 years ago (1837-03-04) Location United States Capitol,
Washington, D.C. Participants President of the United States, Martin Van Buren
Assuming office
Chief Justice of the United States,
Roger B. Taney
Administering oath
Vice President of the United States
Richard Mentor Johnson
Assuming office | ||
The inauguration of Martin Van Buren as the eighth President of the United States took place on Saturday, March 4, 1837, in a ceremony held on the East Portico of the United States Capitol. U.S. Supreme Court Chief Justice Roger Taney administered the presidential oath of office. This inauguration marked the commencement of the only four-year term of Martin Van Buren as President and Richard Mentor Johnson as Vice President. It also marked the departure of a vital personality (Andrew Jackson) and the arrival of Number Two (Van Buren) in a new presidential dynasty. They rode together in a small phaeton (built from the wood of USS Constitution) drawn by four gray horses. This was the first time that the outgoing president and incoming president rode together to the Capitol.
The event proved less a celebration of the incoming president than a tribute to the outgoing one. Van Buren's inaugural address took wistful note of it:
In receiving from the people the sacred trust twice confided to my illustrious predecessor, and which he has discharged so faithfully and so well, I know that I can not expect to perform the arduous task with equal ability and success. But . . . I may hope that somewhat of the same cheering approbation will be found to attend upon my path.
With a single exception, the new administration retained Jackson's entire cabinet, and Van Buren pledged to "tread generally in the footsteps of President Jackson."