 Thomas Jefferson (1805 portrait byRembrandt Peale) | |
| Date | March 4, 1805; 220 years ago (1805-03-04) |
|---|---|
| Location | United States Capitol, Washington, D.C. |
| Participants | Thomas Jefferson 3rd president of the United States — Assuming office George Clinton 4th vice president of the United States — Assuming office John Marshall Chief Justice of the United States — Administering oaths |
Thesecond inauguration of Thomas Jefferson aspresident of the United States took place on Monday, March 4, 1805 in theSenate Chamber of theUnited States Capitol. Theinauguration marked the commencement of the second four-year term ofThomas Jefferson as president and the first four-year term ofGeorge Clinton asvice president. Giving theoath of office wasChief JusticeJohn Marshall.
Unlike the contentiouselection of 1800, in which Jefferson narrowly defeated strong opposition fromFederalists and a bipartisan conspiracy to replace him with his own running mate and campaign manager,Aaron Burr, with theHouse of Representatives determining the winner, the1804 election was far less dramatic. The Federalists, severely weakened, struggled to muster serious opposition and to select a candidate. They settled onCharles Cotesworth Pinckney of South Carolina. Due to several years of tension and mutual dislike between Jefferson and Burr, Burr was dropped from the Democratic-Republican ticket and replaced with George Clinton.[1] Jefferson won the election in a landslide.
Jefferson rode to the Capitol on horseback on March 4, 1805, but much of Congress had already left after the body had adjourned following Burr's farewell address before the Senate a couple of days earlier. Thus, the inaugural ceremony was modest and appeared anticlimactic. The president spoke softly and quietly, as he was known for, and provided copies of his inaugural address.[2] Jefferson wore a black suit and silk stockings for the inauguration.[3] In the speech, he addressed the recentacquisition of Louisiana, the Federalists' diminishing influence, and the need for freedom of the press, though he also criticized recent press attacks against him.
