In the light of his struggle and the opposition that attended it, his last public utterance is of deep interest. He spoke from the porch of his S Street home on Armistice Day of 1923. It was estimated that nearly ten thousand people had assembled in the street to do him honour. He paid tribute to the men who had fought, expressed his pride and pleasure at having been the commander-in-chief at that time, and concluded with the following words, which were spoken after he had turned to reënter his door: “There is one thing--one--I cannot refrain from saying it. I am not one of those that have the least anxiety about the triumph of the principles I have stood for. “I have seen fools resist Providence before, and I have seen their destruction, as will come upon these again--utter destruction and contempt. That we shall prevail is as sure as that God reigns.” The ratification of the Eighteenth and Nineteenth amendments, the Suffrage and Prohibition measures, and the Federal Child Labor Law, important measures long pending, were enacted in this administration. He died on February 3, 1924, and his tomb in the crypt of the great cathedral at St. Albans draws daily pilgrims. CHAPTER XVII THE ADMINISTRATION OF WARREN G. HARDING _March 4, 1921, to August 2, 1923_ Inauguration Day dawned clear and bright for Warren G. Harding, twenty-ninth President. His installation into office was marked by its simplicity. The Hardings went direct to the Willard Hotel upon their arrival in Washington. On the morning of March 4th, President-elect and Mrs. Harding, Vice President-elect and Mrs. Coolidge, and George B. Christian, Jr., with former Speaker Cannon, went to the White House. As the hour of the inaugural ceremonies drew near, President Wilson appeared leaning on the arm of Mr. Harding and took his seat in the machine that was to take him to the Capitol. Mrs. Wilson was accompanied by Dr. Grayson. She and Mrs. Harding rode together in a car following that of their husbands. Four troops of the Third Cavalry had been assigned to the duty as escort. This inauguration was not in any respect like previous celebrations; not a strain of music was heard until the party had passed the Peace Monument. There the Harding and Coolidge Band of Washington was playing. The only other music was by the Marine Band on the plaza in front of the reviewing stand. President Wilson spent a few minutes signing belated bills and then decided to take his departure, as he was taxing his strength. He was assisted to his machine, and with Mrs. Wilson, Admiral Grayson, and Mr. Tumulty, he left the scene of so much of his activity to receive a great ovation later at his own home.