The Weston Democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1875-current, 1876-05-01
THE CONTINENTAL CONGRESS.
Its First NIeetIng In PhIladelphin.-Thc &c.
lection of George Washington On Com
mnutrr-In- Chief OF tho Army.

lection OF George Washington On Com
mnuder-In-Chief OF tho Army.
In September, 1774, tho delegates
from eleven provinces assembled in
Carpenters hall, tho State house being
occupied by tho Assembly. The vener-
able Peyton Randolph was chosen presi-
dent, and the man OF truth, Charles
Thompson, secretary. There WIS much
hesitation as to whether the Congress
should bo opened with prayer or what
form Of prayer would suit Quakers,
Churchmen, and Presbyterians. Mr..
Duche was finally chosen to open the
session, and, in full canonicals, read tho
usual petitions and the thirty-flftll
Psalm. The news OF the cannonado OF
Boston bad Just reached the Assembly.
at seemed" writes John Adams, in n
letter to his wife dated September IS,
1774, "as if Heaven had ordained that
psalm to be read on that morning"
When its sublime invocation Of Gods
help in extremity had been read, Mr..
Duche broke into an extemporaneous
prayer, which brought tears into the
eyes OF every man present, and made
them one by an electric sympathy.
Charles Thompson afterward related
that profound silence ensued after the
prayer, so deep was the sense OF respon.
sibDity upon each man present.
The members OF the Congress were
entertained by the gentlemen Of the city
at grand banquet in the State house,
OF innumerable stately feasts at private
houses, and finally by the Assembly in
public dinner, where the first toast was
the king, and the next Mr.. Hancock.
John Hancock comes ea,ly to the front
as n most noticeable figure against the
background of this blurred and con.
fused time, not only from tho steadiness
OF Eie loyalty when so many paused If.
resoluto, but from o certain dramatic in.
stinct in the man which lifted him to
the height of every occasion as on
pedestal.
Young Colonel Washington, from
Virginia, also delegate to the First
Congress, was totally lacking in any up.
prehension of stage effect. 1t was
wholly owing to the simplicity and sad
sobriety OF his manner that he made Gn
an artists view so magnificent figure
head for the new republic. His steady,
slow habit OF motion, his Northumberland
grave, unsmiling reserve, belonged, his
contemporaries toll u.s.. to his previous
Life in the backwoods as surveyor and
soldier. The pretty young girls Of
Philadelphia complained that tho Vir-
ginian colonel listened to their lively
sallios without smile but the simple,
sorrOwiul gravity appears to us to belt
the leader OF n revolution which was as
yet bloody experiment better than
conrtly grimaces and fluent smile.
A writer gives IN incident OF the day
(Juno Is, 1879 upon which Colonel
Washington was elected by Congress to
tho command Of tho army. DR.. Rush,
Benjamin franklin, John Adams, John
LAngdon, and Thomas Jefferson gave
dinner TO him that evening in an inn Of
fashionable resort somewhere upon the
Gray's Ferry road. After dinner was
over Jefferson rose, and, with few sig
nifcaut words, proposed tho health OF
George Washington, Commander-in-
chief OF the American armies" Wash.
ington had bowed and opened his lips to
make the customary courteous reply,
but as his new title was given to him for
the first time, he lost color, n solemn awe
cropt into his face. "At that moment
he suddenly realized, as We did," says
Dr.. Rush, "the awful responsibility Of
our undertaking, and all tho insuperable
difficulties which lay before us. The
shock was great. Tho guests had all
risen and held their glasses to their lips
ready to drink. Each one slowly re-
placed his glass without touching a drop,
and thoughtfully sat down. For some
the solemn silence was un.
broken" 1t was, OF n surety, time
for prayer rather than the drinking Of
toasts.- Harpcr's Magazine.