Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-05-19
HEREDITARY PATRIOTS.
The Sons Of the Re volution Celebrate an An
niversary Tomorrow.


Tomorrow afternoon is appointed for the ex-
cursion Of the District of Columbia Society,
Sons OF the Revolution, to Mt. Vernon, in cele-
bration Of the anniversary Of the uniicatIon of
the colonies. May 20, IT'S. Among the guests
OF the society will be many Of Washington's
prominent citizens, a considerable number of
the higher officers of the army and navy and
the members Of the French legation. The last
named will be the only diplomats invited. At
p. m. the start will be made from the foot of
9TH street. and lunch will be served on board
to an accompaniment by the Marine Band.
Upon arriving at Mount Vernon the society
and its guests will march in a body to the tomb
| OF George Washington, where the chaplain of
/ the society, the Rev. DR.. Douglas Of st. Johns
Church. will officiate in prayer. From this
hallowed spot the assembled company will pro-
coed to the historic mansion. After n brief in
spection of its interior attention will be given
| to a brief address delivered from the porch by
ex-Gov. Carroll. president of the society," in
| Producing Justice Brewer of the Supreme
| Court as the orator of the day. Other speeches
will follow Justice Brewers. At the start re-
ception will be given to the French diplomats
by President Carroll and the full band.
The occasion which this excursion is intended
TO celebrate should possess a keen interest for
all Americans. On the 10th day of May, A775,
the first Congress of the colonies was called to-
gether at Philadelphia Delegates were present
from New Hampshire, Massac husetts, Connecti-
cut, New York. New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Della
ware. Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina and
South Carolina The meeting took place at the
old state house in the Quaker city, and Peyton
Randolph was president. New Hampshire was
particularly active in urging the necessity OF
adopting measures of mutual protection, and
largely from her suggestion emanated the
ARTICLES of Confederation and Perpetual
Union determined upon. On May 70 these
articles were substantially agreed to, and on
the 2lst day of July they were presented by
benjamin Franklin in the shape in which they
were subsequently adopted. They prescribed
that 1.-The name of this confederacy shall hence
forth be the United Colonies of North America"
and by them it was declared that the colonies
entered into a firm league of friendship with
each other, binding upon ourselves and upon
our posterity, for our common defense against
our enemies. for the security of our liberties
and properties, for the safety of our persons and
families and for our mutual and general well
fare
This was the first formal act by which the
colonies presented a united civil government
III opposition to the mother country. In point
OF fact these articles may be considered to
have been the skeleton on which were built
the subsequent articles of confederation and
later Oh the Constitution of the United States.
The Society of the Sons of the Revolution
claims to be the original organization of its
kind In this country. Its branch in the District
of Columbia was established in 1889. Lieut.. I.
b. NJ. Mason being the founder. The first presi-
dent of the society in the District was ex-GOv.
John Lee Carroll, great grandson of Carroll OF
Carroliton, who holds the Office now. In the
spring of 1880 the society. which had pre-
ylously been independent, effected union with
the other societies of the Sons of the Revolu-
ton In New York, Pennsylvania and other
states Gov. Carroll is at present president of
the national society