The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1892-06-19

aRos OF destroying army Oh ihfhsiOh curing
1 the civil war After so long too. tho personal
"reminiscences, the neighborhood traditions,
fade or vanish. But. whatever persistent in
| dustry and uniagging zeal could have done
has been done by Mis- Rowland. From such
| of the letters and other manuscripts of George
Mason, published and unpublished. as still
| remain; from contemporary letters and news
| papers: from the journals and reports Of the
/ public bodies with which be was connected:
| from the estimates Of him by men of his own
and of later time: from these sources of infOr-
nation. and every other that seems 10 have
been accessible she has diligently sought to
! set him forth as be lived and moved Thus.
/ his personal appearance IS gathered from
letter of Miss Lewis, of fredericksburg who
with wOman's obseryant eye seized the
striking points. Writing Of the callers at
Mount Vernon on Christmas day. 1888. she
says: Among the most noted OF the callers
was Dir. George Mason. Of Gunston Hall, who
was on his way home from Alexandria. and
who brought a charming granddaughter with
him about fourteen years old. He - said 20
be one of the greatest statesmen and wisest
men in Virginia. We had heard much Of him
and were delighted to look in his face. hear
him speak. and take his hand. which he Of
fered IL a courtly manner. lie is straight ID
figure, but not tall and has grand head
and clear gray eyes. He has few white hairs
though they say he is about sixty wears old"
Miss Rowland has done well 10 Get before
her readers the antecedents and environment
of the man. Fourth in descent from a
cavalry officer in the army Of Charles III, and
with his nearer ancestors all men OF courage
and enterprise who faithfully held civil and
military posts in the earlier days of the,Colony,
he grew up amid the wholes ONE and stinu.
lating society OF the Northern Neck OF VIZ
GINA as il was during the earlier half OF the
eighteenth century. No portion Of the earth
of like size and density ofpopulation on which
ah L.a Il ttsffh IV
like time produced larger number of able
men in action and counsel. Their names.
their abodes. their mode OF life as grouped by
Miss Rowland. serve well 10 throw light upon
tbeisubject of the.memor.
MnsOn's education was conducted Mt his
own home and 10 hlsown neighborhood. Hedld
not, like many of the young men of Virginia Of
his time and class. go 10 the schools Of the
mother county 10 complete his studies. The
mastery of the art of clear and forcible ex-
preston. in uniting which shows itself IN all
his papers. the minute acquaintance with sys-
TENS of government which enabled him 80
forge the Constitution. which was the first
type aud the model for the constitutions o.
the free States of America-all Of this was
the fruit OF the studies which he carried 90
in the quiet Of his library amid the usual 90.
equations of planter on a large scale.
His first prominent appearance IN public
life WAS in connection with the resolutions OF
the citizens of Fairfax county. when in pre-
paratiOn for the Revolution. they put the
county in a state of military defence with
Colonel George Washington as their captain.
1henceforward he was a leader IN the move
ment TO resist the assaults of the British min
istry upon the rights Of America, and 20 es-
tablish the new order Of things which became
necessary in consequence of the separation
from the mother country. In assertion of the
rights of the Colonies he prepared the famous
Declaration Of Rights of Virginia. andi Ia pur-
suauce Of the project for new form OF gov
eminent he mainly formed the Constitution
Of Virginia the earliest Of its kind The De-
claration Is almost every word his own pro-
duction. and it has long been acknowledged
to be one of the best statements OF the rights
of freemen that has ever been made.
One thing deserves remark IN connection
with this vindication of popular rights, and IL
applies alike TO George Mason and TO Richard
Henry Lee, who throughout the period OF
the Revolution aud the establishment OF tho
Constitution was his closest friend and fell
lOw-laborer. They both belonged 10 the arts
tocratic class, and they were both strongly
attached to the Established Church. Yet, OF
all the men of the time none were more ar
dent and resolute than they in standing for
the rights Of the people-the plain people
against all class privileges. and IN refusing 20
the Church of their love any exclusive rights
or benefits A free church in free State"
was the idea that guided their course
The portion OF the life OF George Mason
which is of the deepest present interest IL
that which relates TO his part in the formation
OF tho Federal Constitution. and the proceed
ings touching its acceptance by Virginia
His influence was potent in all the discus-
sions at the convention IN Philadelphia, and
was effective in securing notifications which
greatly TO its favorable reception
by the States and TO what has been beneficent
in Its subsequent working Ii was grief
and disappointment TO him that at the last.
hot aall a ~ tlr4
visions which he deemed dangerous were per-
mitted 10 become vital parts Of the instrn-
ment He refused TO sign the paper IN It's
final shape and returned home 10 oppose It's
by Virginia.
As so often before. Mason and Richard
Henry Lee We're OF one mind IN their views 0t
the new Constitution. aud in the contest in
tho convention George Mason and Patrick
Henry were the great protagonists against the
ratification. The wise criticism or the do
fects OF the instrument which IL eyinced 10
all their speeches might have been expected
from their past career But the forecast
which they made OF the results which might
be expected IN the actual operation OF the
ConsttutiOnashow in addition, marvellous
political sagacity. The Constitution MAS rati-
fed by Virginia in spite # their OppOsl-
ton by narrow majority. but their con-
consent TO ratification carried with IL recon-
Inendations OF certain amendments on tho
lines suggested by Mason and Henry. and
which, at the instance of Richard Henry
Lee and William Grayson. the first Federal
senators from Virginia, were, IN due course.
made pnrt Of tho instrument es the first ten
Mason might have been IA
senator II he had wished. but bis health and
his love of home. as In the Of other
hon0rs offered % him. induced him % de-
cline. Whatever feeling Mason may have
had on the subject Of the Constitution ba
did not allow il to interfere with his attach
ment 10 the lifelong friends, such as Wash
ingtOn, who thought otherwise than be, nor
TO keep him from being the sincere we'll
wisher Of the new government. There was
no pettiness about him.
Indeed one of the strongest impressions
which the reader derives from the reading Of
these volumes Is that George Mason was un-
man of the grand type. His
familiar letters show him 20 have been Of an
afectionate and logable nature. simple. unal-
fected and free from consciousness or
disposition to pose, and 10 these attractive
qualities no added a sturdy integrity and
sense OF justice and very uncommon mental
power and force OF will.
No better single illustration Of his character
can be furnished than is contained ia an OK
tract from his will. written IN 1873. when tho
mOmentous conflict with tho mother country
was impending. the issues Of which with the
10 the lives and fortunes Of tho
colonists were in the highest degree uncer-
tain. II is a. follows;