Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1893-08-10
VIRGINIA DAY AT CHICAGO.

friends, gathered in Music Hall at the
Chicago fair yesterday afternoon, and
for nearly three hours listened to pre-
sentation of facts from the great history
of the old commonwealth and the in
fluence of the work of her illustrious
sons in the creation of the American re
public and in its history. The occasion
was the celebration of Virginia Day,
the date selected being the oath ami
versary of the first meeting OF the
House of Burgesses, and which senator
Daniel said was the foundation OF the
first American State and the govern
ment by the people. The enthusiasm
of the audience was especially aroused
when the band played Dixie ana
when the orator of the occasion referred
in glowing terms to Gen. Robert +;
Lee. and compared him to drop OF
altar of roses to produce which thous-
and roses must be crushed, but which
spreads its fragrance throughout the
house.
The exercises were opened with mu-
sic. An Introductory address was de-
livered by Col. A. S. Buford, president
of the State Board.
Gen. Fitzhugh Lee then delivered an
address of welcome He said: ITO
dav sixty-fve million citizens of
mighty American republic are keeping
step to the melody of the march of civil
and religious liberty, whose first notes
were sounded beneath the sky that
beams over the destiny of the Old Do
minion, And when in her pride and
glory the United States exultantly
flashed around the earth's electric cir
Gle an invitation to all nations to come
to this great city, and brought the mar
yelous growth of her institutions, the
great civilizations of her society and
the amazing resources of her States,
Virginia, the oldest in the sisterhood,
clasps the hands of her guests in this
browning hour, stands forth in all the
glory of true statehood, and with soul
within her climbing to the topmost
round of the ladder of pride, proclaims
to the world: 4 gave the hand which,
with bright blade, rolled the battle
down the mountain and inscribed VIC
tory on the folds of your starry flag"
Rev. Beverly D. Tucker delivered an
ode to Virginia of his own writing.
After Coates's Columbian national
potpourri Senator Daniel was intro
duced as the orator of the day, being
received with great cheering. The
Senator's eulogy of General Washing,
ton was strikingly impressive. All
people, he said, were familiar with the
man who made this country free, and
all honored his name. Foremost man
in the English-speaking race" he con-
tinued, land foremost man in deed OF
all the world was he who once dwelt in
yon plain planters mansion. There he
lived and there he died, and before its
doors is spread to-day the grandest
spectacle of the worlds arts and sci
ences that ever met the gaze of mortal.
Ask now the multitude what of all they
contemplate or realize do you value
most, and none would be perplexed for
answer. From the myriad of tongues
would spring the one word, Liberty. "
Liberty to go and come; liberty to
work, and have liberty to be untaxed
save by self; liberty of home, that none
unbid may cross its threshold; liberty
of thought, speech and conscience; lib
erty of country, that no foreign foe may
dominate OF asSail it, OF these things
which you value most, who can esti-
mate the debt due to Virginia, the
mother, and to Washington, the son?
Who shall say that he who adds con-
tinent to mans possession renders
greater service than he who leads him
to the uplands of hope, and faith, and
Justice, and liberty, and independence.
1t was for Leon and CASTLE that Column
bus won new world. Americans, a
name that never sounded on the dis
coverer's ears, conquered the land,
achieved its independence and fashion
ed its institutions. There are no more
continents to discover, but there are
new worlds of thought to conquer, and
we look forward also and hail Wash
ington, the leader of States yet to be
planted, of institutions yet to be mould
ed, of triumphs for right and justice yet
TO be sounded down "the ringing
groves of change 1t is his State
which, on the day two hundred and
forty-seven years ago, planted the first
seed on the shore of the Atlantic that
here glories in the emblems of national
greatness. The richest State of the re-
public towards the sunset which came
with the latest into the Union bears
the name of Washington; and the old
est that planted under the sunrise Of
our growing race greets this fair scion
and all her sisters in the hope and in
the faith that this shall be Gods chosen
people.
The exercises concluded with fan
tasia on ''My Old Kentucky Home"
and Garry Me Back to Old Virginia"
A number of the National Commits
sioners attended the celebration. The
hall, though not very large, was filled
on the ground floor, and there was also
a good number of auditors in the gal
lery.
All the morning there was an i'm
mense crowd of Virginians and their
descendants in and around the Mount
Vernon building. They came from all
sections of the State.
The reception at the Mount Vernon
House from to s o'clock in the even
ing was one of the social events of the
fair, The invitation was to Virginians,
descendants of Firginians and some
special guests, but all seemed to have
swooped down upon the Washington
abode, and, as consequence, there
was q great pressure, but everybody
was in good humor, and the way sand
!