Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-11-25
OPPOSED THE STAMP ACT.
Frederick City Celebrates the Brave
Act of Its Citizens.

Correspondence OF The Evening Star.
FREDERICK, Md. November "a, 1893.
The first celebration of the first act of
reputation of the British stamp act by
the Frederick court was celebrated here
on Thursday although the event occurred
Us years ago. 1t was only recently that
the historical fact was brought to light
that the twelve justices of Frederick county
assembled together on the I'D of November,
1865, passed an order which virtually set at
defiance the act passed by the British par
lament, and ordered to So into effect on the
LIST OF November that year. The moment
news of the passage of the act reached
these shores the colonists rose in their
Indignation and denounced it as unjust and
unconstitutional. They did not so much resist
because OF the amount of the tax, but the
principle and policy involved. that of the
home government imposing tax on its
dependencies without their consent and &C
QCiescence, was more than they could
stand The stamp distributors appointed in
a number of the colonies were hung in eff
gy and openly denounced, and at Annapolis,
in this state, Zachariah Hood. who was the
Maryland distributor, was run out of the
town and his house torn down. But the
resistance came entirely from the common
people UP to the time of the action of the
Frederick court. The holiness, the bravery,
the valor of their deed was thought by the
Frederick Chapter OF the daughters of the
Revolution, of which Mrs. John Richie is
regent. to be worthy of commemoration as
"a lesson in patriotism. In consequence of
which Thursdays celebration was neld,
and proved 10 be distinguished success in
every way. The people of the community
entered into the spirit of the thing, and
even in the adjoining county OF Carroll,
which was once part of Frederick. at
tention was paid to the day, appropriate ex-
ercises being held in the schools and flags
displayed on all the school houses Many
flags likewise futtered in the breeze in
Frederick, and at noon the bell on the
court house rang out with a hearty good
WILL which was signal for all the other
bells, and they chimed in the glad refrain.
Suddenly, dozens OF steam whistles il all
parts of the city opened their throtties and
added their wild Screeches and 'hoarse
roaringS to the general pandemonlum. This
lasted Iuily fifteen minutes, and served to
call attention pretty generally to the char
acter of the day and the event that was be-
nag celebrated. The principal feature OF the
day, however, was a meeting at the City
Opera House, which had been arranged by
the Daughters of the Revolution and their
friends with great care. The hall was
L6autltuliy decorated the stage especially
presenting a handsome appearance, and a
novel one, too, because of the colonial char
actcr Of it's adornments. There was a pic
ture of Washington by Robert Peaie, "a fes-
toon of wreaths, each crrcling the name
of one of the twelve brave justices of the
old Frederick court, a large coat-of-arms
of the state, number of portraits of local
revolutionary leaders, several old chairs
that belonged in famous colonial house
holds, a spinning wheel that indicated the
industry of the danes of old. and on the
speakers table a water pitcher that had be-
longed~to Capt. Geo. Cook of the ship DE
Tense during the revolution. Flags. bunt-
ing and flowers were also lastly arranged
on and about the stage. All the members
of the Frederick Chapter, ID. A. r. and
their guests occupied seats reserved for
them in the body of the hall, and they, the
committees and participants in the pro-
grams wore neat badges of blue and white
ribbons, the colors of the chapter The
meeting was presided over by VIM. P.
Maulsby, jr.. OF the Frederick bar, and the
audience that crowded the hall numbered
about 1,5OO people. The Philharmonic Or
chestra of Frederick played several COM
positions, and also the Accomplishments to
1.-The Star Spangled Banner" MY Country,
TITS Of Thee" and "Old Hundred" which
were sung by a trained choir of males and
females, in charge of Professor Geo. Ed.
Smith. The speakers of the evening were
Gen. Bradley L. johnson of Baltimore
Hon. Frederick ]. Nelson of Frederick and
the Maryland Society, Sons of the Revolu-
ton. The latter society was also repre-
sented among the guests by Mr.. w. Ridgely
Griffith, its vice president. and A. c. Ken
ley OF its board of managers, both of Bal
timore. Among the other guests present
were Mrs. A. Leo Knott of Baltimore, re-
gent>of the Maryland Chapter. d. A. r.,
and AIRS. NJ. NJ. McKaig of Cumberland,
regent of the Cumberland chapter. The
miscellaneous features of the program Were
the reading of poems written for the &C.
casion by DIR. Chas. ". Hoffman formerly
librarian of Congress-, and DR.. Edward Mel
son of Frederick, the pres tation of a ga
vel to the chapter, and the reading of a
number of letters from prominent people
regretting that they could not be present
Among those who sent letters were the fol.
! lowing Westinghouse: Justice and Mrs
Shiras, Mr.. and Mrs. Justice Field, Justice
and Mrs. Brewer. Judge Strong, Mr.. and
Mrs. Jackson, Mrs. Ogden Doremus. After
the meeting, the Daughters of the Revolu
ton and their guests were handsomely en-
tertained by DIR. Hoffman at his home or
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