Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-01-23
CHANGES IN THE CALENDAR.
The Slow Progress Made in Their Popular
Adoption.


Prof. Gerber recently in his learned and en-
Pertaining lecture at the Columbian University
before the convention of the Modern Lam
guage Association Of America, traced the "Uncle
Remus" stories back to Africa through the me-
dunn Of negro nurses at the south There is
another strong tradition that still holds its own
among the negroes. They insist that January 5.
the old Christmas. is the real Christmas, and
they taught their young charges In the nursery
that the present tangible proof of this was
that the cattle all got down on their knees that
night This fallacy, however. does not go
back to Africa. 1t is in fact lingering
trace of the strong opposition to the change
OF the calendar, and the change made
from the old to the new style in
1852. When Pope Gregorius put out the new
calender nine days had TO be omitted in order
to make the civil year correspond with the
solar year. recent reminder of this is the
correction made in the date celebrated as the
anniversary Of the discovery of America. The
English did not adopt the Gregorian calendar
until about 200 years after its PRONUNCIATION.
So they had to drop out two days more
Russia, which sticks to the Julian calendar. is
now twelve days behind in her computation Of
time. In 1852 the English parliament
dropped out eleven days and the civil year
was made to begin January /, instead
OF March rs. The communists Of that day
pretended that this change in the calendar was
an attempt on the part of the rich and learned
to cheat the poor and ignorant out Of eleven
days. 1t was a long time. however. before even
educated people became accustomed to the
change. In a letter from VIM. Hooper, a
signer Of the Declaration Of Independence, to
James Iredell, governor Of North Carolina.
dated February IL, l7s4. Mr.. Hooper speaks Of
having celebrated Gen George Washington's
birthday on the 18th. The present generation
thinks Of Washington's birthday as 22d. 1t was,
according to the old style, 18th.
THE MEcHLESBURG DECLARATION.
There was a Declaration OF Independece,
Charlotte, n. c., of which The STAR has copy,
which was written and signed according to the
Julian calendar May 20. IT'S. By the GRECO
rian calendar it was May 81, IT'S. This con-
fict of dates has caused later day critics to
pretend to doubt the authenticity Of the North
Carolina Declaration OF Independence. But a
number of the descendants of the signers of
the declaration live in Washington, and they
have what is regarded as undoub.ed proofs Of
the genuineness of the document One of
these Is Robert A. Graham, esq.,, q son of the
North Carolin. Secretary of the Navy and
candidate for the vice presidency.
Other descendants of these signers are Mr.
A. E. Stevenson, Vice President-elect; Mr.. s.
b. Alexander. Congressman from the Charlotte
district; Admiral Thornton, Alexander jenkins,
U. s. N; Congressman Davidson of Florida and
Alabama, &c. These and others preserve with
especial care the story of the courage and indie
pendence of their ancestors. who anticipated
the declaration written by Thomas jefferson by
more than thirty days.