Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1893-03-02
CHARLOTTE NALL CELEBRATION.
AN ELOQUENT SPEECH.

Messrs. Editors :-Notwithstandin the
Indictment weather Of the 22nd instant an
appreciative and large audience assembled
In the Hall of the Academy in response to
the invitation ofthe Washington and Stone
wall Society, which celebrated the day with
appropriate public exercises. The hall
was tastefully decorated with bunting
and evergreens. The handsome banner
Of the Society, which bears a full
length portrait of Washington, above
which is the motto of the Association ::
"Palmam qui meruit ferat," occupied a
conspicuous position in front oft assem-
5lage. Many ex-members of the Society
Sat in the audience; the closest attention
was given 70 the exercises, which were Of
|, q patriotic and locally historical character.
The w. & 8 Society is the Oldest adjunct
of Charlotte Hall School. Graded almost
amid the storms of the Revolution, it has
grown and p1ospered until il has built for
itself
"Monumentum acre perennius,
Its records from 1908 10 the present time
have been jealousy and tenderly preserved.
Al the appointed hour the members of
the Society filed into the Hall and took
seats upon the stage. President ]. +. Coad
called the meeting to order, after which
Dr Petherbridge invoked the divine bles-
sing upon the proceedings. w. w. Ware,
Of Charles county, reci;ed Sir. VIM. Jones'
masterpiece, "What Constitutes q State"
The address of w. T. Mcpherson, of Charles
county, On "The Day we Celebrate" was
read. the speaker himself neing. ON account
Of Sickness. unable TO appear. The ques-
ton, Resolved, that national aid should be
given towards the improvement ofthe high
ways in each State" was then debated.
Messrs. E. Dsnenhower and E. ]. Croker
arguing for and Messrs. J. Fl. Teake and E.
y. Edwards against national aid. The
Judges, Messrs. j. Hancock, w. Keech and
jenkins, decided that the negative view
had the day. T. s. J. Smoot, of Charles
county, read Washington's Farewell Ad.
dress, followed by Major G. M. Thomas,
principal of the school, in q most instruc-
tive address, made more so by the person
ality of the speaker on the "W. & s. So
ciety." We suhjoin the address in full.
Hon. Joseph Fl. Key, the chosen orator Of
the occasion, was unable to be present.
TRE ADDRESS.
MR.. CHAIRMAN. LADIES AND GESTLEAEN:
I'm addressing you on the Washington and
Stonewall Society I feel well assured your
attention and sympathy. With me and no
doubt with many in this audience the sub
ject thrills the magic chord of memory
familiar faces of beloved school comrades
start unbidden from the shadowy past
and we see, as in dream. the bright ina
ges of those happy bygone days, "when
bounding boyhood knew no grief, but
chased the gorgeous butterfly and gam
boiled with the breeze that tossed about his
silken curls."
The subject is highly appropriate to the
occasion, as we shall see from the following
preamble to the Constitution, revised and
adopted in 1903.
1--WE, the members of the Washington
Society, fiom the veneratiOn we entertain OF
the illustriuus Washington, and endeavor-
ing to initiate his virtues and have them
recent in our memories, have unanimously
proposed and ordained that this Society be
called the Washingt Society"
While we, in common with the rest OF
mankind, pause today In admiration OF the
noble character and towering greatness OF
George Washington, while we feelas Amer
lean citizens patriotic pride and devotion
TO this majestic hero Of the Revolution, az
members of the Washington and Stonewall
Society we wish TO do him signal honor
and offer the tribute Of grateful hearts to
him whose name has been q beacon light
guiding Us over the dark waters OF nearly
hundred years.
Who can tell how much we owe to the
bright example thus adopteds Who can
tell how often his genius may have inter-
posed at q critical moment to preserve this
Society from wreck and ruinf And we
WOul0 DOW JUN buc noaC aS~oS'E ~~
, earnestly in doing honor TO his immortal
name.
In celebrating the birthday Of George
Washington, II is also eur privilege to eel
abrate the 96th anniversary Of the Wash
ington and Stonewall Society, founded 22d
February, 1877, almost amid the storms of
.he Revolution. I venture to assert that
there is not another literary Society in the
State of Maryland and few, If any, in the
United States, that can lay claim to the
proud boast of so long q career.
In these time stained volumes, so dear to
the antiquarian, do we find the record Of
her venerable past. Herein may we see,
n in q magic mirror. the early lives OF
many
Whose bodies lie beneath the sod,
Whose souls, We trust, are now with God
First of all, then, invite your attention 70
the design and character Of this organiza.
ton. In Article !, Constitution 1903. we
read as follows
As no Society can subsist without laws
We. the members of this Society, think II
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