Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-05-10
Mary wnshfnrton,. Hou.e

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Mary WashinEtOn's House.
pious hands should rear the first monument
on the earth erected by women to a woman,
| ana hitting, too, that IL should bear the
name of Mary. the mother of Washington.
This stone represents two ideals-womanly
| excellence and patriotic duty. They are
inseparable. Love for the mother is the
first. as 1t Is the most constant and sacred
| emoson of our being. Affection spreads to
the family. clan, tribe. or people to which
we belong. and then twines around in
| animate objects, attracted to them by the
| magnetism Of association. 1t fastens to
birthplace. living place, to home to mother
| land. to fatherland, country This is the
genesis and evolution of patriotism.
But love OF country Is only figure of
speech. We cannot love the insensate
earth, which can give back no responsive
| speech or glance of sympathy. Love must
go from and to the living. Our country
| men are our country. The nation is the
aggregate. the homes are the units Man
is the builder, woman is the Inspiration
DISCUSS constitutions administra tons, and
policies as We may, the outcome must de-
pend upon the subsoil they spring from.
A HOme-Secking Race.
Make the home all right and the rest
will follow. This is womans mission Our
race, the youngest that has framed
language. nodded a constitution and made
name, has recognized that mission and
held 1t sacI ed. Other races roam the earth
for pelf and adventure. and condescend to
inferior connections. Our race roams the
earth only to find the spot on which to
build its homes.
You have reared this beautiful obelisk
to one who was the light of the dwelling"
In q plain rural colonial home Her his
tory hovers around II. She was wife.
mother and widow. She nursed a hero at
her breast At her knee she trained to
the love and fear of God and to the kinEly
virtues, honor, truth and valor, the lion
of the tribe that gave to America liberty
and independence This Is her title to re-
nown. 1t Is enough.
Eternal dignity and heavenly grace dwell
upon the brow OF this blessed mother; nor
FURNISHED gold nor sculptured stone nor
rhythmic praise could add one jot or little
to her chaste glory. She was simply a pri-
vate citizen. No sovereign's crown rested
on her brow. She did not lead an army
like Joan Of Arc, or slay a tyrant like
Charlotte Corday. She was not versed in
letters or in arts She was not an angel of
consort Of q hero. like the mother OF Ma
poieon. But Tor the light that streamed
from the deeds of him she bore we would
doubtless have never heard the name Of
Mary Washington, and the grass that grew
upon this grave had not been disturbed
by curious footsteps reverential hands
A Type of Her Sex.
But 1t does not follow that she shines
only In the reflection of her ofrsprinR's
fame. Her virtues were not created; they
were only discovered by the marvellous ca
reer Of her illustrious son. This memorial
might. indeed. be due to her because of
who she was, but 1t is far more due to her
because of what she was. 1t is in her own
right and as the type Of her sex. her people
and her race that she deserves this tribute
stone.
There were ten thousand Mary Washing
tons
and honoring her we honor the motherhood
OF heroic days and heroic men. 1t was I'm
his character. all sufficient in every emer-
gency, that was displayed the overtower-
ing greatness of George Washington, and
1t is not doubted that this character was
toned and shaped by his mothers hand.
The principles which he applied to a ma
ton were those simple and elementary
truths which she first imprinted upon his
mind In the discipline Of home.
Mary Warrington In History.
Senator Daniel reviewed eloquently the
facts Of history concerning the mother Of
Washington which are known, and discuss
ed the spirit Of the times in which George
Washington was reared. Then he said:
For many years this grave remained
unmarked. But that this monument has
been slow to rise Is no proof that Mary
washington was unappreciated or forgot
ten. hundred years after the death Of
Dante the people of Florence. where he was
born, begged his body from Revenna, where
he died. Eighteen hundred years after Ar
menus. In the Black forest. beat back the
legions of Varus the people Of a great en-
pire reared a monument to him. That this
monument Is reared now is better proof Of
appreciation than II 1t had been under the
momentary impulse of some transient feel
ing. Time Is the great test, and the hoary
years today set their seal on her glory
while the teeming generations of which she
did not dream rise up to call her blessed.
One circumstance and another has led to
the delay.
The Monument Movement.
TN 1888 the Hon. Silas E. Burroughs of
Buffalo. N. Y, an opulent citizen, offered
to erect a monument at his private expense
The cornerstone thereof was laid with i'm
posing ceremonies by the President of the
United States. Gen. Andrew Jackson on
the 9TH day Of May, 1898, In the presence
Of mighty concourse Of people and many
distinguished guests. Reverses cut short
Mr.. Burroughs plan, and going to a dis
tant land to repair his fortunes, he ever
bore in mind the desire to complete the
work, of which, alas. his death forbade
the consummation by his hands Generous
patriot. let him not be forgotten, The half
finished monument fell into decay. Mean
time more than three score years have roll
ed by. Vast changes have taken place, and
in the convulsions of civil strife armies
found their battlefields among these old
time graves and in the blood OF the living
were soaked the ceremonies of the dead
But ideas never die. Holy thoughts
struggle ever for fruition. Peace ever lifts
her face up through the smoke of conflict
Patriotic hands essay again in the brok en-
tasks which have fallen from those of pas
sion and loving hearts bind up the wounds
of hate.
"Once again the May time breaks, with
its sunshine its verdure and it's blossoms
over the land whose hills and plains were
shaken and whose homes were shatter ed
by the thunders Of war; but no more do
the long lines come cleaning on to the
deadly fray; no more is heard the noise of
The captains and the shouting: no more
are seen the garments rolled in blood. Yet
history repeats itself and a mighty host
again is marshaled upon these plains. Man.
mood and womanhood and childhood are
here, the people have come from far and
wide-the old Masonic lodge of which Wash
inSton was member and the volunteer
solGiery are gathered here, and our noble
Chief Magistrate and commander-in-chief
who fills the seat of Washington and Jack
son-they are all here to lift up the pure
IDEAS OF the republic and to imbibe and i'm
press the lessons of this consecrated day
i prophesy.' said Thomas CARLYLE. that