Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1894-05-11

strengthen humanity. As SAS~A 49,
wholesome stream must have lts now
from a pure fountain head so must
clean and q beneficent popular govern
ment have its source in pure and moral
ly healthy men. This purity and this
moral health are in nothing better ex-
emplifled than in love and reverence
for motherhood The man who said ne
cared not who made the peoples laws II
ne could write their songs, might nave
said with more truth that ne could
gauge the strength and vigor OF peo-
pie and their fitness for self government
If ne knew the depth and steadfastness
of their love for their mothers. L De-
lieve that be VINO thinks il brave and
manly 10 outgrow his care and devotion
for his mother is. more than he who has
no music in himself, fit for treason,
Strategem and spoiIs, and
SHOULD NOT BE TRUSTED.
Let us recall to-day as conclusive proof
of the close relation between American
greatness and q lasting love aud rever-
euce for our mothers the proud declara-
tion of George Washington, 'All l am,
owe to my mother, and let us not for
get that when his glory was greatest
and when the plaudits of his country
men were loudeSt he valued more than
these the blessing and approval OF his
aged mother.
"While these exercises cannot fail to
Inspire Us anew with reverence for
American motherhood, we will remem-
Der that we are here to do honor to the
woman who gave to our nation its great
est and best citizen and that we have
the privilege OF participating in the ded-
ication Of a monument eracted by the
women OF our country in loving and en-
during testimony TO the virtues OF the
mother Of Washington. Let US be
pround to-day that the nobility OF this
woman sxacted from a distinguished
foreigner the admission: IF such are
the matrons Of America, she may well
boast of illustrious sons, and that La
fayette, who had fought with her son
for American independence, declared
after he had received her blessing: L
have seen the only Roman matron liv-
ing at this day bering these
things let us leave this place with our
love OF country strengthened with
higher estimate of the valus Of Ameri-
can citizenship and with q prayer TO
God that our people may hold fast to
the sentiment that grows out OF a love
and reverence for American mother
hood"
At 3 o'clock a banquet was rendered
the distinguished guests, Vice Presi-
dent Stevenson was the principal
speaker, and George Alfred Townsend,
Gath" read poem.
DESCRIPTION OF THE MONUMENT.
The monument was made at Buffalo,
\. Y, and is a plain granite monolith.
fifty feet high, standing upon q base
eleven feet square. 1t bears the inscrip-
ton:
MARY THE MOTHER OF WASHINGTON :
The monument was made possible by
the persistent efforts of two patriotic
women-Mrs. Amelia c. Waite, widow
Of the late Chief Justice Of the United
States Supreme Court, and Mre. Mar
garet Hetzel, of Clifton Station, Va.
1t was paid for by the contributions
from almost every State In the Union.
The idea of building this monument
has existed ever since 1880. In 1888
Mr.. Silas f. Burroughs. a prominent
merchant Of New York, offered to con-
struct in Fredericksburg, at his own
expense, a memorial to the mother of
George Washington. The work was
begun, but Mr.. Burrows met with fiL-
ancial reverses and was obliged to post
pone the completion OF his plan until he
could retrieve his fortunes. He died
before he was able TO resume the work.
In 1890, however, the Mary Washing
ton Memorial Association was formed,
with Mrs. Waite at the head and Mrs
Hetzel as secretary, and the work Of
raising money for the monument com
menced in earnest. All the work had to
be done over again, the stonework done
under the direction Of Mr.. Burroughs
having by this time crumbed away.
The monument did not stand upon the
site of the house in which George
Washington was born: He was born
near the village of Wakefield, on the
bank OF the Potomac river, sixty-fve
miles below Washington. The monu
ment has been raised over his mothers
long neglected grave, q aQuaIter Of a mile
or more beyond the city limits OF Fred
ericksburg, on what was once the farm
OF Col. Fielding Lewis, husband OF her
daughter, Betty,