The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1894-05-10
WOMAN TO A WOMAN
Monument To Mary Wash
ington Dedicated Today
In Virginia.
ERECTED BY HER PATRIOT SISTERS
President Cleveland Delivered an
Address Ceremonies and
Banquet.
ERECTED BY HER PATRIOT SISTERS

FREDERICKSBURG, Va, May III, lo54.-
The weather being propitious, there was
nothing in the way of most successful cele
bration of the event to which patriotic
women, and the people of Virginia particu-
larly, have looked forward to for SO many
nlonths-the dedication Of the monument to
Mary Washington, the mother OF the first
President
From an early hour. visitors have been
arriving at this ancient city, where SO many
memories Of Washington have been centred
for hundred years. From Richmond there
came Governor O'Farrall and a large
number of civil and military visitors
and every part of the State contributed its
quota From the National Capital special
train brought President Cleveland, Secre-
tary and Mrs. Gresham, Secretary and Mrs
Carlisle Secretary and Mrs. Morton, Secre-
tary and Mrs. Lamont, Postmaster-G General
Bissell Private Secretary and Mrs. Thur.
her, and many distinguished men in public
life. This train arrived about half~past ten
A. M and was met at the station by a COM
lnittee who escorted the special guests to
the Mary Washington House, where an in
formal lunch was rendered to Presi lent
Cleveland followed by reception on the
old porch of the mansion.
THE PARADE.
The procession, including various patriotic
societies and benevolent orders. companies
of State Militia, the Governors staff, and
representative ladies on horseback, was then
formed and proceeded to the monument,
where a grand stand to accommodate the
four hundred guests had been erected On
Washington avenue in front OF the stand
nearly 10000 were massed
Ceremonies commenced with prayer by
the Rev. James P. Smith. followed by a
brief address by A. P. Rowe, Mayor of
Fredericksburg Governor O'Farrall fol-
lowed with an impassioned address of wei
come on the part of the State OF Virginia,
which was frequently interrupted with ap-
plause, aud in an eloquent peroration pre-
sented the President Of the United States.
For several minutes the enthusiasm which
which greeted the President was without
bounds When the cheering finally sub
sided, President Cleveland stepped forward
and addressed the gathering He spoke of
the event of the day, and paid glowing
tribute to Mary Washington.
DEDICATORY CEREMONIES.
There was another outburst of enthusiasm
when the President finished and gave way
to the Masonic societies, who performed the
dedicatory ceremonies. Senator John w.
Daniel, the orator of the day, was then in
troduced by President Cleveland.
Senator Daniel in his address, after paying
a graceful tribute to Mrs. Waite and the
ladies of the Lady Washington Association,
whose pious hands had reared athe first
monument on earth erected by women to
woman, said in part:-
''This stone represents two ideals-wom-
anIy excellence and patriotic duty. You
have reared this beautiful obelisk to one who
was the light of the dwelling in plain
rural colonial home. Her history hovers
around it, She was wife, mother and widow.
She nursed hero at her breast. At her
knee she trained to the love and fear of God
and to the kingly virtues, honor, truth and
valor, the lion OF the tribe that gave to
America liberty and Independence. This is
her title to renown It is enough.
"But for the light that streamed from the
deeds of him she bore we would doubtless
have never heard the name of Mary Wash
ington, and the grass that grew upon this
grave had not been disturbed by curious
footsteps or reverential hands. But it does
not follow that she shines only in the refec-
tion Of her offspring's fame. Her virtues
were not created; they were only discovered
by the marvellous career of her illustrious
SON This memorial might indeed be due to
her because of who she was, but it is far
more due to her because of what she was.
It is in her own right, and as the type OF her
sex, her people and her race, that she de-
serves this tribute stone.
.sThere were ten thousand Mary Washing
tons among the mothers of the Revolution,
and honoring her we honor the motherhood
of heroic days and heroic men. 1t was In
his character, all sufficient in every emer-
genoy, that was displayed the oyertowering
greatness OF George Washington, and it is
not doubted that this character was toned
and shaped by his mothers hand The prip
ciples which he applied to nation were
simple and elementary truths which she first
imprinted upon his mind in the discipline of
home"
He straced the history of the mother of
Washington from her birth on the 30th of
November, 1906, at the plantation home of
her father, Colonel Joseph Ball, in Lancaster
county, Virginia on the banks Of the. Rap
pahannock where the river broadens as it
blends into the Chesapeake Bay. through all
the eventful years Of her life down to her
death at her home in Fredericksburg on the
18th of August, 1889
A brief address by Mr. Lawrence Wash
ington, a lineal descendant of the mother of
the first President closed the programme at
the monument
RECEPTION HELD BY THE PRESIDENT.
President Cleveland held q reception dur
ing the afternoon at the Mary Washington
House, shaking hands with several thousand
persons.
While the President was holding his recep-
tion most of the other distinguished guests
were entertained at Masonic banquet at
the Opera House, given by the lodge in which
George Washington was made Mason.
The Presidential party will leave for
Washington on the special train at 6:l5
O'Clock. A ball tonight will conclude the
celebration.
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