The morning call., 1894-05-11


ment erected by the women of our land In
loving and enduring testimony to the vir-
tues of the mother Of Washington. Let
US be proud to-day that the nobility OF this
woman exacted from distinguished for
eiguer the admission: III such are the
matrons of America SIZE may well bOastof
illustrious sons and that Lafayette. who
had fought with her son for American in
dependence, declared after he had re-
ceived her blessing: 1 have seen the only
Roman matron living at this day. Re-
membering these things let us leave this
place with our love of country strength
ened with higher estimate of the value OF
our citizenship and with prayer TO God
that our people may hold fast to the senii-
ment that grows out of love and rever-
ence for American motherhood"
Next came the Masonic ceremonies ana
a short address by Lawrence Washington,
a descendant of Mary Washington, after
which the orator OF the day. Senator
John w. Daniel. was introduced.
Senator Daniel said: George Washing
ton was The OLDEST figure that ever stood
in the forefront of a nations life. We are
gathered to-day around his mothers grave.
'All that / am | owe to my mother An
that we are as a nation we owe to him.
His debt is ours. 1t is many times multi
Piled. 1t is ever growing. as the ever
growing republic illustrates in its virtues
and in it's faults alike the merit of his ex-
ample and the wisdom of his teachings.
BehoIdng the monument, we rejoice that
the debt is acknowledged. and realizs
that no limitation of time can bar rendi-
tion of justice to noble name. Our graft
tude goes forth to our countrywomen who
have so worthiIy achieved this work. Man
attempted it and left 1t half accomplished.
The State and the Federal Government
alike contemplated. discussed and then
postponed it. Our noble women under
took it and it is done.
1--WE thank you, madam, you Mrs.
President and your companions of the
Mary Washington Association. Your sue
cess is your reward, and you will be hence
forth blended in our generation with her
whose name is carved on this sacred stone.
1t was fitting, indeed. that your pious
hands should rear the first monument op
the earth erected by woman to woman.
and fitting, too, that 1t should bear the
name Of Mary, the mother of Washington.
"There were 10000 Mary Washingtons
among the mothers of the revolutions. and
honoripg her we honor the motherhood of
heroic days and heroic men. 1t was In his
character, all-sufflcient in every emer-
gency, that was displayed the overtower
ing greatness of George Washington, and
il is not doubted that this character was
toned down and shaped by his mother.
The principles which he applied to ma
tioD were those simple and elementary
truths which she first imprinted upon his
mind in the discipline of home."
Senator Daniel reviewed eloauently the
facts of history concerning the mother of
Washington. and the spirit of the times in
which George Washington was reared, was
discussed.
The monument is plain granite mono-
lith, 55 feet high. upon base IL feet square.
1t bears the inscription of MARY. the
Mother of Washington"
The monument was made possible by
the persistent efforts of the two patriotic
women n, Mrs. Amelia c. Waite, widow OF
be late Chief Justice of the Supreme
Court, and Mrs. Margaret Hetzel of Cliff
ton Station, Virginia. 1t was paid for by
the contributions from almost every State
In the Union. The idea of building the
monument has existed ever since $780, In
1888 Mr.. Silas Z. Burroughs, a prominent
merchant of New York, offered to con-
struct In Fredericksburg, at his own ex-
pense. q memorial TO the mother Of Wash
ington. The work was begun. but MIR.
Burroughs met financial reverses and died
before be was able to resume work. In
1890 the Mary Washington Memorial As
sociaton was formed, with Mrs. Waite and
Mrs. Hetzel at the head, and the work of
raising money for the monument COM
menced in earnest All the work had to
be done over again, the stone work done
under The direction of Mr.. Burroughs hav-
lug by this time crumbled away. The
monument does 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-five miles below Washington.
The monument has been raised over bis
mothers long-negected grave, a quarter
Of mile or more beyond the city of Fred
ericksburg, on what was once the farm of
Colonel Fielding Lewis, husband of her
daughter Betty.
Frederick sburg Lodge No. 4. Free Ma
sons, in which George Washington was
made Mason, gave a banquet at the
Opera-house after the ceremonies around
the monument. Covers were laid for $50
people. Vice. President Stevenson was at
the head of the right-hand table, Chief
Justice Fuller presided over the left and
the place of honor al the center table was
vacant when the banquet commenced.
During the banquet President Cleveland
entered the hall and was standing in the
center of the stage with members of his
Cabinet and their.ladies before he was rec
ogniZed. The house shook with yells when
Judge James B. Sener introduced the
President, pointing to the portraits Of
Washington and Andrew jackson above
the proseenium arch and alluding to Mr..
Cleveland as the legitimate successor of
both. The President responded:
Gentlemen, / am good deal embar-
rassed by the mention of my two distln-
guished predecessors and by the fact that
tney were both members of the society
under whose auspices this banquet is
given. l congratulate the members of the
fraternity represented here. 1 am obliged
to acknow edge my own shortcomings in
not being a member of it.. Perhaps it is
my fault; certainly it is my misfortune.