Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-06-13
AT G U NSTON HALL
The Grave Of George Mason Decorated and
Appropriately Marked.
Justice Harlan's Tribute to the
Some Interesting History.

| tHdt lnOmAS JEFFERSON did lot Write the
Declaration of Independence without the
| aid of George Mason, a Virginia patriot
and that in all probability the great in
strum ,nt was the joint production of JEFF
| fers On and Mason. Justice Harlan furnish
| ed proof in substantiation of his views
| This interesting statement made at
| Gunston Hall. Va, the home of Mason, and
] In the presence Of about 100 men, members
| or the Washington societies Of the Sons of
the Revolution and Sons Of the American
| Revolution, who had arranged to celebrate
the 10th anniversary of the adoption of
| the bill of rights by the representatives of
| Virginia In June, 1886 and who had Sc
| lected the home of Mason. the author of
| the bill of rights, as the most appropriate
| place FOR the celebration.
Many eminent men were in the patriotic
| party which went down the river at 230
| O'clock in the afternoon on the steamer
Manchester The landing a; Gunston Hall
| Is about six miles below Mount Vernon.
| From the landing to the home of the pa
| triot, whose memory is yet frsgrantly re-
ve-ed, is about three miles, and the dis.
lance was covered in conveyaI ces Of all
| kinds.
Gunston Hall.
Gunston Hall is now owned by Jos Specht,
Bavarian millionaire of ST. Louis He is
as much interested in the history of the
| patriot as any man. The place is in q splen-
did state Of preservation. and Mr.. Specht
Is spending thousands Of dollars year to
| improve 1t. The vi:itors were cordially re-
| ceived by Mr.. Specht, who threw open his
doors that all might go through the his
loric house. He showed them what is
| known as "the Jefferson ROOM" where
tradition says Mason received and conferred
/ with the great men of the time, including
| washington, Jefferson, Monroe, Madison
and others. The wide hallway low doors
! ana many windows signify the colonial
mansion in all its phases. The visitors
| drank water from a well dug more than
100 years ago, and from which all the pa
ulots OF those days quenched their thirst.
The tract of land now owned by Mr.
| Specht includes something over 600 acres
While the original plantation of Mason con-
famed several thousand. The revolution
airy hero is buried in a plot of ground
about 400 feet from the old mansion This
plot Is owned by Miss Caroline Graham
VINO was present yesterday. 1t is family
burial ground. Until short time ago the
grave of Mason was unmarked. Recently,
| however, small stone has been erected
at the head Of the grave bea ring the in
scf1Ptlon: George Mason, author Of the
| bill of rights and of the first constitution
| or Virginia. 112o-l1.2." One of the objects
OF the patriotic SOC cites visiting the grave
was to mark and decorate f.
The wire fence which encircles the nrraye-
yard was decorated with flags and bunting
ard the brief ceremonies took place in a
small stand similarly decorated. DIR. G.
Brown Goode, president of the Sons Of the
American Revolution and vice president
Of the Sons of the Revolution presided
Rev. DIR. Mackay Smith offered prayer and
Justice Harlan was introduced
Justice Harlnn's Address.
Justice Harlan briefly reviewed the life
ana patriotic services of George Mason
| VINO, ne said. was a descendant of q man
| OF the same name who commanded a reet-
ment OF cavalry at the battle of Wooster
| When King Charles fed to France Mason
n
coming near the revolution Justice Har-
ian read letters written by Mason to an
Ehghsh new spaper showing the attitude of
America to the mother country These
letters all expressed love for England and
the re1gning family, but the sentiments
showed that Americans did not propose to
be slaves or to be unjustly taxed
Justice he rlan next touched upon the
| virginia declaration of rights, adopted
about three weeks before the Declaration of
Independence, and of which Mason was be-
yond doubt he author. The text of this
document, which the speaker declared to
! be the first written instrument of free
government, was read IN full, and the
phraseology and beautiful English com
mented on. No man living today, Mr.. Har-
Ian said, no matter how we'll educated
| could improve on this document
Mr.. Harlan next compared the phrase
olcgy of the Virginia bill of rights and
the declaration of Independence and show
| &c to his deeply interested audience MANY
expressions so similar as to leave nc doub,
same man. The fact that these documents
recognize and create three distinct but
coordinate branches Of government was
commented upon, and Justice Harlan re-
marked that there was good deal of talk
these days to the effect that the English
government was freer than this. He
pointed oct the differences in the two gov
ernments, and said the man who believed
England SC free and happy ought to go
there Much is seen these days." said the
Justice. about public office being a pub
lie trust and the sentiment is vigorously
applauded. Mason and Jefferson both used
the expression in the instruments of lib
erty respectively drawn up by Them"
Justice Harlan declared that a monu-
ment to Mason's memory ought to be erect
ed on the spot on which he stood or in
Washington. He did not know a greater
| or ADLER man of that time, and thought
| history would eventually give Mason the
| The exercises Of decorating and marking
the grave were then carried out. A small
| iron shaft. known as marker" was
placed at the foot Of the grave 1t is In
| the shape of q Greek cross and bears the
likeness Of a minute man, in addition to
| thirteen stars and the letters IS. A. r."
Dinner ut Marshall Hall.
A vote Of thanks was rendered Justice
Harlan and Mr.. Specht. and the party hur-
| rtedly returned to the steamer. which con-
veyed them to Marshall Hall for dinner
For two hours the members and their
guests enjoyed the bountlful repaSt and the
oratory.
| Those who spoke were Rev. Randolph Nc
Kim, Lewis Johnso Davis, ex-Vice Presi-
dent John w. Douglass of the Sons of the
American Revolution, John Appleton Will
son of the Maryland Society of the Sons of
| the Revolution and Washington Nelson
| Toler. the great great grandson of Mason
DR.. McKim eloquently talked of Mason's
| career, Mr.. Toler pictured some of the In
| cidents of early days and the other speak
erS all expressed the hope that the two
patriotic societies would soon become one
Mr.. Davis referred to what was being done
| to bring about this result. A telegram from
Senator Daniel, expressing his regret at
| not being able to be present was read
| On the way to the boat, to return to the
| city, Justice Harlan stopped at the shoot
| ing gallery, and made record of fourteen
| bull s-eyes'' out of fifteen Shots There
WIGS something so graceful about the marks
! manship OF the justice that the onlookers
| applauded.
The accomplished chairman Of the COM
| mittee in charge of the days festivities
| was William V. Cox. He was ably assisted
| by Secretary Henry G. Kemp and the fol-
| lowing joint committee: Marcus BENJAMIN.
| Thomas Blagden. Charles H. Campbell,
| United States navy: j. p. Earnest. James
| NJ. Flint. United States navy; G. c. Good
| loe. United States marine corps: Mark B.
| Hatch, Everett Hayden, United States