The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1896-02-22
SPIRIT OF '76.
Meeting Of the Sons of
the Revolution.
Patriotic Measures Adopted at
Annual Business Session.
The Memory of Rhode Islands He
rOes to Be Perpetuated.

Island Society OF the Sons OF the Ameri-
can Revolution was held at noon today at
the cabinet OF the Historical Society on
Waterman street.
There was much accomplished in the
way of routine business and several meas
ures of public Importance and general
interest were attended 10.
Upon Recommendation Of the special
committee a resolution was passed pro-
viding for the appointment of a commit
tee OF 15 members, OF whom shall con-
stitute quorum for all business other
than that OF approving designs and APP
propriating money, TO secure statues of
General Nathaniel Greene and Admiral
Esek Hopkins TO be placed In the new
State House or on the grounds thereof.
The committee is authorized to raise
funds by subscription and to secure the
cooperation of individuals and of other
societies.
A resolution was also adopted whereby
committee of three shall be appointed TO
act conformity with committee OF the
Rhode Island Historical Society for the
purpose of preparing list OF the names
OF distinguished men OF the State to be
placed on the walls of the new state
House and TO submit such list TO the
State House commissioners for approval.
Prof. Monroe stated that 1t was the
desire of the City Council committee on
Fourth of July celebration TO revive the
literary and historical features and had
asked the Sons OF the Revolution to ar
range for the public reading of the Decla-
ration of Independence and the delivery
of patriotic oration. Prof. Munroe said
that the board of managers had received
the communication from the Councilmen
favorably and suggested that the society
endorse that action: it was so voted.
(Or1natriOt IagnTh Ealch rpnrespntaQ
the report of the committee on marking
the graves OF Revolutionary soldiers. 1t
reviewed the work OF the rast year in
detail and set forth that 307 graves had
been located in this State and that 81 of
them had been already marked.
The report of the secretary showed an
acquisition OF 2S new members the loss
of two by death and the present enroll
ment to be Ia.
The registrar stated in his report that
there are now 81 State societies with to-
tai membership of ITO, an increase of
1892 in the last year. This report also gave
genealogical summary relative to the
IS new members in the Rhode Island So
ciety.
An amendment to the constitution and
by laws was adopted, whereby chapters
may be establishe in the different issues
of the State to constitute organizations
with their own boards of officers. But
these chapters shall not do anything in
consistent with the constitution OF the
State Society or of the national society
and their members must first become
members in the State Society.
ELECTION CT OFFICERS
President Field appointed the follow
ing compatriots to make nominations:
Alfred Stone, +. $. Rhodes, Amasa
Eaton, N. Il. Davies and ID. Russell
Brown. They presented the following
oil
well Greene, president; Royal Z. Taft,
vice president; Christoper Rhodes, secre-
tary; Olney Arnold, second treasurer;
Robert +. Brown, registrar; Wiifred II.
Munro, historian; samuel II. Webb,
chaplain; Frederick Dennison, poet; j. G.
Il. Woods, n. +. Davis end w. Il. Z.
Wardwell, delegates to national Con-
gress; y. +. Sumner, j. II. Tower, q. 1.
Hart, }. p. Balch and Joseph Ii. Ken
dick, delegates.
Compatriots Davis, Easton aud Barstow
were appointed a committee TO consider
the recommendations in the address of
the retiring president, Edward Field,
and to report at the dinner this evening.
PRESIDENT FIELDS ADDRESS
The text of President Fields address
was as follows:
Compatriots OF the Rhode Island Society
of the sons of the American Revolution:
duty of the president to present an adj
dress in writing at the annual meet
ing. in accordance with this direction /
shall review the work of the year and
make such recommendations as the ex-
periences OF tho year suggest.
MARKERS.
The recommendations which / made in
my report as registrar two years ago TO
mark the graves of Revolutionary soldiers
in Rhode Island has been carried into
effect during the rast year, and more than
one hundred of these graves have been
marked with the iron markers adopted
by the National Society.
OF this lumb Der 80 markers were pur-
chased by the society and placed in most
cases by the voluntary services of men,
bers or interested parties. The graves
thus marked were selected by lot in ac-
cordance with a vote of the board of man
ayers, this method insuring n wider dis
tribution. This work has been done en-
tirely under the direction OF the committee
appointed for the purpose at the las an
nual meeting.
great amount OF work has devolved
upon compatriot Balch, the secretary OF
this committee, and 1 take this opportun
ity of expressing my thanks TO him for
the promptness with which the work has
been characterized. the great interest
which he has manifested and the system
attic methods which he has inaugurated
The report OF this committee, which will
be presented for your consideration, will
explain the details OF the work accom-
plished.
In addition TO what the society has done
toward marking the graves OF Revolu-
tionary patriots the Darlington Rural Inn
provement Society has performed a noble
service.
Through the efforts OF compltriot Bick
nell a meeting OF this society was called
at Darlington Ia October last to consider
the subject OF marking the graves Of the
harrington men I'm the Revolution.
Fifty six Of these markers were then
placed in the ancient burying ground OF
Darlington. In connection with the work
compatriot Eteuezer Tiffany, Jr., of that