Evening star., 1897-02-25
Daughters Of the American Revolu-
ton Nominate officers.
MRS. STEVENSON | N lNIMOUSLY CHOSEN
She Will Again Be the President
General.
OTHER NAMES PRESENTED

the Daughters" are now in the throes of
constitution revision. The constitutional
revision committee. with Mrs. Donald Nc
Lean as chairman. has been working for
one year on a revision of the old constitu-
ton.
The afternoon exercises yesterday opened
up briskly and with large promise of pyro-
technics, oratorically speaking. The ora
tory and pyrotechnics We're on tap all the
afternoon and a good share of the night,
on account of differences of opinion regard
ing the cons :itution.
Mrs Mclean of New York read the re-
port as chairman of the committee on re-
vision of constitution.
Adjournment was taken before the read
ing of the revised constitution was COM
pleted, that the members might attend
the reception at the Oaks, the home of Mrs.
Blount. in Georgetown, and of Mrs.
Dickins, on 10th street.
Inc evening session was opened with
music. Mrs. Tom c. Noyes sang Bevi-
ganis Flower Girl
Mrs Brocket presided. The congress went
into committee of the whole, with Mrs.
Elroy Avery of Ohio as chairman, and
spent the session considering the revision
OF the constitution.
TOdHy's Proceedings.
The morning session of the Daughters of
the American Revolution opened in formal
manner with prayer by the chaplain ger
eral, Mrs. Bullock. The convention then
proceeded to get ready for the nomination
of officers which the regular business
for the morning. The convention was in
confusion in an instant. Half dozen or
n ore teliers were to be appointed and
every regent in the whole business wanted
to nominate some one. The president gem
erai. Mrs. Stevenson, kept up regular
fusillade of the gavel on the little pine table
TIL 1t started at every joint and woman
in the congress who has to use an ear
trumpet laid it down in terror. Confusion
became worse confounded till finally the
president general brought her gavel down
with mighty bang. and, with a perfectly
czar-like determination in her voice, said:
Ladies, the confusion is unnecessary.
Business will be suspended until every lady
in the congress is seated
There was an indignant protest They
were all hustling for votes and didn't pro-
pc Sc to have their prerogatives interfered
with. Mrs. Stevenson squared herself and
subsided for a time: but it didn't last long
Names We're then read from the list sug-
gcsted for tellers
tproar again. Not an angry one, but
most annoying: The buzz began in the
back of the hall and ran down to the plat
fern 1t rose to the balcony. and finally
got Up into the gallery. Mrs. President
General banged the table, and told the
ladies' that if they did not keep quiet she
would call on them by name. At that they
&C ughed and talked louder than ever
After delays and demonstration of more
or less ardor and disorder the congress got
down to nominating speeches.
Mrs. Stevenson Renominnted.
The first nomination carried the conven-
ton off its feet in flash. 1t was made by
Miss Virginia Miller of Virginia who NOM
mated Mrs. Letit3a Green Stevenson to
succeed herself. She couched the words in
pretty terms, and the applause was per
fectly deafening. 1t lasted nearly four
minutes. and it was perfectly evident that
other nominations need not be made
though it was also evident that Il small
faction was bitterly opposed to the nomina-
tiCn
Mrs. Putney of Virginia seconded the
nomination, with the remark tina; when
in doubt, play trumps," held good right
here She never had seen SO much energy
in so little space. Mrs. Stevenson had
been elected because of her national nosi-
ton three times, and now they desired to
elect her because of herself. The society
Was large enough to go alone now. Mrs.
Stevenson had been a tower of strength
and worked earnestly and nobly FIR the
good of the order, under many trying cir
cumStanceS.
The Nomination Unanimous
Again the women turned themselves loose
streets. Mrs. Donald Mclean came bearing
down the aisle at this juncture, like ship
in full SAIL and mounting the steps lead
ing to the platform, waved her handker-
chief. ard moved to make the nomination
unanimous. Immedia tely the women of the
convention We're on their feet, and aye,
aye yes, yes, that's right" came from
every part of the hall. They waved their
handkerchiefs and small flags threw their
flowers stageward, and simply went wild
In the enthusiasm of the moment. Only a
hundred or 50 of the delegates expressed
disapproval by remaining seated
Some lady made objection to making the
nomination unanimous. Mrs. Stevenson un-
dertcok to speak. but could not make her
self feard above the dreadful din. Finally
she got little order. and in voice broken
with emotion, told the ladies that she must
decline the honor.
Meantime Mrs. Ballinger and several la
dies had rushed over to the obstreperous
ore woman and tried to get her to with
draw her objection, without which the
unanimous vote could not be declared. Mrs
Ballinger asked her to withdraw her mo-
ton. and Miss Washington seconded it,
Finally some member announced that the
lady mad objected because she thought
that the congress was going to act illegal
ly and not because she had anything
against Mrs Stevenson. On being surad
that all was legal she withdrew her OBJ
lection, and the convention went into con-
vusions of delight again.
No attention was paid to Mrs. Steven
sons protest against her nomination, and
the presiding officer declared her elected
amidst perfect ovation of applause. Mrs.
Stevenson stood as if daZed at the sud
denness of it all. with tears In her eyes,
yet smile her face and in her heart,
at the magnificent ovation she was being
made the recipient of. despite her protest.
Mrs. Stcvenson's Speech.
When the thing was a foregone conclu-
sion and she was declared the nominee
for the next year as president general,
she was pulled to the front Ladies'" she
began. Il fear You are getting ready for
domestic inharmony in electing me to this
Office again. At that there was a storm
of mos" and groans. She went on to
say that she had promised the Vice Pres
ident of the United States this morning
that. under consideration whatever,
would she accept Office again. That he
her honored husband. had said she must
not burden herself with the cares of the
office. which were too heavy for any but
a strong. vigorous woman. She said that
it was thought that the president general
was simply an ornament to the order, but
that often and often she had gone home
from a board meeting with a tired head
ard a tired heart. and almost WISHING