Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-04-20
THE BATTLE OF LEXINGTON
Its Anniversary Celebrated by Sons of the
American Revolution.
Gen. Thomas NJ. Vincent Presides-
Addresses by DR.. Radcliffe and Gen.
Observation-Disclosures Meeting.

The District of Columbia Society, Sons of
| the American Revolution, at a largely at
tended meeting at Rauschers last even
ing, fittingly celebrated the anniversary
of the battle of Lexington. Gen. Thorn
as NJ. Vincent, president of the So
ciety, was in the chair and Mr.. John
Paul Earnest was in charge of the desk
of the recording secretary. After a bust
ness meeting at which some matters of i'm
portance were disposed of a social session
was held. Stirring addresses were deliver
ed by Rev. DR.. Wallace Radcliffe of the New
York Avenue Presbyterian Church and Gen.
Joseph c. Breckenridge, inspector general,
United States army. A collation. was then
served, after which those present devoted
some time TO informal conversation.
Gen. Vincent opened the social session by
outlining the history and incidents of the
battle of Lexington. He followed his intro
ductory remarks by calling DR.. Radcliffe to
the platform. The latter spoke of the place
the church has in the establishment and
perpetuation of republican institutions.
He went on TO say that the men of LeXing-
ton are our example today. We do not
know our future. stated DIR. Radcliffe, but
We are not to be chained by the traditions
of one hundred years ago. Like the men of
Lexington, he declared. we are to act on the
inspirations of the day. Enthusiastic APP
llause followed a declaration of the speak
er to the effect that in our dictionary i'm
perialism is only beneticent republlcanfsm.
War With Spain.
The other speaker. Gen. Breckenridge,
said. among other things. that I'VE are
tramping out the vineyards where the
grapes of wrath are stored. We can look
back to those whose memory We celebrate
and say that We, TOO. have suffered but we
have done our duty. Our tocsin resounds
a yn,I sounded in the ears pf
kings. We have given sons, who have
stood and fought in the face of those who
have dared 10 call human subjects and have
hurled them from this side of the Atlantic.
Ii is the history of the world that what men
have done has been accomplished through
sacrifice. But those who come after US are
worthy of the sacrifice. We have not Shirk-
ed because our duty refused to allow us to
shirk. We have found men who are will
ing to say: / am my brothers keeper OF
our late war whatever questions may arise,
we can truthfully say that We did not plan
il. Two years ago no one would have
dreamed OF the accomplishment of the facts
which history now records. The response
TO duty was as eager as any in the world
history. What We are now to do is for 9th
ers. The soldier has done his duty, but we
rest content in the belief that right will be
done"
Business Matters.
AT the meeting preliminary to the social
SESSION the business transacted llCIuQGu the
receipt of report from the secretary that
the member ship of the organization now
numbers nearly 400 decision to hold the
annual meeting of the sons during the
month of May, the excursion to be to Fred
erick, Md: ali announcement that an old
house at Rock Hill. near Princeton, n. j.,
which had once been occupied as the head
quarters of Gen. Washington, had been
turned over to the patriotic organizations
of the country, and that room had been
allotted to the Sons of the American Reyo-
luton and furnished with colonial furni-
ture, among the pieces being a table once
used by Gen. George Mason of Virginia:
decision to appoint a committee to coop
crate with a committee from the Mayflow-
er's descendants for the purpose of securing
a room in the new city library building to
be used for the meetings of the two so
cietieS and for the filing of the archives of
each, and an announcement that the annual
congress Of the Sons of the American Revo-
luton would be held at Detroit, April 80 to
May . The delegates from the local So
ciety are Thomas NJ. Vincent Gen. George
NJ. Sternberg. Lewis ]. Mauro, Noble D.
Larner. Charles Moore, DR.. E. w. Gallau-
Diet and John B. Wight.