The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-12-15
AT THE TOMB OF WASHINGTON.
COMMEMoRATION or THE cENTEN-
NAL OF HIS DEATH.

Grafton of the Day Delivered by
President McKinIey-His Tribute
TO the Great American.
Washington, Dec. 1t-with solemn
pomp and circumstance, with ceremonies
beautiful impressive and Appropriate i'm
the presence Of a distln gushed assem-
blage, and In the fun splendor of ideal au-
tumn weather, the centennial Of the death
of George Washington was commem-
GRATED to-day at Mount Vernon.
| To-day's ceremonies were eIeborately
planned and successfully carried 20 fruit
tlon. They were conducted by the Ma
sonic bodies and by the Red Men OF ths
United States
Charge Of the ceremonies incident 20 to-
days commemoratiou was placed in the
hands Of the Masons OF Virginia. Il being
in the Old Dominion that Washington was
| obligated as a Master Mason. and there
that he participated enthusiastically in
Masonic work and observances. The off,
| GERS of the Grand Lodge OF Virginia and
the membership of Frederioksburg Lodge.
in which Washington was made a Mason
and washlnston-Mexandria Lodge, over
which he presided as worshipful master.
had the chief part in the duty of seeing
that to-day's observances were appropri-
ate.
| The visiting Masons. many accompanies
| by the ladies OF their families, congregat~
| ed in Washington early to-day, and, es-
corted by the Masonic bodies Of the Dis
triet of Columbia, headed by the GRAND
Lodge OF the district, made the pilgrimage
to Mount Vernon by boat
The Virginia Masons assembled at AL
exandria and thence, escorted by Fred-
ricSsburg Lodge and Washington Alexan-
dria Lodge as bodies, proceeded to Mount
Vernon also by boat.
At 10 o'clock President Mckinley, him
self an enthusiastic Mason, accompanied
by Secretary of State Hay, Secretary OF
the Treasury Gage. Secretary Of the Navy
Long, Secretary of the Interior Hitchcock,
Secretary of Agriculture Wilson, and Post-
master General Smith. of the cabinet As
sistant Secretary of the Navy Allen, and
Maj. Gen. Miles, left Washington on a
| special electric train for Mount Vernon,
arriving there at II o'clock The presiden-
tial party was greeted by Grand Master
Duke Of Virginia, and by him was escorts
ed to the mansion.
solemn Funeral Rites.
After the President and his cabinet had
reviewed the Masonic bodies from a plat
form on the east front OF the mansion, a
| procession was formed and moved, as on
the day Of Gen. Washington's funeral.
Dec. 1S, 1885, TO the old vault, whore the
remains were first deposited. There, in the
| immediate presence Of the grand officers
of the various states and the assembled
Masons, solemn funeral rites were con-
| Quoted.
| solemn dirge by the Third Cavalry
/ Band was followed by the invocation, pro-
/ nounced by the Right Rev. A. NJ RAN
dolph, bishop Of the Southern Episcopal
/ Diocese Of Virginia. Grand Master A. A.
| Burnand Of Colorado delivered an oration
on the life work OF Washington.
| The procession reformed and moved
/ then TO the tomb where the remains OF
| Washington and those Of his family now
| lie. The tomb was magnihcenhy decor
| ated with flag and festoons Of eyergreens
| and flowers Prayer was offered by the
| Rev. c. III. Ray, d. D.. grand chaplain OF
the Grand Lodge of Virginia.
| When the grand master of Virginia
/ called upon each of the jurisdictions of tho
| thirteen original states, the jurisdictions
| of the Western states and those of Cam
| ada, Belgium and Nova Scotia, for mes
| sages and tributes sent by them, all re-
| sponded.
| Then The grand master of the District OF
/ Columbia deposited within the tomb tho
/ lambskin apron as token of innocences
| the grand master OF Missouri deposited the
| white gloves as a token of friendship and
| the grand master of California deposited
| the evergreen, as an emblem of the Ma
sonic faith In the resurrection Of the body
/ and The Immortality of the soul
/ Gporez of baautiful xVraatha and lunches
| of evergreens were then deposited within
/ the tomb, one OF the most beautiful tokens.
| an immense wreath OF ivy immortelles
/ and acacia blossoms, being offered BY
| President Mckinley.
Presidents Grafton.
The procession returned to the east 'front.'
| Of the mansion, where President Mcxin-
| ley introduced by Grand Master Duke, de-
| livered the following grafton as his triD-
| ute to Washington:
I'VE have just participated in a service
| commemorative Of the one hundTedth an
| niversary of the death of George Wash
/ ington. Here at his old home, which he
loved so wen and which the patriotic
| women of the country have guarded with
| loving hands, exercises are conducted un-
der the auspices of the great fraternity OF
Masons, which a century ago planned and
| executed the solemn ceremonial which at
/ tended the father of his country to his
| tomb The lodge in which he was ini-
tated and the one over which he after
wards presided as worshipful master. ac-
| corded positions Of honor at his obsequies,
are to-day represented here in token OF
! profound respect to the memory Of their
/ most illustrious member and beloved
/ brother.
''Masons throughout the United States
testify anew their reverence for the name
| OF Washington and the inspiring example
| Of his life Distinguished representatives,
ate here from all the Grand Lodges OF
| The country to render the ceremonies es
| dignifed and impressive as possible, and
most cordial greetings have come from
| across our borders and from beyond the
sea.
mot alone In this country but through-
out the world, have Masons taken especial
| interest in the observance Of this ccnten-
| nal Anniversary. The fraternity Justly