The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1900-07-05
UNVEILED AT HARTFORD TOWN.
A Tablet in Honor of the First Dec
Inrntion for Liberty.

Inrntion for Liberty.
BUSH. Md, July 5.-The Fourth of July
was httingly celebrated at old Hartford
Town. now Bush. by a vast assemblage OF
patriotic people The special occasion was
the unwilling of a tablet In honor Of the
Hartford committee which in I775 signed
formal declaration in support Of the peo-
pie against British oppression.
Hartford Town is an ideal place TO hold
a patriotic celebration Its very air
breathes of antiquity. Where is now a ruin
once stood a prosperous town. the first
county set of Hartford. What is now
only one old tavern and stabling then
marked the centre CT a place which was
situated on the main thoroughfare between
the North and the South. In this old hos
telry many mea whose names have now
passed into history rested their weary
bones and quenched their thirst at Jhs
weil-stocked bar. Through this town the
illustrious Father OF His Country passed
on his triumphal march 10 be inaugurated
the first President Of the infant country.
Daniel Webster was many times a passea-
ger of the numbering stage coach Y h'ch
piled between Baltimore and Philadelphia.
and it is recorded that he never turned his
offered.
Bush formerly old Hartford Town. Is sit
uated at the head OF the Willoughby. or
Bush, River. so named by Capt John Smith
| in honor Of his native town Of WillOughby.
1; was discovered by him in 1868 while on
| one OF his explorations OF Chesapeake Bay
| in pursuit OF the MasSawoneks, whom he
wished TO punish for some Of their depre-
! dations.
( Patriotism was one OF the early attri-
| butes Of this place. It's residents from The
/ first were constituted largely OF gentle
/ men or wealthy landowners who took an
| active interest in the affairs Of state Ee-
/ ing possessed OF liberal education they
! early became loyal subjects OF their oOun-
I try. II is easy TO trace the close relation
/ Hartford Town held with the outside
world II was in a measure the stop
/ ping point between the North and tie
/ South and responded quickly TO popular
! sentiment.
| Il is not conteuded by the Hartford Revo-
! lutionary Association that the declaration
made at Bush on March .. l775. takes
| the slightest credit from the immortal
/ document from the pen OF jefferson which
/ was signed at Philadelphia fifteen months
! later. What is claimed for II IS that IL
| was the first declaration made b. any CT
I ganized body. the committee OF Hartford.
I the context Of which could be taken as
/ treason against George III; that II was
I by signing their names TO the document
| the members thereby rendered themselves
| amenable to their mother country. both
I personally and as office of the Common
} wealth.
In the minutes OF the society can be
| found several appropriations made TO aid
! the people OF Boston. ana II cannot lie
/ doubted but what this aided materially in
/ the stand taken at the battle OF Lexington
! 1t seems somewhat strange that al
I though the declaration was known u be
/ in existence. having been brought from
/ Hartford Town 10 Belair. where the
county seat WIS moved in 1888. no move
l was made 70 make il prominent until 1850.
/ when some of HarfOrds patriotic clti-
/ Zsus. including the late Gen. James J.
/ Archer. Capt. A. /. Jarret. and Rob IT
4 II. Barker. placed l. on deposit with ire
/ Maryland Historical Society, which had
! il rebound. The matter then lay dormant
/ until a move which owes its inception
( largely 10 Col. William II. Love. of B5I-
! timOre. was made last August 10 mark the
/ spot in some permanent manner.
Hartford county furnished during the
| Revolutionary War seventeen companies
/ OF soldiers. and Of the many descendants Of
/ these men nearly every family was repre-
| scented.
| The granite shaft which was unveiled is
on the site OF the Old courthouse IN which
/ the declaration OF the Hartford COMMITTEES
| was drawn up and signed This shaft
I bears the following inscription
This tablet marks the site of the build
! ing In which were held the courts of Har-
J ford county from its organization in
| March IT7i. until March. 1913. In this
| house the committee OF Hartford county
| held its meetings before ard during the
| early years of the Revolution. Here. at
\ a meeting held on the 22d day OF March.
| 1775, the following members Of the COM
mittee passed and signed formal deelara-
/ ton pledging their lives and fortunes to
! the cause which. a year later. resulted in
| the Declaration OF independence" The
] names OF the signers follow.