The sun., 1901-02-23
WASHINGTONrS
BIRTHDAY
Observed by Delaware Society
Sons Of American Revolution.
J. WILKINS COOCH PRESIDED
Addresses by Hon. John Whitehead
of New Jersey, and Governor
John HUMAN Elaborate
Banquet Served.
]. WILKINS COOCH PRESIDED

Washingtons birthday was appropri-
ately celebrated last night by the Della
ware Society, Sons of the American
revolution, at the Historical Society
Building, Tenth and Market streets. The
principle address was made by the Hon.
John Whitehead, president of the New
Jersey Society, Sons of the American
Revolution, on washington and the
Feredal Constitution" and there were
also few remarks by Governor HUM.
Among those present were: Governor
Hum, Hon. John Whitehead, of Morris
town, N. j.; Howard d. Ross, president
of the. Delaware Society, Sons of the
American Revolution; President Pearce,
of the Delaware Society of Cincinnati;
Attorney-General Herbert III. Ward,
Josiah Marvil, Guy Wells, Major Hub
bel, of Fort Dupont; Horace G. Knowles,
George Sparks, Professor Berlin, DIR. e.
). Anderson. of Dover; L. B. Jones,
j. Wilkin Cooch, Hubert Roop, Harry
Thomas, Clarence Dillon, Marty Jones,
Edmund G. Cause, Martin Baedenkopf,
Charles BaedenkOpf, William Baeden-
kopf, Branard Ferris and Charles Lloyd.
Letters of regrets were received from the
following: Hon. Charles B. Lore, Judges
Gray and Bradford, Senator Kenney,
Congressman Hoffecker, Col. Fl. A. du-
Pont, Chancellor Nicholson, Hon. Will
liam NJ. Murphy, of N. j. and President
General Breckinridge.
Howard d. Ross, president of the So
ciety, in welcoming the guests, said:
"On behalf of the Delaware Society,
Sons of the American Revolution, it
affords me great pleasure to welcome you
here this evening on this occasion the
celebration of the birth of the illustrious
Washington"
Mr.. Ross then introduced j. Wilkins
Cooch who presided.
Mr.. Cooch after few appropriate re-
marks, introduced the Hon. John White
head, of New Jersey, who made an elo-
1uent and interesting address on Wash
,ngton and the Federal Constitution"
Mr.. Whitehead said: when we speak
| bf Alexander the Great our minds seem
TO go to the great victories he won. We
| think of Napoleon as the warrior who
had all Europe at his feet. / am afraid
| we also think of Washingro,. fincpally
ns the warrior and 1 came tonight to
speak of him as a statesman"
Mr.. Whitehead spoke of the great part
affairs as a statesman and referred to
the convention held in Philadelphia in
It'll of winch Washington was a MEM
Der. He said: "There were two men
who could be president of that conyen-
tion and they were Benjamin Franklin
and George Washington. The conven-
ton, however, unanimously adopted
George Washington for its president.
For four long months Washington work
I'd and carried along that convention.
| The sessions were all held behind closed
loors and it is principally from a diary
| which was kept by John Adams who
was a member of the convention that we
get what was done at those sessions.
The constitution as it stands upon the
statute books today was framed at that
convention.
Three States, Delaware, New Jersey
and one other unanimously adopted that
constitution and Massachusetts, New
York and Virginia, after a short time
also adopted it. Little Delaware, the
State of the blue hens chickens, was the
| first State to ratify that constitution.
All hail to the glorious little State.
loud applause).
Let us look moment and see what
| that constitution has done for this coun-
| try Since that constitution was framed
we have grown from 100000 to 10000
900, free, intelligent, happy people, living
under the best government the world
has ever known. All this we owe to
George Washington not alone but he Of
all Others"
In conclusion Mr.. Whitehead spoke Of
the great increase which the Delaware
Society, Sons Of the American Revolu-
tion have recently made in their member
ship and wished the society all future
success possible. He said: 1--WE now
have societies in SO States and nearly
$4,000 members and if other societies do
what the Delaware Society has done in
five years the membership will be
doubled.'
Governor Hum received much an
plause when he responded to the request
for an address. During his few remarks
Governor Hum said: 'If there is one
birthday in the year above the birthday
of ordinary mortals it is that of George
Washington" After Governor Hunn's
address the members OF the society and
their guests were invited to the upper
room of the building where an elaborate
spread had been prepared.