The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1902-04-18
So e TEE REVOLUTION MEET
National. SoCiety'S Trienniai
ConCIave Begun.
AT THE HISTORIC MANSION
After a Business Session Indoors Dele
gates Assemble at the Vault to Hear
Grafton CT Rev. Dr.. Green, Of Iowa
Americas Growth and Greatness.


tory. the revered cid manson at Mount
Vernon was tiJrned over TO a society Rep
resentatives OF the Sens Of the Revolution
from ali parts of the United States focked
10 the beautiful Old residence on the
banks Of the Potomac and paid glowing
tributes 10 the memory Of that sterling
American patriot whose remains rest in
the simple marble sarcophagus amid the
scenes where once he lived and wrought
his deeds.
The trienniaI conclave of the national
society begG1 today. Two hundred and
fifty delegates being in attendance. y
large number Of members, rot specially
accredited as delegates, are also in the
city to participate in the observanees
planned.
After calling upon President Roosevelt
at the White House at $50 O'Clock this
morning, she Sons Of the Revolution en-
barked uron the steamer Manchester,
which had been chartered fer their ex-
elusive use and steamed down the PotO-
mac to the historic old mansion of
George Washington. Many of the mem
bers were accompanied by their wives.
and the party was several hundred
strong
The greatest interest was manifested
as the steamer g.ided past the mary
points Of interest along the river. st
Mount Vernon the mansion and grounds
were thrcwu open 10 them, and the guides
pIIoted the members about 10 the various
scenes OF interest shortly after their
arrival the sons. with their families and
H.
Father of His Country, where the exer-
ofses Of the day were held The Grafton
vas delivered by the Rev. Dr. Thomas
Edward Green. OF Cedar Rapids Iowa
Hao said in part,
The Address Ct the Day.
..1lr. President. and Gentlemen Of the
General Society. Today zye seek this Sc
puIcher made sacred among The hottest
memories CT earth, where sleeps the
ashes OF him who was alike the prophet
CT our country's greatness. the priest who
stood b. her blood-stained altar OF aer1-
fee. aud the uncrowEed kiag or the tri-
umphaDt iegioBs CT liberty. Unconscious
in his accomplishment. save II his sin
cere devotion to high controlling prin-
cIpIe. he was one Of those occasional souls
destined by an aIl-controlIing providence
TO the leadership OF his generation
There is nothing more marvellous than
this amounting Of the great me1 Of hu-
man history. Like all the other processes
Of nature their development silent,
their advent unheraided- BY dynamies
that are unreveaIed either 10 them. or to
the watching world life and character
are shaped and nodded for the ultimate
eiimateric. The supreme mark Of great
ness is most often lis own unconscious
ness Of itself Telling in The most mat
teF-of-fact fashion: meeting daily duty
discharging daily responsibility daring
and doing. because daring and doing are
the outcome of the sovereign 4 oughs''--
there are the elements that mold into
the heroic-that shape the greatness that
is immortal
Washington's Unselfshuess.
inspired by the highest and serenest
deTotion 10 those great principles that
laid in the foundation Of our national life.
the character Of George Washington gains
its halo from its supreme and exalted IN
selhshnessr its entire devotioG to the gen
eral good. Other men have been as great
IN their leadership N the STRIFE that gave
birth 10 nations. few, II any as great in
the seIf-abnegation that followed success
Other men have stood IN the throes Of rev
OIution as inspiring as he in their appeals
10 men > loyalty and herOism- few II any
have been content 10 lay down the sword.
content only n the results that have made
for the general good.
Other republics have felt their lie
- f---
won in hard fought conflicts. only TO be
curbed and 5itted BY the mastery OF per
soaal ambition He was content to waive
away the crown that read aduIation pur-
posed for his brow and 10 seek in the
gratitude OF his COuntTymen and in the
judgment OF posteTity tae reeompense or
his foTtitude and self-sacrifce.
Compared With Other Patriots.
He does not shine pre-eminent in many
Of those attributes that men then and
nov esteem the marks OF transcendant
genius.
I doubt if in statecFaft ard diplomacy
he was the equal OF Thomas Jefferson:
Samuel adams probably exceIled him in
power Of organization and leadership in
depth OF erudition and general culture he
was scarcely the peer Of Alexander Ham
iltoB; BENJAMIN Franklin was incompar-
among them, and above them, and around
them rose supreme the life and character
Of George Washington eXuding the in
frangible cement Of his own supreme IN
seIhshness. binding together men Of di-
verse temDeraments and ambitions hold
ing them steadIast 70 a common purpose.
BEaying and controlling them because he
inspired by that spirit whose domirancy
places him among the royal few % the
worlds immortals lived not TO be min
istered unto but 10 minister because he
loved himself last and losing what men
aspfTed and fought for. he found a fame
" hitter than il is brilliant
Beside his resting place whom We re-
we're as the heroic general, the patriotic
statesman. and the ViTtuoIs sage We are
come today, my brethren, 70 recall The
Esior OF our fathers
Stages Of Z Hation's Life
"a nations life. like the individual. has
its successive stages, and ever and al
ways new occasions breed new duties
For FIVE and thirty years this nation, SIS
blood cleansed and It's sores healed, las
been building up a gigantic internal
strength. Secure in an almost iasular
isolation from the contentious OF the
world. it has built up stupendous wealth