Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-06-25


ablest debater that he had ever known.
Xxx
In an article on Pohick Church which APP
peared in The Star Sunday April 16. the
services of Mason were roughly sketched
thus:
1T was Mason, the sage of Gunston,
who, after conference and correspondence
with Washington, drew up the non-impor-
tation resolutions offered by Washington,
and adopted by the Virginia assembly in
1863. One of these resolutions pledged the
signers to buy no slaves imported after
November !, 1863. Mason was the author
of a tract styled Extracts From the Vir-
ginia Charters and Some Remarks Upon
Them, supporting the contention that the
British parliament had not the right to
levy taxes on the American colonies. This
tract had wide vogue. Mason and Wash
ington attended the meeting of citizens of
Fairfax county held at Fairfax Court House
in July, 1774. Washington was moderator
of the conference Mason presented twenty
four resolutions in advocacy Of non-inter-
course with the mother country. These
resolutions were adopted, and were also
adopted by the Virginia convention which
assembled at Williamsburg in August, 1774.
1t was that body which elected Peyton
Randolph. Richard Henry Lee, George
Bland. Benjamin Harrison and Edmund
Pendleton delegates to the First Continental
Congress, and that congress substantially
adopted the Mason resolutions.
Mason, after once declining election and
once refusing to serve after election to the
Continental Congress. sat in the constitu-
tional convention of 1877. In that great
body he opposed slavery. saying it was a
source of national weakness and demOralf-
zation.' He advocated the direct election
of the President by the people for term
OF seven years, with fneiig1bil1ty for re-
election. He opposed the requirement Of
i1y, For or and ole
opposed the plan to make slaves equal to
freemen basis of representation. He
refued to sign the Constitution adopted.
and, with Patrick Henry, fought against
Its ratification by Virginia"
In the Virginia convention to ratlfy the
Constitution Mason led the opposition to
ratification, and standing by him were
Patrick Henry, Benjamin Harrison, James
Monroe and William Grayson The leaders
for ratification were John Marshall, Ed
mund Randolph, Richard Henry Lee,
George Washington and James Madison,
and so great was MaSonS influence that
in 16S votes the majority for ratification
was only ten, and this majority was OBJ
tanned only after the requisite number of
states had formally adopted the Constitu-
ton.
General Fitzhugh Lee In his Introduction
to Kate Rowland Mason's Life of George
Mason said:
Every fact bearing upon the character
and service of the statesmen whose genius
created a model form of human govern
ment should receive d warm greeting from
those who are proud of the growth, prog
ress and prosperity of the republic. The
harmonious working of the component
parts which enter into the life of the coun-
try today is the result OF the intelligent
labors of a small group of men over
hundred years ago. Like the rays of the
sun which give light to the world, a gov
eminent which proves capable of main
tanning the purpose for which it was
tablished and protects the liberties of its
citizens should be hailed and initiated by
mankind in every cline. The sword of
Washington carved success upon the stand
ards of the new republic. The pen of
Jefferson declared in immortal phrase our
independence of Great Britain.
Among the eminent patriots of those