Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-04-26
CAPT. Won H0At1el
COf1nANDlNe THE AUSTRIAN
BATnESnlP ST. GEORGE:

ON the eve of dissolution it was the veneer
able Benjamin Franklin who gave utterance
to those remarkable words: God governs
in the affairs of men, and if a sparrow
cannot fall to the ground without his no
tlce. is it proba bic that an empire can rise
without His aid?" Those of us who agree
with Franklin do not believe that the birth
of the nation the soil of Virginia was
accidental. For. from the inspired book
are we not taught that he who would at
tain the bliss of eternal life must be born
again: and in our subsequent history may
we not see the analogy between man and
a nation? For, if the first birth of our re-
public was at jamestown on the 18th of
May, 1907, will it be denied that the second
birth. necessary to its immortality, took
place at Yorktown, on the soil of old Vir-
gnia, on the 18th of October 1871?
The Seats of Honor.
At the table that is this day spread for
you, the thirteen original colonies occupy
the seats of honor, while their daughters
and granddaughter. in the consteliatio of
states. vie with each other in the brill
nancy of their garments and the patriotism
of their sentiments; and the nations of the
world, hohOring America by the presence
of their distinguished sons. lend an interest
to the occasion as they contemplate with
eager eye this happy reunion of all the
peoples of America on the hearthstone of
the mother of them all.
The men behind the guns, who have
eral patronage of the federal government,
and the governments of the several States.
All that education, science and skill could
produce. with the limited means at Their
command, has been invoked for the COM
pIeted work The federal government stands
facile princeps in its liberal benefacuons,
and each state present has freely given OF
Its substance in proportion to- its means for
its proper representation here today. IN
its formation and building the points of
the compass have been disregarded or lost.
for here there is no north, no south, no
east no west; but we are each "aS distinct
as the pillows, but one as the sea.
The Work Before Us.
AS we rejoice in the work before us, and
congratulate each other that the long
looked for day has come and our hopes
are at last realized. we cannot forget that
there is one vacant chair in our midst.
DESPITE his years of leadership. Moses, who
led his people successfully through the
Wilderness was never permitted to see the
promised land So Fitzhugh Lee, under
whose stimulating leadership the founda-
tons of this work were lad ana VINO Tor
through the wilderness of doubt and dis
trust into the smiling valleys of hope and
confidence is denied by Providence the
privilege of seeing with us the work of his
hand finally and successfully completed.
And this day, which to many of us is the
realization of the hopes of years. IS thus
saddened by the fact that our first. our
great president, is not allowed to share
our ioy with US. In this presence we lay
the tribute of our obligation to him on his
tomb this day. for his invaluable work for
this cause and with it the tribute of the
sincere affection of all who shared his COM
pa nionship or claimed his friendship.
His great zeal his CHEEKY nature, his
greatness of soul and his charming per-
sonality contributed as much as any other
cause to eulist the interest of the country
in this great project. He possessed a zeal
that accomplished something; heart that
loved something; a faith that believed
something and patriotism that was ready
to die for something. Whether following
the pillow or the bugle or the serious work
of this enterprise he
Ever with froc welcome took
The thunder and the sunshine"