Durango semi-weekly herald., 1907-02-25
WAsHINoToN's 175TH ANNIvER.
SARY.


= The incident in his early life con
cerning the hatchet and the cherr,
tree shows that he was early dis
tinguished for his truthfulness an,
manly spirit.
AT the age of 16 he was a goot
surveyor and at 19 he was adjutan
of one of the Virginia militia districts
with the rank OF major.
At the age of 81 he was selected by
Governor Dinwiddle OF Virginia as a
person of distinction" under orders
OF the British government, to demand
an explanation of the French, who
were forming settlements in the north
west and in the Mississippi valley.
At the age of 23 he was commits
stoned as colonel in the British army.
and from that time, when as a sol
Ger of the king" he became dstin-
guished on the field, until he took
leave of his officers on Nov. 90, 1873,
after having overthrown the royal gov
ernment, he was the most important
fas<or in the affairs of the new coun-
try.
Ending an eventful and successful
military career, he retired to his home
at Mount Vernon. Va, from which
place in 1884 he wrote to Lafayette:
Il have become private citizen on
the banks of the Potomac, and under
the shadow of my own vine and fig
tree, free from the hustle of the camp.
l am solacing myself with
these tranquil enjoyments of which
the soldier who is ever in pursuit of
fame, the statesman and the
ception."
At the time Washington wrote the
quoted words to Lafayette he had no
thought that he would be called as
the president of the republic the liv-
ing reality of which he had created.
But SO, and on the 30th day of April.
1883, having been elected on the 9th
day of the same month, he took the
oath of office in New York city, hav-
Ing journeyed to that place from
Mount Vernon in his private carriage.
Washington served his country as
its first chief executive for a period
of eight years-two terms-and de-
clined third term. No other presi.
dent since Washington has enjoyed
this distinction.
1t is well enough to keep in mind
that there was something of the
strenuous" in the life of Washington
during his incumbency of the office
OF president of the United States, al
though 1t may have been directed
along different lines to that manifest
ed by some of his successors. In 1871
he was actively engaged in making a
survey of what is now Washington
City, and the building occupied by
him while making the survey for the
Hry still stands on what is now NJ
street, between Thirtieth and Thirty
first streets, Georgetown.
The national government, in conjunc-
tion with the states, has undertaken
to do honor to his memory by making
his birthday national holiday and by
erecting monuments of marble point
ing skyward. but the grandest and
most expressive tribute is embraced
in the lettering. First In War, First
In Peace and First in the Hearts of
His Countrymen,' as chiseled on the
statue which stands on the plaza at
the east OF the capitol.
Washington was very enthusiastic
Mason and was identified with the
lodge in Alexandria, Va, which was
chartered in 1888 under the Pennsyl-
vania jurisdiction, but in 1888 it was
rechartered as the Alexandria Wash
ing lodge No. %, and Washington was
Damed as worshipful master In the
charter.
Christ church, Alexandria, Va, Ivy
and moss covered, was completed and
delivered over to the vestry on Feb
27, 1913, the construction having been
Sbegun Jan. /, 1867. Colonel Washing
ton was one Of the first vestrymen of
the church, and on the day that it
was turned over by the builders he
purchased pew No. 5 for the sum OF
3G pounds and 10 shillings sterling,
agreeing also pay an annual rental OF
8 pounds for the same.
The church was consecrated by
Bishop Claggett of Maryland on June
IA, 1914. This ancient and historic
edifice is still used as a place of wor-
ship. 1t is Kept open every week
day. and is annually visited by thou
sands. A small admission fee is
charged for the purpose of defraying
the expense Of keeping it open to the
public. In the rear OF 1t and on the
south side is an old burial ground,
and some very old tablets, ante-dat.
ing the construction of the church,
are still standing, and are in re
markable state of preservation.