Evening star., 1909-05-21
PATRIOT AND SCHOLAR
Tributes TO the Character of
John Witherspoon.
|WASHINGTON'S RIGHT HAND
Aimed to Fit Young Men for the
Service of Their Country.
LED IN CONTINENTAL CONGRESS
British Ambassador Eulogizes One Of
the Signers Of the Declara-
tion Of Independence.
WASHINGTON'S RIGHT HAND
LED IN CONTINENTAL CONGRESS

"I am glade to be relieved OF the
task of discussing Witherspoons political
action declared James Bryce. the Brit
ish ambassador. in the course Of his ad-
dress at the unveiling of the statue to
| the patriot and philosopher in front of
the Church of the Covenant yesterday
afternoon. The ambassador feared, he
said, that discussion OF this phase of
the case would lead to endless contro-
versy.
Address Of Ex-Secretary Foster.
Former Secretary OF State John w.
Foster made the Introductory address
at the exercises. He said:
"The memorial to John Witherspoon, the
consummation OF which we celebrate to-
day, owes its initiative to Rev. DR.. Teunis
8. Hamlin. He was much concerned when
the government reservation in front of the
Church of the Covenant was selected as
the site for the statue OF a general on
horseback, and when later another loca-
ton was chosen for 1t he urged his
friends to improve the opportunity by the
erection on this site of statue OF John
Witherspoon, a revolutionary patriot de-
serving OF q memorial in the National
Capital. and in a place worthy Of its sur
roundings. under the shadow of church
of the denomination to which he had
given SO much Of the labors Of a long
life.
THE Memorial Association formed to
carry out the project determined to make
its appeal for funds to limited number
of persons of Scotch origin and those of
Presbyterian proclivities. A considerable
portion of the funds was subscribed be-
fore DIR. Hamlin's death and the remain
der within a short time thereafter. 1t
people that the money necessary to erect
the memorial was SO promptly and cheer
fully subscribed.
The last act Of DR.. Hamlin's life was a
visit to New York to confer with artists
for the execution of the work. Within
less than two and half years from its
inception the statue stands today COM
plete, the first erected in the National
Capital by public subscription to a signer
of the Declaration Of Independence. This
celerity and success have been accom-
plished through the cooperation of such
patriotic women as Mrs. Stanley Mat
thews and Mrs. John Hay: of Senator 8.
B. Elkins and Representative William B.
Mckinley; Of that enthusiastic Scotch
American. Andrew Carnegie: Morris X.
Jesup, Of blessed memory, and other
worthy citizens throughout the country.
whose interests have been carefully
by our secretary. Henry B. F. Macfar-
land, and our treasurer, E. Southland
Parker.
There are many descendants Of DR..
John Wftherspoon to be found all over
the Union, from Maine to California and
from Minnesota to Texas. These, so far
as diligent inquiry could locate them,
have been invited to the exercises, and a
goodly company Of them are present with
US today"
Type Of the Scottish Race.
Following is the address of Ambassador
Bryce:
He was a remarkable man In all his
three characters OF pastor. politician and
college president. OF none Of these three
sides OF his career am asked to