Evening star., 1909-02-25
BIRTH OF WASHINGTON
Occurred February II Under
Julian Calendar.
CELEBRATIONS THAT DAY
No National Observance February
20 Until After Death.
DIARY OF FIRST PRESIDENT
Tells Of What he Did on Anniver.
sary During His Life-Honored
by French Army.
DIARY OF FIRST PRESIDENT

There are but q few persons in thc
United States who celebrated the birth
day of our first President who realize
that George Washington was not born
on the 22d, but on the 11th day of Feb
ruary. 1882
| The statement may seem startling in
view of the long-established custom Of
making this day of the month a holiday.
| The fact is, however, that Washington
was born before the adoption of the Gre
gorian calendar.
A little research work in the Library of
Congress or the Public Library will show
that the natal day Of the great man
for whom this city is named and who
is the foremost figure of our national his
| tory occurred February II.
Since the days OF julius Caesar the
civilized world measured its time by what
| is known as the Julian calendar. There
| was an error Of eleven minutes a year
| in that calendar, and the accumulation of
| this error amounted to ten days at the
| end of the sixteenth century, the time Of
Pope Gregory XIII.
Gregorian Calendar Adopted.
In 1862 the English government adopt
| ed the reformed. or Gregorian, calendar.
| and events jumped ahead because it was
| found that the vernal equinox by that
| year took place just eleven days ahead
Of time by the ol,. reckoning. England
was trifle slow in reforming it's CAL
endar
| Spain. Portugal and France adopted the
| change in 1852, the Catholic population of
| Switzerland. Germany and Netherlands
| in 1883. Poland in 1888 and Hungary in
| 1857. Russia has never adopted it.
George Washington, however. did not
persistence. He was twenty years old
In 1852. when the change affected the
colonies, and up to then had celebrated
his birthday February II. When the
day began to be noticed as a public
| event. even in his own lifetime. there
| were receptions and similar ceremonies
! held February IL.
| ;. One of the entries in Washington's
diary for 1850 is follows:
February IL. went with the family to
ball In Alexandria given by the citizens
| OF 1t and its vicinity in commemoration
of my birthday"
February IL. fell on Sunday that year
and SO February II was chosen.
| Dinner at Alexandria.
Ten years later, in 1893, the year of
his death, he was still keeping diary
and February II wrote:
Went up to Alexandria to the cele-
bration of my birthday. Many ma
neuvers were performed by uniformed
corps. and an elegant ball and supper at
night
Washington's diary for February II,
17G0. shows that he was out on the fields
of the farm helping the hands move
small house from one part of the farm
to another. His own words tell Of it:
went out early myself and continued
with my people till one o'clock. in which
time We got the house about $50 yards.
Was Informed then that Mr. DigSs was at
my house. upon which 1 returned. finding
him and DR.. Laurie there. The ground
being soft and deep we found it to be
no easy matter with twenty hands. eight
horses and six oxen to get the house
along"
In 176S he spent his birthday, February
IL, with a ducking gun in hand. He
states that he hunted until dinner. but
says not a word about what luck he
had.
A search of the old records and papers
shows no celebration by Washington's
army of the generals birthday until 1871.
II may be said that in that year occurred
the hrst observance of the event by per-
sons other than Washngton's family.
French Officers Honor Him.
Rochambeau and several French and
American officers sat down to dinner
February 12 Of that year. Washington be-
ing absent. Rochambeau sent a letter
to Washington, saying:
Yesterday, Sunday. was the anniver-
sary of your excellencys birthday. We
have put off celebrating that holiday
until today by reason of the Lord day.
We will celebrate it with the sole regret
that your excellency be not a witness OF
the effusiOn and gladness of our hearts"
Washington's reply by letter was:
1.-THE hattering distinction paid to the
for which / dare not attempt to express
my gratitude. l confide in your excel
lencys sensibiiity to interpret my feel
inGs for this. and for the Obliging manner
in which you are pleased to announce It,.
There was no material celebration of
February p as Washington's birthday
until some time after his death.
Celebration of February 22.
Newport. r. L.. claims the distinction
of being the first community to observe
that date. In 1884. fifteen years before
he died, Citizens association met and
arranged for the bells to be tolled and
houses decorated February %. An en-
tertainment in honor of the day was
given that evening aboard an Indian
merchantmen lying in the harbOr.
The Tammany Society of New York
went on record in 1890 as favoring Gel
ebration of February -. Other cities
from then on began to celebrate that day.
In 1901 Philadelphia. then the national
capital, had a rousins time February
o2 The Gazette contains what at that
time was fine report of the doings of
the Quaker city:
Yesterday being the anniversary of
the birthday of the President of the
United States, when he attained the fifty
ninth year Of his age, the same was cele
brated here with every demonstration Of
public JOY. The Artillery and Light In
fantry Corps of this city were paraded,
and at IL o'clock a federal salute was
! fired.
1.-The congratulatory compliments of the
members of the legislature of the Union,
| the heads of the departments Of the
| Union, foreign ministers. officers civil
and military of the state. the reverend
| clergy and strangers and citizens Of dis
| tinctiOn were presented to the President
| on this auspicious occasion"
Philadelphia made much of the day
while the seat of government was there,
as the old newspaper files will show.
MAY GO TO MADRID.
Senior de Quesada, Cuban Minister,
Likely to Be Transferred.