The sun., 1910-02-20
WASHINGTON.S BIRTHDAY.
New York the First City 70 Celebrate II
changes IN Ets Observance.

pace al DOWNTOWN tavern on the eVeninI
"i saturday. February ~, 1883, when !
group OF gentlemen met at dinner, dTanI
many toasts. made few speeches anc
Parted late and mellow with the under
standing that the performance shoulc
racdr annually. Other places caught ur
ne practice, and before Washington be.
sine President his birthday had beer
many times celebrated in various parts OF
the country.
Al the first recurrence of his birthday
after he became President, which was
IA 1890, Congress adjourned to wish him
we'll. The ceremony was really. much
like the celebration Of the British king
birthday TO which the country had been
long accustomed. In fact the tone of
the celebration in many parts of the
country during che first administration
Of Washington smacked Of adulation such
~ had been offered to kings Of old time.
Very had odes were written, and the
references in at least a part of the press
we're fulsome and extravagant. Washing
ton liked these demonstrations no batter
than he liked the ceremonial with which
his first master OF ceremonies tried tn
surround the Office Of President. Perhaps
Washington did not say to his zealois
master OF ceremonies. after being sud-
denly sprung upon a waiting thronR with
the loiD- announcement The President
cf the United States" you've brouOb,
me in once hut by you'll never bring
me in again" but he was not a man 10
rejoice in meie iiummery nor was he fond
of odes good or bad.
There came time in the second ad-
ministratior when many Of the people
talked at celebrating Washington's birth
day. Inc House Of Representatives was
discontented with the JAY treaty that
the usual adjournment ON February 2a
was voted down. No argument or ridi-
Cule on the part Of the Federalists
could shake the Republicans. who de-
clsred that the public business was too
pressing TO permit loss OF time in mere
ceremony. The usual celebration was
omitted in some strongly Republican COM |
nunitles and thinly attended in others
Even as late as that same year, i7os. |
some communities celebrated the BIRTH |
day on February II because washinRtou's
birth in 1892 antedated the adoption of |
the GregoTian calendar by Great Britain.
IL was celebrated ON that day OF iTp0 in |
fauquler county, Virginia, and at some
places in Kentucky. Soon afterward the
Date Of February y was generally adopted
When Adams came into office the
fashion OF celebrating the actual Presi-
dents birthday was kept up, and as
had been celebrated before
nc became President, SO the celebration
was continued after his retirement from
nhce jefferson discontinued the prac-
tlce OF celebrating the actual Presidents
and it has not been n matter Of
regular public celebration since. though
l..l1
his admirers after his retirement and has
a Democratic festival January ,
has been celebrated less in memory
If the battle OF New Orleans than in ,
lonor, Of jackson, the hero of the fight. :
Lincoln is the only other President who
las been honored by the regular celebra-
ion ~ his birthday
Practice as TO the celebration of WASH
ngton's birthday has in the course OF a l
entury and quarter undergone curious :
eath at Mount Vernon on December ia !
100, reached Congress- at Philadelphia .
our days later that body was stricken !
nth sorrow and surprise. The next = =
gy, the 10th, John Marshall. afterward !
hief Justice but then a Representative y y
om Virginia, offered p set Of resolutions Q
repaired by Richard Henry Lee and am a
odying the famous expression First a
war. first in peace and first in the hearts =
ms countrymen. Lee originally wrote !,
III.
vt in delivering euloKy a few DAYS 2
ter he substituted the latter word I
erhaps as smacking less OF French Red 8
and in that form his o
spression lives.
II was recommended by Congress in b
'e, resolutions upon the death OF Wash
igton that his oountrymen meet upon =
he following February 22 and do honor y
his memory by fitting ceremonies. n
p TO this time the celebration of Wash v
gton's birthday had been like the old a
'lebration OF the Kings birthday, the II
'casion Of popular fun, good deal OF g
ard drinking. games OF various kinds, | W
'yous parades, public banquets and pri- ell
deed but without undue solernnity.
nd often with some disorder
Just as the celebration of ThanksRiy- u
z caught something from the old GUY
swkes day mock ceremonies. such as
Iebration Of %ashinEton's biStbdaS ri ias
iitated the doings OF other popular 20 20
'lidays, In towns and cities there was "
general knocking OF OF work and closing re-
shops; in the country. and especially In
fies for deer and other large game ms
catching OF the creased pig and like fo'
rlesque doings. IL was perhaps AZ sw
is time that special customs arose In sb.
rious localities. At Wilmington Del. mi
mas long been the custom for the local ma
udily decorated beef on February %. 4
] he solemn turn that the celebration ths
'k in 1900, when there were sermons D.,
q eulogies. when newspapers were 80
blished with turned rules in token of MY MY
'urning and the country gave other We
ns of treating the holiday as avday OF ply
unity and sorrow, was felt more or less ohe
some time afterward, though the old Gus
'toms in many places at once reap on
1red. Even in Europe and in London mar
nif the anniversary was celebrated with say
nifty and sympathy in that year, finl
elaborate plans were made for the fina
ltennial celebration OF February 22 AR
,. By that time a strong movement T
$ on foot for the removal OF Washing Sar
s remains 70 the Capitol at Washing TO
!, but the occupant OF Mount Vernon ser,
I'M A. Washington. absolutely refused III,
permit the removal. The matter Was ~,
lated in Congress- and IL was argued =,
\ the removal was almost a necessitv
ase of the danger that Washington 4 Jew
lains would be stolen in so lonely a place ana
Mount Vernon. twas even said I'M Con- nov
ss that some foreigners had plotted wer
steal the body and carry IL on 10 he for
'Iblted in England. a very improbable fort
H. bIIf nnQ that vyaa kaoLal - n. - dfat