Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1914-05-09
COLONIAL DANES
DONATE TABLET
Impressive Scenes in Front
Of City Hall Yesterday
Evening.
W.J.BRYAN is PRESENT
Interesting Addresses, Inspiring Mu-
sic and Considerable Enthusiasm
Manifested by All Present.

THE presentation Of a tablet chron-
icing notes from the history OF Alex
andriu in colonial anil subsequent
davs and the unveiling of the same
late yesterday afternoon attracted
many people to the intersection o.
Cameron and Royal streets. An ap'
nropriately decorated stand had beer
erected and the area roped off in q
manner which enabled those on the
inside to have an abundance Of room
while those without hus} III the oppor'
tunity desired to witness all that was
done and to hear all that was said.
The weather during most of the
dav had been rainy and threatening
and had conditions been unpropltlouS
for outdoor exercises, the Corporation
Com-t room was to have been used
pnt as the hour for the exercises drew
near the sun shone brightly accom-
panied by crisp breeze, which rem
,.ered conditions all that could have
been desired.
The donors of the tablet, the Co.
lonial Danes of Virginia, occupied
seats on the stand, and, Unexpectedly
williams Jennings Bryan, secretary o.
State, who has ever been proud o!
the fact that Virginia blood courses
in his veins, was seen to take sea-
on the stand. While he made M
spesch he "cmG:ncl 20 Tx
close of the ceremonies and was greet
ed by as many AleXandrlans as cou'
get near him. Others on the stant
were Mrs. Bryan, Mrs. Joseph Rack
er Lamar, Mrs. Elihu Chauncey, Mrs
Foroussat, Mrs. Miller, Mrs. Lyster, Mrs
Nathaniel Y. Bacon, of the Society o
Colonial DANES. Capt Duncan Elliott
U. S. A., representing the War De
partment, and Commander McDougal
u. S. NJ, and his aide. Ensign Z. D
Langworthy, representing the Nav.
Department.
Many chairs had been placed on tn
Cameron street side Of the City Hal
and they were occupied by Alexandra
ans and people from Washington an
others living in the vicinity of thi
city.
Rev. P. p. Phillips, rector of 81
Paul's Church, opened the exercise
with the Lor,'s Prayer, after whici
Miss Rose NJ. Mcdonald, chairman o
the local committee, introduced Mrs
VIM. Ruffin Cox, Of Richrond. presi
dent of the National Society of Co
lonial DANES and Of the Virgini;
branch of the society. At the requrs
of Mrs. Cox, her speech presentin!
the tablet to the city, was read b.
George Washington Lewis in an in,
preSsive manner.
Mayor Thomas A. Fisher then aroS
and accepted the tablet on behalf t
the city of Alexandria in the follow
ing words:
Mrs. Cox, ladies of the society of II
Colonial Danes, my frieT3s and m
fellowtownsmen:
The part assigned me in the exc
ciscs of this evening in the prese1
tation of the tablet so generously &
mated to our city, is very simple on
and I sincerely wish that the chol'
with entire propriety had been a
corded to some one else, one bett
qualified to express in wore
thoughts pertinent to the occasi;
and more inclined to appear in publ
than myself. OF course, it is no Sc
ret that I am here only in represe
tative and official capacit
However; We arg rot iiia
ers of our own : fate, and
times must sacrifice our inelinatiq
or Incidence to what may be class
as our duties. It is in this spirit Il,
am the mediohf.to receive from y
thistablet. Upon the occasion af l.!
exanSria's centennial. March, 1880. t
orator, the late VIM. F. Carne. s
beganshis, soration, for it was tn
with the words: 81 esteem it hi
honor to speak of my native town
between two of its centuries, and