Evening star., 1915-02-14


of number of historic trees
including the Webster oak at
q the Vineyard. the Howard
Payne chestnut at Chichester, on the
Eastern branch. and the Humboldt sas-
safras trees in the grounds of the Sol
diers' Home. This subject has recalled
u giant black walnut tree which stood
in the grounds of Gunston Hall a few
Years ago and probably stands there
now. Under that tree often sat Thomas
Jefferson and George Mason. and. pre-
sumably. other distinguished persons
who were friends of Mason and who
were frequent visitors at his home.
Some of these friends and neighbors
were Raleigh Travers- of the great
Raleigh family. and who married the
half-sister of Mary Ball of Epping
Forest: Col Peter Daniel of Crows
Nest, John Mercer of Marlboro. Va:
the Hedgemans. Mountjoys. Col.
Thomas Ludwell Lee of Berry Hill and
Bellvue. Daniel Carroll Brent of Rich
land. the Fitzhughs of Boscobei, the
Ewells of Belle Air. the Seldens of
Plaine. Richard Henry Lee of Chan
tilly. William Fitzhugh of Ravens
worth. John Augustine Washington of
Bushheld. Richard stuart of Cedar
'ToNe, ffeHTN ilZHuSH cl pcuiolt' tHo
Chichesters of Newington. Col Black
burn of Rippon Lodge. the Fairfaxes
of Bellvoir and the Washingtons of
Mount Vernon
There is no doubt in the mind of the
Rambler that all these colonial nota-
bies and their families have rested in
the shade of that black walnut tree.
In addition to these. many of the great
characters of the prerevolutionary,
the revolutionary and the early repub-
lican periods were guests a one time
or another of George Mason of Gun
ston hall He was a man of great in
fiuence and his opinion and advice were
courted by men who were conspicuous
in the public eye in those times
The Rambler has spent many happy.
sunny hours lounging under that tree
and dreaming of the sage of GunSton.
In the popular understanding George
Mason does not bulk large as a founder
of the American republic. but the ma
tion owes much to his memory. In the
prerevolutionary and Constitution max
ing eraS few men stood high
Mason He was a devoted believer in
popular government and a magnificent
champion of the American commons.
He was might exponent of the theory
of governing system where there
should be liberty without license and
authority without despotism." He was
the inspiration of George Washington
and Thomas Jefferson, and they leaned
on him for counsel He was also an
inspiration to James Madison. the
father of the Constitution, and it was
Patrick Henry who gave voice to the
sentiments of Mason.
In years long gone the Rambler wrote
some meditations on Gunston Hall, and.
rejecting on how Masons mind had
influenced many of the prominent fig
ures in our history, wrote:
Mason forged many thunderbolts which other
men hurled. He often spoke with the tongues Of
burgesses. the Continental Congress and the
stitutional convention His spirit lives In the
Declaration of Independence. In this there IL
no will wrong the memory Of Washington,
Of those patriots who loom the larger as their
times recede-whose goodness grows palmer as
the perspective lengthens. There is in this
only humble desire to tell that Mason Was .
great Virginian and, if service to ones country lie
the test of greatness, that he was great man
among the mighty men whose strength ban ssed
from our land the banner of st. George. Thomas
Jefferson said that George Mason was the wisest
man of bis generation. and James Madison saio
be was the ablest debater be had ever known
1t was George Mason of Gunston who,
after conference and correspondence
with Washington. drew up the non-im-
portation resolutions offered by Wash
ington and adopted by the Virginia as
a tract styled Extracts from the Vir-
ginia Charters and Some Remarks
Upon Them.'' supporting the conten-