Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1916-02-20

chosen the first president Of the society.
and Judge William Cranch. eminent as
a learned jurist and for the upright
ness of his life. was selected as the first
vice president. Other officers then chosen
were the mayor of Washington. second
vice president Cat that time John T. Van
Ness. formerly representative in Con-
gress); w. w. Seaton. third vice presi-
dent; Samuel H. Smith. treasurer. and
George Watterston. the first librarian of
Congress. secretary. A. the same time q
BOARD Of managers was elected. consist
Col: James Kearney. U. s. A.; Col:
Nathan Towson. U. s. A.; Col. Archibald
Henderson, U. s. M. C: Mtthew st. Claire
Clarke. John McClelland. Thomas Num-
toni. Col. George Bomford, U. S. A:
Roger c. Weigh man, Pete Force, Will
liam Brent William A. Bradley and
Thomas Carbery.
President James Madison was elected
PRESIDENT. On the death of Mr.. Madison
It was provided that the President OF the
United States should be ex-officio presi-
Gent, and such has been the case ever
since.
February %. 1859. the society was char
tered by Congress after having, as a vol
untary association. raised by popular SUBJ
scription the money to lay the founda-
ton OF the Monument Gin July, 1s4S),
ana to carry the shaft to 1856 feet in
height During the period of the civil
var and reconstruction days the society
continued its efforts to raise funds to con-
tlnue the work and to complete the shaft
but the conditions of the times and the
country were not such as to give en-
couraging results.
Congress Acted in 1875.
Memorials for a contribution by Con-
gress toward the completion of the Monu-
nent were presented by the society to
that body in 1872. and again in 1874. 1t
was not. however, until July 5, 1876, the
centennial year. that Congress acted in
he matter. That day Senator John Sher-
man offered resolutions which were
adopted by the Senate (later by the
touse). and which provided that Con-
y-ess would assume the completion Of the
Monument. This was followed by an act,
August 2. 1876, creating a JOINT commits
sion for the completion OF the Monument.
which law provided that the society under
its charter should continue Its oiganiza-
ton for the purpose of soliciting and COL
Letting money and materials from the
states, associations and the people in aid
of the completion Of the Monument, and
acting in an advisory and cooperative ca
pacity with the commission named by
the act By the terms Of that act the
society reconveyed to the United States
he reservation of thirty acres on which
the Monument stands.
October 2, 1888, Congress by law dis
solved the joint commission and piaclI
the custody. care and protection of the
Monument" with the Secretary of w
he act further providing that 1.-THE
Washington National Monument Society
IS hereby continued in the same powers
as provided in the act of August 2, 1875.
creating the joint commission
And thus the society exists today,
eighty-two years since its original foun.
fation. the oldest organization in the Dis
cret orders.
Only Four States Unrepresented.
The society has been engaged for some
time in an endeavor to complete within
the Monument the collection of memorial
blocks from the states of the Union. 1t
was purpose in the conception of the
Monument that all states should be rep
resented therein. The only states NOT so
represented at this time are Texas, Okla
homa, Arizona and New Mexico.