Evening star., 1923-10-14
Career of Washington Closely Associated With Site of NJ

he first announced his epousal of the
cause of the colonies. In 1889, when
starting to his first inauguration, he
delivered a farewell address to his
neighbors from the steps of this
building. Shortly before he did so
he revived the local troops.
But the tavern was not alone the
starting place for wars or great
events. for in its handsome ballroom
on the second floor George and
Martha Washington trod to the
measures of many a stately colonial
dance.
| Indeed, it was in Alexandria that
J Washington cast his last vote, and
| there on January 20, 1900, Col. George
! Eneale, master of the Masonic lodge
and clerk of the court, recorded his
will.
| 1t has been the great pride of the
Alexandria Washington Lodge to
have assembled so many mementoes
| Of the public and private life of the
! first President. And by inheritance,
tradition and affiliation it is peculiarly
equipped to have inaugurated the
| movement for the memorial.
/ From the donation of the ancient
timepiece grew the lodges collection
| of Washingtonia. Other members OF
! the family and friends followed
Washington's example until there had
been assembled a collection of sur
passing historic and intimate per
sonal interest. A disastrous fire,
! however, occurred in May, 1871, in
which were lost many valuable relics
! aCgOpiqfnd ha
! lie career, with his contacts with
notable men of the day and with his
+! family life
But the loss would have been far
greater had it not been for the heroic
fight waged against the flames by the
hre department and the Masons who
rushed 10 the scene. AS a result,
many relics were saved or saIvaged.
Indeed. the collection has been ven
Grated throughout the nation. AL
though Alexandria came constantly
| into possession of the Confederate
forces during the civil war, no article
was destroyed or even removed from
It's familiar place in the collection.
For forty years thereafter the col
lection was closed to the public. But
finally, in 1907. after communication
with Alexandria had been improved
and the quaint old city was visited
by thousands, the display was placed
under the custody of a member of the
lodge and thrown open to the public.
Even these priceless relics had not at
all times been free from the vandaI-
| ism of the memento hunter and per-
sonal supervision was necessary.
In 1919 the city council of Alexan-
dria set apart the entire third story
of the west wing Of the city hall for
the Alexandria Washington Lodge
museum.
ICEN WASHINGTON became first
NJ or charter member of Alexandria
Lodge in 177S, shortly after the ap-
plication for a charter had been made
to the grand lodge in Virginia. Upon
the walls of the lodge still hangs the
document containing his name. signed
by Edmund Randolph. Governor OF
Virginia. He served as master for
twenty months. being reelected to
succeed himself. But for years prior
to that time he had been associated
with the lodge, and had been elected
as honorary member shortly after his
return from the revolution, when the
lodge was within the jurisdiction of
the provincial grand lodge of Penn
sylvania.
One of the priceless relics OF the
first President, a letter in his own
hand. under date of December 90,
1888, from Mount Vernon, reveals the
deep affection in which he cherished
his brother Nasons. The concluding
paragraph of the letter reveals his
spirit of love and desire for service:
Il shall always feel pleasure when
I it may be in my power to render
service to Lodge No. 80 and in every
act of brotherly kindness to the mem
bers of it, being in great truth your
affectionate brother
The friendship existing between
Washington and the old residents of
Alexandria was lifelong. From 1866
until the incorporation of Alexandria
in 1879 he had served as member of
the famous town council of the viii
lage.
AS he grew in public reputation
and experience his obligations to the
colonies greatly increased. But de-
spite the historic and momentous
nature of the events into which
Washington had been drawn, and in
whose direction he was foremost, he
ever maintained, with that fidelity
which was characteristic of his life,
the contacts and associations Of his
earlier years. Upon the conclusion
! of his active service to the nation he
was happy in resuming many of his
: earlier associations.
= His relation with the Alexandria
Washington Lodge, however, was
never broken. The Masonic apron he
: wore when master and at the laying
of the corner stone of the Capitol in
Washington is evidence as to how
closely he clung to his early friend
ships.
When Lafayette visited the United
States in 1926 he was received at the
lodge and wore the apron. And this
is one of the few times it has been
| worn since Washington's death.
A silver trowel was also used by
President Washington when laying
the corner stone of the Capitol on
September 1S, 1898. It is in posses
| sion of the Alexandria Washington
Lodge today and is the one which
| will be used at the forthcoming ex-
ercises. The ceremony was conducted
by the Grand Lodge of Maryland,
which, until 1911, held jurisdiction
over the District of Columbia
On this occasion President Wash
ington's own lodge from Alexandria
, marched as escort of honor. the Presi-
, dent following, with DR.. Elisha Gull
, len Dick, one Of the organizers OF the
lodge, on the right hand. and Joseph