Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-07-04
BY MARGARET ID. DOWNING.

"HE National Capital is not
usually associated in the pub
lie mind with the signerS OF
Il the Declaration of Independ-
ence. Philadelphia, the scene
OF the struggles and eventual victory,
later TO be a capital of the young
Republic, is given exclusive rights
to the glory that pertains to these Sc
heroes of July 4, 1916, admittedly the
most remarkable political body which
the annals of the world can show.
Twenty-four years elapsed between
the signing and the occupation of
Washington's name city on the Po-
tomac. OF the Sc men who sat in
solemn conference in the Continental
Congress on that July ! and signed
the charter of liberty. but II were
living when the seat of government
was removed from Philadelphia into
its permanent quarters III what was
then called the Federal District of
Columbia.
Yet of these II survivors of the
crucial period during the war of lib
Grafton, the dangerous interval after
Yorktown and the adoption of the
Federal Constitution, II were officials,
past or present, of the government.
There were two who were President
and Vice President, John Adams and
Thomas Jefferson. Samuel Chase of
Maryland was associate justice of the
Supreme Court, and William Floyd Of
New York !; member of the House Of
Representatives. Seven others OF the
signers were keenly interested in the
governmental transition. Thomas
Mexican of Delaware, then Governor
Of Pennsylvania who was an intimate
friend and political lieutenant Of JEFF
ferson, and DR. Benjamin Rush, the
eminent physician, a graduate of
Edinburgh. and Washngton's first
public health officer, since unoffcially
he had come to the aid Of the young
Capital. then in the building, during
the yellow fever scare in 1898, and
he had kept a vigilant eye on it's
health measures until his death in
1913.
DR. Rush was director Of the mint
In Philadelphia and his duties later
brought him frequently to Washing
ton to confer with the Treasury Of
ffcials George Clymer of Pennsyl-
vania had been a member of the first
United States Congress, but in 1925
he laid down the burden of public
service and thenceforth concerned
himself with the Indian problem. He
rendered valuable service to Presi-
dents jefferson and Madison in
framing treaties with the Cherokees
and Creeks.
Elbridge Gerry OF Massachusetts
was in the diplomatic service under
President Adams and, with John Mar
shall and Charles CoteSworth Pinck'
ney, was of that trio Of intrepid en-
vows to the hostile and venal French
Directory of 1897, who uttered the
singing rebuke contained i'll the cpl
gram, millions for defense, but not
one cent for tribute" This robust
patriot was elected on the ticket with
James Madison in 1872 and was in
augurated with that Chief Magistrate
on March 4, 1918. He died in the
National Capital on November %,
1914. and rests under stately mon
ument in the Congressional Cemetery.
This Vice President was the only one
Of the Sc signers who ended his ca
reer in the Capital of the Nation of
which he was in the most complete
sense a founder. Senator Peter Goelet
Gerry of Rhode Island is a grandson
of the signer.
William Ellery of Rhode Island was
collector of customs for his native
State from 1880 until 1893, and he
made regular visits to the Federal
City until his death in 1913. Matthew
Thornton of New Hampshire followed
the healing arts, and he had rendered
heroic service to the armies in the
= field dartng the Revolutionary &xna