Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-12-19
Section Rich i'm History.
Boulevard to Richmond Passes
Through Consecrated Ground.


example, then philosophy's academies
are the most thickly clustered in the
country traversed by the boulevard
from Washington to Richmond. Every
mile of it is of intense interest to the
student.
Plato, the father of idealism, pro-
pounded under the classic Hex groves
of the Academia at Athens lofty
concept of government which has
claimed the admiration of the world
in all the ages, but they all stopped
with admiration. There has been no
serious attempt to reduce 1t to prac-
tice.
A century and half ago, George
Mason of Gunston Hall, evolved under
the groves of crimson oaks on the
banks of the Potomac a new ideal or
government for the new Nation IN
the New World, which was star
fling challenge to the age-incrusted ma
tons beyond the seas. 1t was for
government of the peol.e. for the peo-
pie, and by the people. Like Minerva,
who sprang full armed and capable
from the brain of Jupiter, it entered
the arena throwing down it's gauntlet
TO all corners, especially Great Britain,
the strongest of them all, In the ma
jestic words of Daniel Webster:
ION this question OF principle, the
Colonies raised their flag against a
power to which, for purposes OF Tor
eign conquest and subjugation, Rome
in the height of her glory is not to
he compared-a power which has
dotted over the surface of the whole
globe with her possessions and mill
tary posts, whose morning drum-beat,
following the sun, and keeping com
panv with the hours, circles the
earth with one continuous and I'M
broken strain Of the martial airs OF
England"
The Government so instituted met
all the needs of humanity. In the
short historic period of $50 years 1t
grew from a thin line of sea coast
colonies to the richest and most pow
erful and peaceful nation on the
globe. George Mason's Bill of Rights
is an essential portion of the Constr
tuition of the United States Ihree
Presidents had their birthplace and
rearings in that historic country,
these were Washington, Madison ana
Monroe, and they guided the Nation
through "a years of troublous carry
history.
d or miles from George Mason's home
at Gunston Hall. is Mount Vernon, the
revered home of George Washington.
supreme as an empire builder, exalted
first American and worthy recipient OF
the sword sent to him by Frederick
the Great inscribed From the Oldest
general in the world to the greatest.
Fifteen miles from Washington CITY,
directly on the boulevard, is the Ia
nous Pohick Church, large and SUB
stantiaI structure-erected by wash
ington and the vestry something over
150 wears ago. 1t is pretenttouS
enough for the seat of a bishop. 1t
was in the middle of the vast extent
Of Truro Parish, which then extended
hack to the Bull Run Mountains. II
seemed it would attain Episcopal
honors when it's thousands OF square
miles of fertile fields were well peopieo'
1t was the social, political and rengl-
Gus center of that great region.
George Washington. mounted on ms
thoroughbred, carefully groomeo noIse,
would ride thither on Sunday, followed
NV Mrs. Washington in her stately
carriage. The planters would discuss
crops and prices, the local politics ana
tbe latest phase of British tyranny.
The ladies would talk society gossip OF
the neighborhood and the fashlonss
IT has been recently restored TO lts
former old-time magnificence by patrl-
otic ladies and the services are Wen
attended. Adjoining it is the ceme-
terv. containing the remains or many
whose names are prominent IN ReVo7
lutionary annals.
AS the boulevard crosses the Deco
ouan it passes by the deserted site OF
Colchester, once a seaport ana porI
of entry. It had all the appearances
of a thriving city. Col. Wllilam gray
son, prominent member OF Washlng'
chant" of Colchester.
Not far from the southern end of the
boulevard is the former home of Chlel
Justice John Marshall, ablest Jurlst
since Moses. Thoroughly imbued with
the spirit Of the new Nation, his WISE
far.seeing decisions became the might
est factors in welding the dlssldent
colonies into one mighty Nation. MID
wav of it's course the boulevard crosses
the Rappahannock Red River OF inter-
necine strife and passes the historic
CITY of Fredericksburg. This city was
Virginia's fiery heart of the Revolu-
ton. It's citizens were ardent patrl-
OTIS. Many Of their names STAND hign
on the roll of the Revolution, heaoeo
by John Paul Jones, father OF the
American Navy, and Gen. Hugh Mer.
GER, who died CALAMITY at the heao Oh
his division in Princeton.
Gibbon says that if there is such
thing as resurrection of the body there
will more bodies rise on resurrection
morn from the plain of Esdraelon or
Jez Reel. This covers gap In the
Lebanons through which the hordes
of Asia for over 1900 years poured
down upon Palestine. We could de-
scribe the size of Esdraelon by a tri-
angle drawn from Fredericksburg to
Orange Court House thence to Spotsyi-
vania Court House and thence back TO
fredericksburg. Upon this tract OF
territory 100000 men have CALAMITY
died fighting for what they believed TO
be right. When death rode with his
sickle keen over the fields of conflict,
Fredericksburg, Charlottesville, Mine
Run, the Wilderness and Spotsylvanla,
literally thousands fell on his left and
tens of thousands on his right hand.
When the Assyrian came down like
a wolf on the fold with his cohorts
cleaning in purple and gold, the loss
of his entire army was not more than
the Union and Confederate armies in
an outpost affair. A man consecrates
the ground upon which he dies for
principle, consequently the ground
around Fredericksburg must have con-
secration exceeding that Of any other
spot on earth.
Turning their backs upon the sad
but glorious memories of the Wilder
ness and Spotsylvania, they paused
not an instant to weep for the fallen
The survivors of the armies of Meade
and Lee plunged into weeks of mortal
wrestling for the road to the Chicka.
hominy. Scarcely an hour passed
without the cannon booming and the
deadly rifle seeking it's prey. The line
of the gruesome march from. the Rap
pidan to the Chickahominy was a
sad sequence Of shallow graves mark
ing every step. Upon the Chickahom-
inv they came upon similar line of
graves two years old from Cold Har-
Dor to Seven Pines and Malvern Hill
marking the strife and slaughter of
low, rxyhin oh