Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-06-05

a little ST George on a signboard,
ALWAYS on horseback but never going
forward"
Freeholders Hold Meeting.
The American Revolution obtained
an early foothold in Loudoun County.
In 1874 public meeting of freeholders
was held in the newly constructed
courthouse at Leesburg. with Francis
Peyton, esq, in the chair, and resolu-
tons were passed favoring policy
of non-intercourse with Great Britain
until the obnoxious Stamp Act was re-
pealed. The next year a resolution
was passed declaring that the royal
governor, Dinwiddie. had forfeited the
confidence of the colonists and indoors
ing armed resistance. The county
had nearly 1000 men under arms in
the Revolution. In 1881. the old rec
ords show, her militia included 1,746
of her sons, many of the cavaliers
served with Daniel Morgan's Virginia
Riflemen-one Of the most picturesque
of all the Continental Army's units.
The Germans were mustered into Ar
mand's Legion, a regiment of non-
English-speaking soldiers recruited by
special authority of the Continental
Congress.
The Quakers. true to their religious
principles, refused to fight and re-
signed all public Offices. A heavy tax
was placed on their property to hire
substitutes. The more stubborn among
them refused to pay and their farms
were sold under the hammer.
Diary Is Discovered.
An intimate picture of life in Lees
burg during the latter years of the
Revolution has been obtained recently
with the discovery in England of the
diary of Nicholas Criswell, presum-
ably an authentic manuscript. The
young English traveller Criswell, un-
der close surveillance as a suspected
spy, spent much of his time at the
Loudoun county seat and was almost
continuously drunk. He set down
minute account of each of his frequent
and long-continued sprees with the
county gentry, and details the count
less rumors which came to the little
town of the defeats of the Damned
Slebers," as he termed the coloniSts.
Perhaps the most picturesque of
Loudoun's sons in the Revolution was
the colonial spy, John Champe, who
posed as a deserter and enlisted in
the British Army. When he finally
escaped with valuable information he
received a special discharge from fur.
Their service signed by George Wash.
lngton, since his execution would have
been a certainty if he ever had been
captured by the British. The old
county records show that special pro-
vision was made for the support of the
wives and children Of the Revolution
airy soldiers.
Becomes Virtual Capital.
Leesburg was substantially the Cap
ital of the United States for about two
weeks in 1914 after the capture of
Washington. When it appeared that
the Capital was in immediate danger
Madison ordered the state archives re-
moved. They were packed in linen
| bags and taken first to a grist mill
near Georgetown. Then, for further
safety, they were moved to Leesburg
and stored in the unoccupied house of
a clergyman named Littlejohn. The
Declaration of independence, it is gen
orally believed, was among them.
Many Loudoun County men served
| In the War of 1912, particularly the
northwestern Germans, who were COM
manded by Gen. Armistead T. Mason.
The Quakers once more refused to
| taxes. This led indirectly to one of
the most famous of American duels
Gen. Mason was elected to the United
states Senate after the war. He
sought to enact special legislation
Which would remove the injustice to-
ward Quakers by prescribing a fixed
sum to be paid for a substitute. His
stand brought about a bitter debate
between Mason and his cousin, John
L. Mccarthy, which was settled on the
historic dueling ground at Bladens-
burg. The Senator, owner of large
| estate about 1 miles north of Lees.
burg. was MORALLY wounded at the
first exchange of shots.
Monroe Builds Home.
At the expiration of his term in the
| White House James Monroe built the
| fine old country home, still standing,
at Aldie. about 8 miles from Lees
burg. He had made his architectural
plans while he was President.
The ex-President, however, had lit
tie ready money and probably never
was very happy in his new home,
Among those who assisted him finan.
cially was Lafayette, whose fortune
had been restored after the French
Revolution. The great Frenchman
visited Monroe, accompanied by John
Quincy Adams and two troops of
cavalry, in 1925. The party then pro
ceeded to Leesburg, providing one OF
the gala days in the history of the
little county seat.
Five years later Mrs. Monroe died
and the former President gave up his
struggle to keep his property. 1t was
offered for sale and sadly he went tC
live with his daughter in New York
where he died.
|, Sentiment Divided.
i, Loudoun County was enjoying an
era of unprecedented prosperity al
the start of the Civil War. At first
sentiment was about evenly divided
on the question of leaving the Union
The county sent two delegates, John
Janney and John A. Carter, to the
, State convention at Richmond, Jauu