Evening star., 1927-10-02
BY WILL r. KENNEDY.


IS, IA and Is that now thriving indus
trial city is to celebrate the 150tt
anniversary of the meeting there OF
the Continental Congress.
The town was then only SO years
old, having been founded in 1741 and
named by James Logan after the
manufacturing city of York. in York
shire, England. 1t is also known as
THE White Rose City" which name
was likewise transplanted from York
England. The unfolding of the
white rose" until its fragrance is
waited world wide is the theme Of a
pageant-"festival to Almighty God
in commemoration of past glories, in
gratitude for present prosperity and
in hope for future weal''-which is
the main spectacular feature of the
eesQuicentennial celebration
There were but 2S6 houses and I, 800
Inhabitants when the weary and fugi
tive Continental Congress sought shell
ter there. at a time when the chief
cities of the country were in the hands
of the enemy and Philadelphia, the
Capital, about to be taken. The battle
Of Brandywine, just 10 days previous,
had ended in favor of the invading
British. Washington and his Army
had retreated in an orderly way to
Chester, Pa, where he and his gen
erals were preparing the troops for
another attack on the British at Ger.
mantown, four days after York be-
came the temporary Capital. The
plan of attack showed that Washing
ton contemplated the capture of the
British army, but a dense fog pre-
vented the accomplishment of that
purpose.
York has grown into a city COM
L.; -, i
immediate environs Il population of
more than 5000 inhabitants, the fame
of whose manufactures has spread to
the far corners of the earth, with
nearly $4,000 persons working in her
industrial plants. She leads the world
in the volume of production of 10
principal manufactured articles. There
are 226 enlisting marshals and 4,500
participants in the pageant visualiz-
ing this progression.
Led by an official delegation from
both branches Of Congress. accom-.
panied by scores Of high officials of
the Federal Government, hundreds of
Washington people. for the most part
representing patriotic organizations,
are to make the pilgrimage to York.
While the weary and fugitive Cont
mental Congress was holding its ses.
sions behind closed doors in York
County's first courthouse, then located
in what is now Continental Square,
the people of the 13 colonies were
looking to them to find a way out"
for American independence. The sit
uation was expressed by Samuel
Adams in his urgent appeal to a
caucus of American patriots three
days after the Congress arrived in
York:
Gn,,- n ffo i've ora cold - Joo do.nn,o.o
but we are not without hope and not
without courage. The eyes of the
people Of this country are upon us
here, and the tone of their feeling is
regulated by ours"
THE most famous men in America
at that time gathered in York,
most of them having played a promi-
nent part in the events leading up to
the Declaration Of Independence, and
26 of the delegates in the Continental
Congress meeting in York had signed
their names to that immortal docu-
ment.
From Massachusetts there was
Samuel Adams, the great leader of
the Revolution and of Congress, and,
therefore, the man upon whose head
England had set price. John Adams
was another active delegate, signer
of the Declaration of Independence
and later second President Of the
United States. John Hancock, who,
with Samuel Adams. was considered
by England the chief cause of Amer
ica's rebellion, was the first President
of Congress and a signer of the
Declaration. Elbridge Gerry, also a
signer, who later played a prominent
part in the affairs of government and
who made the first public proposal in
Congress to acquite territory for the
National Cop;tal on it's present site,
and Francis Dana, a famous journal
ist and patriot, who in 1879 became
secretary of the legation sent to
France, were in attendance.
From Rhode Island there were such
men as Henry Marchant, famous for
his patriotic speeches in Congress and
for helping to ratify the Federal Con.
Stitution.
From New Hampshire Nathaniel
Folsom served on important COM
From Connecticut were the eminent
jurists, Richard Law and Eliphalet
Dyer, outstanding sponsors of Amer.
lean liberty. The latter served as
Chief Justice of the United States
from 1889 to 1898.
From New York came Lewis Nor.
rts, who shortly after signing the
Declaration resigned in 1777, giving
place to his brother, Gouverneur Nor
rfs, in order that he himself might go
back to New York to influence and
help the people there in sustaining
the cause of independence Philip
Livingston, a prominent philanthropy
ist Of New York, was also a signer of
the Declaration. He died while the
Congress was in session in York, and
Is buried there.
From Maryland were the two sign.
ers, Charles Carroll and Samuel
Chase. The former had been infiu-
entail in inducing the delegates from
Maryland to vote for independence,
and the latter, also bold and out
spoken in the cause, later served in
the convention which ratified the Con-
stitution of the United States.
From Virginia We're those outstand-
ing personages. Francis Lightfoot
Lee, Richard Henry Lee and Ben5a-
min Harrison. all three signers Of the
Declaration. Richard Henry Lee was
a great friend Of Samuel Adams, and
ii was he who proposed the resolu-
ton for the independence Of the col.
onies, which was seconded by John
Adams. Lee served on nearly 100
committees in Congress during the
sessions OF 1777 and 1878.
From Delaware came Thomas Nc.
Kean, noted for his stanch allegi-
ance to the cause Of independence
from the date OF its inception.
From New Jersey came John With
erspoon, a radical Whig and con.
spicuous educator, who had also
signed the Declaration.
From North Carolina came John
Penn. another "signer" and promi.
nent in the affairs Of his State.
From South Carolina came William
Drayton and Henry Laurens. The
former had been q member Of the
Council of Safety and Of the Secret
fNorox,iftao of Eiya Ia ro%al~o5 t,;a