Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-05-07
BY DONALD A. CRAIG.

BY DONALD A. CRAIG.
Maryland, that George Washington
knew and loved probably best of all the
colonies and States next to his home
Commonwealth of Virginia, has been
one of the pioneers in the movement to
celebrate the hicentennial Of his birth.
Every time Washington looked across
his spacious lawn, over the picturesque
waters of the broad Potomac, his eyes
fell upon the hills of Maryland. AS a
young man he hunted, fiShed and went
to dances and many "rout" just across
the river on the Maryland side" AS
he grew older he found as many true
friends on the Maryland side OF the
great waterway as in his beloved Old
Dominion.
How the Old Line State stood by him
stanchly through the trying years OF
the War of Independence has been
touched on briefly here for the readers
of The Star by William Tyler Page,
clerk of the House of Representatives
and executive secretary of the George
washington Bicentennial Commission
Mr.. Page Is Marylander with the pride
of the Old Line State very much at
heart.
Mr.. Page is also the author of the
only definite plan for the year-long, Ma
tion-wide celebration of the washington
bicentennial that has been published.
It is now being followed in all OF its
main outlines and most OF Its details
by the directors OF the 2ootn anniver s,
American history and especially OF the
life of Washington.
Pioneer i'm Movement.
"The State of Maryland was one Of
the pioneers in the movement appro..
priately to celebrate the bicentennial OF
George Washington'S BIRTH" said Mr..
Page, "by the creation OF State com.
mission to cooperate with the United
States commission and its personnel
was appointed by Gov. Ritchie.
"The State has wealth OF history
connected intimately with washington,
which affords an excellent opportunity
for its commission and It's citizens TO
bring prominently to light his contacts
with the colony and State and to pro-
vide material for stirring pageantry,
school competitions in essays, and in
substantial recognition in suitable ana
permanent memorabilia.
"The Old Line State will not be lack
ing, / am sure, in doing her part to
honor Washington just as her noble
sons did their part as his compatriots
and friends In the crucial days OF our
early history.
Wnen IL came tlIne Iof 1cOiBc
Washington to select on the Potomac
River, by direction OF Congress, . sue
for the Federal District and for q Fed
eral Capital within that District, he
chose site, two-thirds Of which was
Maryland soil and water for the Dis
trict, and site all of which was Mary
land soil for the Capital City OF the
new Republic.
"Two Of the first three Commissioners
Of the. new District Of Columbia, chosen
by Washington to administer this area
and to Law out, really to build, the new
city, were Marylanders, Thomas john
son and Daniel Carroll. The third was
DR.. David Stuart, a Virginian.
Depended on Maryland.
while no big battles of the Revolu-
ton were fought on Maryland soil, :"
said Mr.. Page, washington depended
upon Maryland in particular, perhaps
more than any other State, for skilled
soldiery and for stores Of all kinds,
food and clothing. What State could
do more? Because the other States fur
nished the battlefields, their record Is
somewhat more spectacular. On the
other hand, one cogniZant Of the facts
realizes fully that Maryland was one OF
the two or three most important COM
monwealth cogs in the Revolution.
MdIylauo - Tic OILY ohe VI VIC VI iSuA@t
- Conimonwealths to earn nght1ng
title. At the start, she furnished the
backbone of the early Continental line
which alone saved Washington from
overwhelming defeat.
"At Long Island, as the American
front was giving way and about to be
routed, Col William Smallwood's Mary
landers led by Mordecai Gist were fiung
into the Valley of death Maryland's
Four Hundred saved the American
Army and the American cause. These
bayonet charged seven times. Two
hundred and fifty were killed, and 100
wounded, thus offering their lives IN
the cause of freedom. Hence, upon
Maryland was bestowed the distinctive
title of the Old Line State"
cit is said that Washington shed
tears of Joy when he welcomed the
first company of coonskin-cap recruits
from both banks of the Potomac who
Wed with each other to be the first to
help drive the red-coats out Of Boston.
Gen. Washington regarded Mary
land as the granary Of the Confedera-
ton. Possibly the first time he was
able to report full supply was in his
letter to Gov. Thomas Sim Lee of Mary
land, October IL, 1881, just before
Yorktown, in which Washington said:
Give me leave to return to you my sin
cerest thanks for your exertions on the
present occasion. The supplies granted
by the State are so liberal that they
remove any apprehension OF want.
Maryland Gave District.
maryland gave to the Federal Gov
eminent the territory now comprising
the District Of Columbia in which
Washington's contacts were so intimate
and numerous as TO comprise much
space merely to mention them.
1T was TO Maryland that President
Washington turned to secure funds
with which to complete the Federal
buildings, and 1t was Marylands Gen.
eral Assembly at Ar,:.apolis and the
guarantees Of individual Marylanders
that provided the necessary money
which made 1t possible for Congress to
open the first session in the Federal
Capital.
ut was at Annapolis. Md. that Gen
Washington resigned his commission at
the close Of the Revolutionary War.
His nomination in the Continental
Congress as Commander-in- Chief OF
the Revolutionary forces was made by
Thomas Johnson, first governor OF
Maryland, between whom and WASH
ington was a strong bond of friendship
1T should not be forgotten that
Charles Wilson Peale, Marylander OF
the Eastern Shore, was the first to
paint George Washington, in the uni
form of a colonel in the Colonial Serv-
ice. At that time Washington was 8
veteran Of numerous expeditions against
the French and Indians, which made
him familiar, not only with the frontier
of Virginia but of Maryland and Penn
sylvania as well. His first venture In
quest Of the French outposts was
shared by frontiersman Of Maryland
NI,riafnnhar TsiSf