Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-02-22

OF passage in the House. Five more years
went by, when James Buchanan, later to be-
come President of the United States, tried his
influence at getting the following resolution
through the House:
Resolved, That committee be appointed
whose duty it shall be to inquire in what man
ner the resolution CT C-nGreSS passed on the
oath of December, 1899, relative to the erection
OF marble monument in the Capitol at the
city of Washington, to commemorate the great
events of the military and political life of Gen.
washington, may be accomplished, and that
tney nave leave to report by bill otherwise"
1t seems this resolution laid on the table
and never taken up again.
John Quincy Adams in his first annual mes
eage 70 Congress, dated December 6, 1925, de-
voted paragraph of about 100 words to the
subject, In which he pointed out the duty of
that body in providing memorial in honor Of
washington, but Congress did not heed the
Suggestion, and some more years passed by,
until February 13, 1892 according to Frederick
l. Harvey, for number CT years Secretary of
the Washington National Monument Society,
when "a report was made to the Senate Of the
United States by Henry Clay and to the House
or Representatives by Mr.. Philemon Thomas,
chairmen respectively. of committees to make
arrangements fer celebrating the approaching
centennial anniversary of Washingtons birth
day One of the resolutions authorized the
President of the Senate and the Speaker of
the House of Representatives to make applica-
n. Vernon.
Tor the body of George Washington, to be re.
moved and deposited in the Capitol, at WASH
n80On City, in conformity with the resolutions
OF Congress OF the oath of December 1899 and
tnat they obtain the requisite consent to the
removal thereof, they be further authorized to
cause it to be removed and deposited in the
capitol on the 22d day of February 1892"
AGAIN Judge Washington would not consent
20 the removal of the body although the reso-
1ution had been amended to include the re-
moval to the Capitol of Mrs. Washingtons
remains. Mr.. George Washington Parke Gus
ftS. however, willing that this should be-
zone, ana so the matter was permitted tn
uraS along. During the meantime the resolu-
ton providing for the marble statue by Horatio
Greenough, as introduced in the House in 1880.
was ADOPTED, and the statue made and placed
m the rotunda in 184I. 1t is now in the west
wing Of the Smithsonian Institution Ruildin,
Even the Masonic order in this city took the
matter up In 1925, when the Grand Lodge
passed set OF resolutions commencing the
project OF erecting a monument to Washington
ana pledged its active cooperation and aid in
tnat enterprise, and as Kenton N Harper has
said: "It is no exaggeration to saw that the
mammoth obeIisk, now for many years the
prloe OF the country, owes its existence to the
enorts OF the Masonic fraternity in general
and the local craft in particular"
was Mr. Watterston's move to form the
September, 1888, that put real life into tbs
project and which resulted in placing at the
west end of the Mall the great white shaft ax
memorial TO the greatest American of them
AL the dedication of which occurred Just 46
years ago yesterday, the 22d dav of Februarv
NAuhe on sunday that year, as it does today.
here again the city hall played its part for
II was here in the aldermens chamber ON Sen
Semoer 20, that the society was formed and
AZ the second meeting, held October 81 fol-
lowing that constitution and bylaws were
adopted and the following officers elected.
On,eA JUSTICE John Marshall, president; Judge
Wunam Crancn, first vice president. the
Mayor Of Washington Gen. John p Van Necs
second vice president; w. w Seaton third
vice president; Samuel H. Smith. treasurer
ana George Watterston, secretary. A board of
40 managers was also appointed to corresnond
IL Al nunDer with the original States. They
were: Gen. Thomas S. Jessup Col James
kearney, Col Nathan Towson, Col. Archibald
henderson Matthew ST. Claire Clark, John
McClelland Thomas Munroe Col George
Bomford, Roger c. Weightman, Peter Force
WlAlam Brent, esq; William A. Bradley and
Thomas Carbery
Right here it might be interesting to skip a
hundred years and say that President Hoover
ID the present president of the society ex
ofhcio; that the Governors of the States are
VICE presidents, ex officio; Judge Willis Van
Devanter, associate justice of the Sunreroo
Court of the United States. is first vice nrasi
dent; Charles c. Glover, second vice president.
1heooore w. Noyes, treasurer; William
mar secretary, and the other members are.
aeroert Putnam, Maj. Gen. William M. Black
3. A; Admiral William H Brownson. ~
s. N; Frederick H. Gillett Lieut. Col. u s
Grant, Sd. U. S. A; Right Rev. James E.
freeman, Frederick A. Delano, George E. Ham
Ilton, Rev d. Charles Wood, John Barton
Payne and William Cabel Bruce
At first contributions were limited to 81 a
person. but this limitation was later done
away with and any amount was accented and