Smyrna times., 1932-04-13
MEMORIAL OF
JOSEPH HEWES
dwelling of Monument at
Edenton, n. c., on April %
Feature of Bicentennial
ELABORATE PROGRAM

When the monument to Joseph
Hewes, signer of the Declaration
of Independence, is unveiled at
Edenton, North Carolina, on April
%, it will be one of the outstand-
ing features of the George Wash
ington Bicentennial Celebration in
the Old North State and the entire
country. The memorial, erected
by Congressional appropriation,
will overlook beautiful Edenton
Bay from the foot of the famous
courthouse green. An elaborate
program for the dedication has
been planned by the committee in
charge, the United States George
Washington Bicentennial Commits
sion has been advised, and men of
national repute will participate as
speakers for the occasion. The
principal speaker will be Charles
Francis Adams, Secretary of the
Navy. He will be introduced by
Josephus Daniels of Raleigh, North
Carolina, wartime Secretary of
the Navy in President Wilson's
cabinet. Congressman Sol Bloom
of New York, associate director of
the United States George Wash
ington Bicentennial Commission,
will respond to the address of wei
come by j. L. Higgins, mayor of
Edenton. The presentation of the
monument will be made by Bri-
gadier General Louis H. Bash, As
sistant Quartermaster General Of
the United States Army; it will be
accepted by Governor Q. Max
Gardner. The Introductory re-
marks to the celebration will be
made by Judge Francis D. Win
ston, chairman of the North Caro-
lima George Washington Bicenten-
NAL Commission. Congressman
Lindsay Carter Warren will pre-
side as master of ceremonies. "A
pageant barking back to Revolu-
tionary War days will be the fea-
ture for the afternoon. Actors and
actresses will be garbed in authen-
tic Colonial costumes. Edenton is
now making arrangements to play
host to the thousands Of visitors
from all over the country who are
expected to attend the ceremonies.
The dedication of this memorial to
Joseph Hewes comes at a most ap-
propriate time and is fittingly as
sociated with the Bicentennial Gel
abration of George Washington's
birth. Hewes rendered conspicu-
GUS service to his country during
the Revolutionary War and was
known as a friend of Washington's.
He died in 1779 in Philadelphia, his
death being directly due to over
work occasioned by his activities
in Congress. Born in Kingston,
New Jersey, in 1870, Hewes moved
to Philadelphia where he acquired
a comfortable fortune as a merch-
ant. He went to Edenton some
time between 1856 and 1863. Here
he was "a particular favorite with
everybody" and was generally re-
garded as lone of the best and
most agreeable men in the world"
"the patron and greatest honor of
the town." AS a delegate from
North Carolina to the Continental
Congress, Hewes at first opposed
absolute independence. He never
theless strongly supported the pol
icy of non-importation to protest
British taxation of the colonies, al
though he knew his private bust
ness would suffer considerably
thereby. Later he overcame his
own objections to separation from
England and signed the Declara-
tion of Independence in accordance
with the wishes of the people of
North Carolina. He was the real
head of the committee to 1T out
and arm vessels; and, as chairman
of the committee of marine, was IN
actual fact the first executive head
of the United States Navy. His
best service was perhaps as
member of the secret committee on
supplies from abroad. His bust
ness training and ability and his
experience as ship owner stood him
in good stead. He is said to have
used his own fleet of ships to bring
supplies to this country at his own
EXPENSE. 1t was Hewes who pro-
cured a commission for John Paul
Jones as an officer in the navy, and
it was he who gave the now i'm
mortal sea-fighter his start TOWARD
fame by finding him a ship to COM
mand. The city of Edenton enjoys
the added distinction of having
been the home of James Irebe1,
famous lawyer, legislator and JUS
tice of the Uniter States Supreme
Court. It is also justly famed as
the scene of the 'Edenton Tea
Party" held in 1774. Edenton was
settled about 1858. 1t served as
the capital for the colony of North
Carolina from 1922 to 1766. 1t now
contains many historical structur-