Evening star., 1936-06-28

l IIdIUICdllOIl, puL q tICW tOllNC1lLAOlI " 90
called and on November 81, 1889, the
Constitution was adopted. Rhode Is
land had a delirious time getting into
line, Providence and Newport seced-
ing from the State and the question
coming up Of dividing the territory
between Massachusetts, and Con-
necticut. Finally the State adopted
the Constitution on May 20, 1880.
The fever passed rapidly. During
the four months of secret sessions Of
the convention, the country remained
in a state of suspense. When the pro-
posed Constitution was put forth, it
| was the signal for feyerish activity in
study and judgment.
When it was seen that the onward
march of the new Government was not
to be stopped. business began to i'm
prove. Hostility and rivalry between
the States lessened. Credit loosened.
Armed warfare between groups ceased
Courts functioned once again.
Washington Reveals Change.
The most amazing revelation of the
change is recorded in the letters OF
Washington, just as previous epistles
of his to private parties chronicled the
descent to disaster. These will be
quoted further on.
But it Is clearly to be seen that
Constitution day is not to be idly
passed by in the recording of Ameri-
can birthdays. July Is the anniver-
sary of American freedom but Sep
tember II is the birthday of the
American spirit. 1t was then that the
turn from local jealousies, PARTISAN
ship. sIelf-interest and suspicion to
the universally Of interest of a united
people took place.
Probably the fact that April 80 is
the lost birthday" of the United
States is because the formal launching
OF the new Government and the in
auguration of Washington as its first
President did not take place on March
4. as scheduled. The election was held
the first Wednesday in January, in
1889, but it was early April before the
ballots we're counted as cast by the
electors in the presence of Congress.
On April IA Washington received the
notification of his election and de-
parted triumphantly for New York.
Hailed by Crowds.
Everywhere crowds hailed him. At
Trenton girls in white strewed his
pathway with flowers. At Elizabeth
town he was met my the principal
officers of the Government and well
| coined to the capital. Here ended the
period of revolution and confederation
and here began the era of nationality.
The Inauguration was held on the
balcony of the old City Hall. in Wall
! street. Chancellor Livingston of New
York administered the oath. People
thronged the streets and housetops.
Flags fluttered from every vantage
point and cannon at the Battery
doomed their salutes. With the public
ceremonies over. Washington retired
to the Senate chamber, where he de-
| livered his historic inaugural address.
The third of the birthdays of the
United States then sank more or less
into oblivion. But century later ii
was resurrected for popular notice, as
its centennial was widely acclaimed.
In New York extensive festivities
marked the day. In Chicago 1t was
turned into a patriotic jubilee.
Observance Of Anniversary.
April 80, 1889, was designated as
"the Tooth anniversary of the in
auguration of the United States OF
America" and a committee of II to
handle the observance in Chicago is
sued a proclamation in which Ma
tional day" was rated as of greater
importance than independence day
This is the way they phrased it:
1T has been customary to cele-
brate the Declaration of independence
as the central idea of our early man.
hood, and it has been good to remind
us that we are free and independent
of foreign CONTROL that when We at
tanned our majority we threw of the
paternal yoke and assumed individual
responsibility.
But this was not enough. 1t re-
ouired only four years experience to
show us that the country needed a
national Constitution, with an efhcient
executive head, If we would be united
body, securing order and good Gov
ernment at home and protection from
abroad.
THE accomplishment of this greatly
needed end was reached on the me-
mortal day Of this Nation which we
now propose to celebrate.
Called Greatest Day.
! GAS great an event as the Declara-
ton Of independence, 1t was surpassed
by the affirmative act which made
us a constitutional Government and
united people.
1T is to be hoped that the celebra-
ton of this momentous and far-reach-
| ing event, the most important In the
history of modern times, will be as
generally observed as was formerly the
day of the Declaration of Independ-
ence. 1t Is an event which made the
whole American people a united body
by virtue of that great charter OF the
United States"
In New York City centered the vast
celebration Of the Eastern part Of the
continent, and from Chicago radiated
! the promotion Of thsaWest. Scattered