Evening star., 1937-07-04
By John Clagetf Proctor.

penoence Gay m washington
L for 1877 years, ever since the
Federal Government was moved to
this city. At times it may have been
\ very quiet affair, consisting OF only
gathering OF friends for oonvivial
purposes BETTING the time and the
population-such an affair. perhaps,
az the one recorded by Mrs. William
Thornton in her diary. under date d
July 4, 1900, where she states:
Cloudy, showers very dull
Fourth Of July. The gentlemen went
to Mr. Laws to dinner-they returned
little after dark large party
there"
Mr.. Law, o. rather Thomas Law.
els Mrs. Washington's son-in-hw.
having married Elizabeth Parke Gus
tis in 1895. rs his second wife, though
in less than a decade they agreed to
live apart. The house in which Mr..
and Mrs. Law resided At the time
mentioned by Mrs. Thornton was 10
Gated on the east side of New Jersey
avenue. where the House Once An
mex now stands, and here they en-
tertained many important people, in
cluding Louis Philippe and his two
brothers. This vas the same LouiS
who later became King OF France,
reigning from 1880 to 1883. His father.
the Duke of Orleans, vas guillotined
during the French Revolution and the
son found haven in this country, Ar
irving in Philadelphia in October,
1895. He remained in the States and
In the West Indies about four years
and was warm advocate OF republi-
can liberty.
President John Adams was strong
for celebrating Independence day with
acclaim, pyrotechnics and noise, and
SO expressed himself in letter writ
ten to q friend, dated July S. l776,
the day following the adoption OF the
Declaration Of Independence. This is
what he wrote:
YESTERDAY the greatest question
was decided which was ever
decided among men. resolution
vas passed unanimously. That these
United States are. and of right ought
10 be, free and independent States,
The day is passed. The 4th OF
July, l776. will be 4 memorable epoch
In the history of America. l am apt
to believe it will be celebrated by sue
ceeding generations AS the Great
Anniversary Festival! 1t ought to be
commemorated As the day of deliver
ence, by solemn acts of devotion TO
the Almighty God. 1t ought to be
aolemniZed with pomps, shows, games,
sports. guns, bells, bonflres and IL
lumina nations-from one end OF the
continent to the other from this time
forever! You will think me trans
ported with enthusiasm; but am not.
| am well aware of the toll, and blood,
and treasure, it will cost to maintain
this declarati ton and support and de-
fend these States yet, thro' all the
gloom, l can see ray OF hight ana
glory. l can see that the end is worth
more than all the means. and that
posterity will triumph. although you
and l may rue-uhich ! hope we
shall not"
John Adams did not occupy the
White House during his term OF
pfice on July T. Indeed he did not
take up his residence in Washington
until November /. 1900, and left the
city = little more than four months
later. But his successor Thomas
jefferson. author OF the great docu-
ment of freedom, evidently celebrated
the day here-from the beginning OF
his term of ofice-and the National
Intelligencer reports the observance
of July 4, 1902, as being celebrated
with universal enthusiasm.
vPON this occasion the President
did not restrict his guests to the
male sex. as apparently did Mr.. Law,
but at noon received the ladies OF the
Federal City and those of George
town. Later he received the citizens
generally and as was the custom OF
the period, served refreshments freely.
It was upon this occasion that he
served to the guests liberal hunks OF
the l,25O-pound cheese presented to
the President by the Republican ladies
OF Cheshire, Mass.
According to an item printed at the
time, the cheese arrived in wagon
drawn by six horses handsomely deco
rated with ribbons. 1t measured 4
feet inches in diameter and was l
foot 6 inches thick We un-
derstand," reads the news note, that
the President means, in few days, to
invite all the members of both houses,
of both parties, to partake OF this
American cheese accompanied with
abundance of American biscuit and
American porter. This will be indeed
the feast OF Reason and the flow OF
Soul"
Some years later what purported to
be history Of this cheese was printed
in a newspaper article, and said IN
part;
I'm Cheshire, Mass, there then lived
the famous Baptist minister, John Le-
land, who was long resident OF Vir-
elnia and the friend of Jefferson and
Madison, and who knew what they
had done for religious liberty in the
Old Dominion. He determined to dc
his part toward supporting Jefferson
From the pulpit one Sunday he invited
every person who owned COW or COWS
to bring the whole of one days milk
to great cider mill owned by an old
Revolutionary soldier, Capt. John
Brown. The people responded with
enthusiasm, and made festival OF thu
day appointed, and brought an ex.
traordinary quantity OF milk to the ole
mill.
WHEN the cheese had been pressed
Elder Leland mounted a block
gave out hymn, and held religious
service over it. Finally he dedicated
to the President of the United State.
what he described as the creates
cheese the Old or New World had eve
seen. 1t weighed, when cured, 1,60t
pounds. The question then arose how
to transport such mass 500 miles t.
III T1lar all