Evening star., 1941-02-16

Robert c. Winthrop Of Massachu-
setts. then Speaker of the House Of
representatives, delivered the prin-
cipal Grafton and, strange to say, 81
years later, when the monument was
completed, he would have done so
had he been able to be present. but
his remarks were read for him. Nat
urally, the Masonic fraternity, Of
which Washington was a member,
took conspicuous part in the cere-
mony, and Benjamin F. French, the
grand master. delivered a brilliant
grafton on the life and character of
Washington as a Mason. The Ma
sonic relics on the stand were the
chair used by Washington when
master of his lodge, Alexandria
Washington No. %. of Virginia, and
his apron and sash, the ancient rec
ordS of Fredericksburg Lodge. show
ing Washington's entrance into Ma
Sonry, and the gavel used at the
Capitol cornerstone laying. The
paraphernalia which had once been
the property of the Revolutionary
hero and distinguished Mason, Gen.
Joseph Warren, also was in evidence.
February %, 1850. was another
important day in the District of
Columbia, for upon this occasion the
equestrian statue of Gen. Washing
ton, in Washington Circle, was dedi-
Gated with great deal of pomp. in
cludlng a fine parade, an grafton
from an orator of marked ability,
and the presence of many notable
persons, including President James
Buchanan and nearly all of his
cabinet.
Indeed, according to correspond
ent who covered the exercises for
his home journal: 1T was the finest
military and civic display in Wash
lngton for many years. Pennsyl-
vanilla avenue was crowded with
both residents and visitors. The
patriotic excitement was intense,
owing to the anticipated interesting
events. The view of the procession
as it neared the circle of the great
point of attraction was truly splen-
did.
The procession having reached
the circle, the military wheeled to
the right of the inclosure, while
the prominent civilians entered it
and took seats on the platform.
Senator Hammond introduced
Rev. Mr.. Nadal, who offered a
prayer. Hon. Mr.. Bocock of Vir-
ginia, the orator of the day. then
delivered an grafton. Speeches were
also made by Mr.. Clark Mills, Mr..
Whiting, Grand Master of the Or
der of Masons at Washington, and
the President"
And the latter in concluding his
remarks, said:
May the God of our fathers pre-
serve the Constitution and the.
Union for ages yet to come. Nav
they stand like the everlasting hills,
against which the tempests from
every quarter of the heavens shall
beat in vain. In word, may they
endure so long as the name of
Washington shall be honored and
cherished among the children of
men. May Washington City, which
he founded, continue throughout
many, many generations to be the
seat of Government of a great.
powerful and united confederacy.
Should it ever become a ruin by
a dissolution of the Union, it will
not. like the ruins of Balbeck and
Palmyra, be merely a monument
Of the vanity of human greatness:
but it will teach the lesson to all
the dwellers upon earth that our
great political experiment has failed.
and that man is incapable of self
government. May such a direful
disaster to the human race be
averted, and in the language of
Solomon at the dedication of the
Jewish temple, May the Lord our
God be with us, as He was with our
fathers. Let Him not leave US or
forsake U.S. May this be the prayer
Of all present, and may each one
return to his home in heart more
patriotic and more de-
termined to do his whole duty to
God and his country than when
we assembled here today"