Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1954-08-15

A proposed stamp in MEM
DRY Of Col. Samuel Osgood.
first Postmaster General OF
the United States under the
Constitution, Is not intended
to do honor to a great Ameri-
can already famous but rather
to pay homage to an important
public servant undeservedly
forgotten.
Born at North Andover.
Mass, February Is. 1748, and
educated at Gov. Drummer
Academy and Harvard College,
he first intended to devote his
life to the Christian ministry.
but his health was frail and
he gave up his religious voca-
ton on the theory that he
would not be sturdy enough or
strong enough to pursue 1t
acceptably. For a while there
after he was engaged IN q
mercantile business with q
brother. Peter. But Saumel
gradually felt himself drawn
into the oncoming colonial
struggle with the British crown.
Elected to the Provincial Con-
gress of Massachusetts, he was
deeply enough involved to lead
a company of Minutemen at
Lexington and to be in attend
ance upon George Washington
when the latter assumed COM
mand of the American forces
at Cambridge. The two formed
!. friendship that was to en-
dure as long as both lived.
Col. Osgood left military
duty to become a. member OF
the convention which framed
the Massachusetts, constitu-
ton and then to serve In the
Congress of the Confederation
at Philadelphia. He was
named the first Commissioner
of the Treasury in 1785 and
Postmaster General in 1789.
II was at his home in Cherry
street. New York, that Pres1-
dent Washington stayed be-
fore and Immediately after his
first Inauguration.
When the Federal Govern
nent removed to Philadelphia.
Col. Osgood did not accom-
pany it because of response
bilities he had developed IN
and near Manhattan Island.
In 1900 he was elected to the
New York State Assembly and
was successfully Supervisor OF
the State of New York and
Naval Officer of the Port OF
New York. With the CO.
operation of friends and bust
ness associates, he organized
the City Bank of New York
and was chosen its president
in 1912. This institution now
is the National City Bank OF
New York, one of the largest
agencies of its kind in the
world.
Col. Osgood, however, never
was a business man exclusive
". His interest in religion
continued to be one Of the
major concerns Of his career
and he spent his last year
writing books on religious and
ethical subjects. He gave
much of his time also to the
Brick Presbyterian Church,
New York. serving as elder.
trustee and treasurer.
Meanwhile, he was an ac-
tive charter member of the
American Academy Of Arts and
Sciences. His death occurred
on August Is. 1913. A bronze
plaque on a fieldstone marker
at North Andover. Mass, re-
fers to him as a patriot, a
soldier and a statesman, but
his claims upon the recollec-
ton of his countrymen were
not limited to these three roles
In American history.
Support for the projected
Caesar Rodney commemora-
tive continues to increase. One
reader, expressing approval.
asks for a more detailed story
of the celebrated Delaware
patriots famous ride to Phila-
delphia to vote for American
independence, specifically in
curing: Where did he start?"
The answer is that nobody
knows for certain. Some his
torians believe that he set out
from his farm at Byfield or
Poplar Grove, near Dover, the
Delaware capital; others con-
tend that he rode from Lewes,
where it is alleged he was Wis
iting when word reached him
that he was wanted at what
now is Independence Hall.
In either case, Rodney des-
peratefy was needed in Phila-
delphia., Congress had been
comforting about what action
to take about Britain's tyran-
nical attitude toward the
colonies. Many members, In
GLIDING some of the most i'm
portant, had hoped that diff
ferences could be adjusted
through compromise. Little
by little this desire for adj
justment had faded until the
Congress. meeting as a COM
mittee of the whole, took up
a resolution prepared at least
in nai0r mart nv Thomas JET.