McCormick messenger. (McCormick, S.C.) 1902-current, February 09, 1939, Image 6
JUk Me Jlnothet
A General Quiz
The Questions
1. How much does it cost to firs
the largest gun in the U. S. army?
2. Who were the oldest and
youngest members of the Consti
tutional convention?
3. Is Mahatma Gandhi married?
4. What is the lowest hereditary
title of British nobility?
5. What was Howard Hughes'
time for his round-the-world flight
in July?
6. What is the difference be
tween an attack plane and a pur
suit plane?
7. How does the proportion of
city students attending college
compare with that of the country
students?
The Answers
1. The 16-inch gun is the largest
and the cost to fire one round is
approximately $3,000.
2. Benjamin Franklin of Penn
sylvania, then 81, and Jonathan
Dayton of New Jersey, who was
26 years old.
3. He is married and has four
sons and several grandchildren.
Married at the age of 13, in 1906
he took a perpetual vow of celi
bacy.
4. Baronet.
5. Three days, 19 hours.
6. Attack planes are designed
and armed for attacking the en
emy's ground forces; pursuit
planes are designed and armed
especially for fighting enemy air
craft.
7. Out of every 1,000 rural fami
lies, 53 young men and women
are sent to college, while 49 col
lege students are sent from every
1,000 urban homes.
Uncle
5
Make Sure of This:
There is no abundant life that
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Children with grandpas and
grandmas learn that there are
two views of what their par
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If one is blue, one should get
busy. Never let the blues induce
you to sit down idly.
Democracy Scores
Anybody in America who would
swell his chest and strut around
as dictators do in Europe would
be laughed into oblivion.
Some of the unwritten laws
are too fantastic to be framed
into a statute.
Why is all the pottery found by
archeologists broken? The men
must have wiped the dishes.
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McCORMICK MESSENGER, McCORMICK, S. C., THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 1939
160 Years Ago They Celebrated
Washington’s Birthday — What
a Riot That Turned Out to Be!
Christopher Wren Hall on the campus of the College of William and
Mary. In front is the Lord Botetort statue and a cannon of Revolutionary
war days.
By ELMO SCOTT WATSON
O Western Newspaper Union.
f ^vRESENT-DAY visitors
-^to Williamsburg, Va.,
‘ will find there numerous
reminders of the fact that
George Washington was a fa-
miliar figure on its shady
streets in the days when it
was the colonial capital of the
Old Dominion. But few of
them realize, perhaps, that
Williamsburg was also the
scene of the most riotous cel
ebration of his birthday in
the history of this country,
even though Washington was
not there to witness it. Yet,
such was the case, and that
celebration took place just
160 years ago.
The first public celebration of
Washington's birthday had been
held the previous year—in 1778.
Washington was then with his
army at Valley Forge and, since
Pennsylvania had accepted the
new calendar (revised by Pope
Gregory in 1581 but not adopted
by England until 1752) the cele
bration was staged on February
22, the same date which we ob
serve. Incidentally, Virginia ig
nored the new calendar until aft
er Washington’s final birthday,
which he celebrated at Alexan
dria in 1799 on February 11, his
real birthday according to the old
calendarr So George Washington,
while he was living, was a man
with two birthdays a y^arl
Our knowledge of the Valley
Forge celebration is obtained
from Washington’s expense ac
counts which were first published
by John C. Fitzpatrick, chief of
the manuscript division of the Li
brary of Congress, in 1917. They
show that he distributed a gratu
ity of 15 shillings to the band of
Procter’s Fourth Continental Ar
tillery.
Serenade at Valley Forge.
’ “The army knew that he liked
music and this knowledge car
ried Procter’s artillery band (it
was nothing but a drum and fife
corps) tramping through the ice
and snow of that dreary winter
in 1778, in Valley Forge, to sere
nade their general on his birth
day,’’ writes Mr. Fitzpatrick in
his book, “George Washington
Himself—A Common Sense Biog
raphy Written From His Manu
scripts," published in 1933. “It
was a gesture of affection which
brought the ragged musicians
some of the very few silver coins
left in the purse of the Command-
er-in-Chief."
As a matter of fact these “very
few silver coins" were later re
paid for Washington’s expense
accounts show that / he charged
this amount to the government
as a legitimate expense, just as
he charged the tips he always
gave to servants in the houses
which he used as headquarters
during the Revolution for the “ex
tra trouble" his presence caused
them. He felt justified in doing
this since he never received any
salary from the government
while serving as commander-in-
chief of the Continental army.
With the precedent of observ
ing the birthday of the “Father
of His Country" (he was first
called that in a German alma
nac, published at Lancaster, Pa.,
late in 1778) thus established at
Valley Forge, it was natural that
his army should hold another cel
ebration the next year.
In November, 1778, Washington
put his army into winter quarters
at various places on either side
of the Hudson river to keep an
eye on the British commander.
Sir Henry Clinton, who had evac
uated Philadelphia and occupied
New York, For his own head
quarters Washington chose Mid-
dlebrook, N. J.
In December he set out for
Philadelphia whence Martha
Washington had journeyed from
Mount Vernon to meet him. On
January 6, 1779, they attended a
ball in honor of the seventy-third
birthday of Benjamin Franklin,
who was then serving as ambas
sador to Franco. Concerning this
party, Franklin’s daughter, Mrs.
Richard Bache, wrote to her fa
ther:
“I have lately been several
times invited abroad with the
General and Mrs. Washington.
He always inquires after you in
the most affectionate manner,
and speaks of you highly. We
danced at Mrs. Powell’s your
birthday, or night I should say,
in company together, and he told
me it was the anniversary of his
marriage; it was just 20 years
that night."
On January 18 Washington at
tended a banquet given by con
gress in honor of the French min
ister and during the remainder of
his stay in Philadelphia he sat
twice for portraits. One of them
was by Du Simitiere, a French
painter, but the other is more fa
mous. It was painted by Charles
Willson Peale who depicted him
at the Battle of Princeton.
On February 2 Washington and
Martha set out for Middlebrook
and there on February 22 his
birthday was again the occasion
for a public celebration. It was
a similar affair to the one in Val
ley Forge the previous year and,
since Martha was present, it was
evidently a very decorous one.
Far different, however, was the
celebration of the event down at
Williamsburg. The students at
the College of William and Mary
had prepared a subscription pa
per to ask contributions for a big
birthday party honoring the dis
tinguished Virginian, who was
commander-in-chief of the forces
fighting for American liberty. *
Their enthusiasm was somewhat
dampened when Gov. Patrick
Henry refused permission for the
celebration to be held. Even
though the cause was a worthy
one, he “could not think of any
kind of rejoicing at a time when
our country was engaged in war,
with such gloomy prospects."
But the irrepressible collegians
went right ahead with their prep
arations and a grand ball on the
night of February 22 was given
in the historic Raleigh tavern,
the scene of so many important
social events in old Williams
burg. Some time during the eve
ning a party of hilarious students
found unguarded two cannon be
longing to the Virginia militia
and dragged them to the Raleigh
to climax the evening by firing a
salute in honor of General Wash
ington.
Soon afterwards a lieutenant
appeared with a platoon of sol
diers to claim the cannon. The
celebrants made him welcome,
carried him into the Raleigh and
supplied him with punch to drink.
But this hospitality could not dis
suade him from his purpose—he
had been sent to get the cannon,
by force, if necessary. When m
certain Colonel Innis, who was
one of the sponsors of the cele
bration, declined to give them up
the lieutenant reported the mat
ter to Captain Digges, his su
perior, who in turn notified Gov
ernor Henry of the situation.
The governor told Captain
Digges to use his own judgment
in handling it. Thereupon, ac
cording to the diary of David
Meade Randolph, one of the Wil
liam and Mary student celebra--
tors:
“In the pride of his power, with
60 men, he (Captain Digges)
s drew up in form; and demanded
the cannon at the point of his
bayonet! Innis stept up to Cap
tain Digges, and shaking his cane
at him, swore that he would cane
him, if he did not depart instant
ly with his men!
“This enraging Digges—he said
that if the pieces were not sur
rendered he would fire upon the
party. Innis repeating his threat,
ordered Finnic to charge the can
non with brick bats: the mob in
the street, and the gentlemen of
the ball, re-echoing the order.
“The pieces were soon charged
with brick bats: Innis all the
while firmly standing by the Cap
tain at the head of his men, dar
ing him to fire! After some delay,
the Captain retreated with his
men; and the evening closed with
great joy."
But that wasn’t the end of the
affair by any means. The next
day Colonel Innis was arrested
and arraigned before the Hust
ings court for riot. In the court
room he was confronted again
by Captain Digges. Hot words
passed between the two men and
again the colonel threatened to
“cane" the captain. Colonel In
nis’ anger abated, however, when
the court released him and he
walked triumphantly out of the
courtroom with the “friends who
had shared the honors of the pre
ceding night"—so the Randolph
diary assures us.
Honored by French.
The next Washington’s birthday
celebration of which we have
any record occurred during the
last year of the Revolution. Count
Rochambeau, commander of
Washington’s French allies, was
in the habit of honoring his sov
ereign on his birthday and as a
gracious gesture he prepared to
do the same thing for Washing
ton. Accepting February 11, in
stead of February 22, as Wash
ington’s birthday, Rochambeau
wrote from his headquarters at
Newport, R. I., on February 12
as follows:
“We have put off celebrating
that holiday till today, by reason
of the Lord’s day and we will cel
ebrate it with the sole regret
that your excellency be not a wit
ness of the effusion and gladness
of our hearts." So the celebra
tion was held on February 12 and
the “effusion and gladness of our
hearts” took the form of a holi
day for all the French troops, a
parade and the firing of a salute
in honor of the American com
mander.
Twelve days later Washington
wrote from his winter headquar
ters at New Windsor, north of
West Point, to the French gen
eral as follows:
“The flattering distinction paid
to the anniversary of my birth
day is an honor for which I dare
not attempt to express my grati
tude. I confide in your Excel
lency’s sensibility to interpret my
feelings for this, and for the
obliging manner in which you ar«
pleased to announc* J* a "
Interior of the historic Raleigh Tavern, as restored by Colonial
Williamsburg, Inc., with funds provided by John D. Rockefeller Jr. In
this tavern the students of the College of William and Mary held their
“grand ball" in honor of Washington’s birthday in 1779.
How did Washington celebrate
his birthday after his great task
of winning freedom for his coun
try was ended? In 1783 he re
signed his commission in the
army and retired to Mount Ver
non, hoping to spend the rest of
his days as a Virginia planter.
Characteristic of his simplicity
and love for the soil is this en
try in his diary during 1785: i
“Tuesday, February 22. Re
moved two pretty large and full
grown Lilacs to the No. Garden
gate, one on each side, taking up
as much dirt with the roots as
could well be obtained ... I
also removed from the Woods
and old fields several young Trees
of the Sassafras, Dogwood and
Redbud to the shrubbery on the
No. side of the grass plot." Thus
the hero of the Revolution cele
brated his birthday — planting
trees!
Birthday Was Moving Day.
But even more prosaic was his
celebration of his first birthday;
as President of the United States.'
says his diary for “Monday, Feb- 1
ruary 22, (1790). Set seriously
about removing my furniture to
my new home. Two of the gen
tlemen of the family had their
beds taken there and would sleep
there tonight."
This “new home" was the first
Executive Mansion, the Mc
Combs house on Broadway. New
York city, and the mind of the
first President of the United
States on that historic birthday
was occupied, not with the af
fairs of state, but with the home
ly details of placing and arrang
ing furniture. However, there
was evidently a reception of
some sort in his honor at that
time for he records, somewhat
naively, on February 23: “Few
or no visitors at the Levee to
day, from the idea of my being
on the move."
Although Washington was loath
to encourage any celebration of
his birthday, since it might
smack of homage to royalty, his
people were eager to honor him
on that occasion. Especially was
this true after the seat of govern
ment was moved from New York
city to Philadelphia.
In 1795 a ceremonious function
was held in the capital in honor
of the President’s birthday and
the following year an even more
Portrait of Washington painted
by Charles Willson Peale in Phil
adelphia shortly before his birth
day celebration at Middlebrook,
N. J., February 22, 1779.
elaborate one was given. Fitz
patrick says of it: “The church-
bells rang, the light horse, artil
lery and light infantry seized the
opportunity to turn out in full
strength, to show off their new
uniforms, and ai*tillery salutes
were fired. Congress, the state
officials, the clergy and others
visited the President to pay their
respects and in the evening the
Assembly gave a ball, which the
President and Mrs. Washington
attended, which was, Dunlap’s
Advertiser reported, ‘the most
brilliant display of beauty, per
haps, ever exhibited in this
city.’ ”
Soon after the Revolution
closed and even before Washing
ton became President, his Vir
ginia friends instituted one cele
bration of his birthday which
lasted for many years. This was
the “Birthnight Ball," first held
in Alexandria and attended by the
hero of the Revolution whose di
ary betrays his great fondness
for “routs” and who never failed
to attend one of these functions.
Washington’s last birthday, in
1799, was marked by the marri
age of his beloved adopted daugh
ter, Nellie Custis, who requested
him to wear the splendid new uni
form of General of the Armies of
the United States, an office that
had been created for him the pre
vious year. Instead, the general
presented her with the magnifi
cent white plumes from the uni
form and appeared at the wed
ding clad in the uniform in which
he had won his greatest fame—
the old Continental buff and blue.
Beneath his arm was a faded
cocked hat with a simple ribbon
cockade, a reminder of those stir
ring days when he was waging
his fight for the liberties of his
country.
Just as simple and unassuming
as this gesture was his comment
in his diary for this, his last birth
day. He merely wrote: “The
Revd Mr Davis and Mr Geo Cal
vert came to dinner and Miss
Custis was married at Candle
lieht to Mr Lawrence Lewis."
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Tale of Two Brothers
A man of 75 told a judge the
other day that he had only had
one brother—and he died 125
years ago.
His father, it seems, was 70
when this man was born in 1863.
He had been married before—at
20—and had had a child, who died
a day or two after birth, in 1813.
So the man told the truth. Only
his brother was really a step
brother.
A longish “step," too.
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