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Show , iG u "I The One Hundred and Seventy -Sixth Anniversary of Washington's Birth I n n George Washington wns born on tho banks of tho Potomac, In Westmoreland West-moreland county, Virginia, on Fobru nry 22, 1732. At tho ago of 1C ho was a good surveyor sur-veyor nnd nt 19 ho was adjutant of ono of tho Virginia militia districts, with tho rank of major. At tho ago of 21 ho was selected by Gov. Dlnwlddlo or Virginia as a "person of distinction," under orders of tho Ilrltlsh government, to do-mnnd do-mnnd nn explanation of tho French, who wero forming settlements in tho northwest and in tho Mississippi valley. At tho ago of 23 ho was commissioned commis-sioned as colonel In tho Ilrltlsh army, and from thnt time, when nsa"soldler of th'o king" ho becamo distinguished on tho field, until ho took lcavo of I. Woodlawn Mansion, Westmoreland County, Virginia, One of Washington's Earliest Homes. Ms officers on November 23, 1783, nfter having overthrown tho royal government, ho was tho most Important Impor-tant factor In tho affairs of tho new country. Ending nn eventful nnd successful military career, ho retired to his homo nt Mount Vernon, Va., f-um which placo In 1784 ho wroto to La-fayetto: La-fayetto: "I hnvo becomo a private citizen on tho banks of tho Potoa.ac, nnd under tho shadow of my own lno nnd fig tree, frco from tho bustK of tho camp, ... I nm solacing mywclt with thoso tranquil enjoyments of which tho soldier who Is over In pursuit pur-suit of fame), tho statesman , . . und tho courtier . . . can havo llttlo conception." con-ception." At thu time Washington wrote tho quoted words to Lafnyctto ho had no thought that ho would bo called as tho president of tho republic, the living liv-ing reality of which ho had created. Hut so, and on tho 30th day ot April, 1789, having been elected on tho Cth dny of tho samo month, ho look tho oath of ofllco In Now York city, having Journoyed to that placo from Mount Vernon In his private cnrrlago. Washington served his country ns Its first chief oxccutlvo for n period of eight years two terms and do-cllt.cd do-cllt.cd a third term. No othor president presi-dent since Washington bus enjoyed that distinction. Tho national government, in con-Junction con-Junction with tho states, has under-taken under-taken to do honor to his momory by nuking his birthday a nntlonnl holiday holi-day and by erecting monuments of mat bio pointing skywnrd, but tho grajidest and inost oxpresslvo tribute Is embraced In tho lettorlng: "First In War, Flrat In Peaco, First In tho Ilrerts of His Countrymen," as chiseled on tho statuo which stands "on tho plaza at tho east ot tho capital. cap-ital. Washington was a vory enthusiastic enthusias-tic Mason, and wns Identified with tho lodgo In Alexandria, Va., which was chartered In 1783 under tho Pennsylvania Pennsyl-vania Jurisdiction, but In 1788 It was rcehartcred as tho Alexandria-Washington Alexandria-Washington lodgo, No. 22, and Washington Wash-ington was named as worshipful master mas-ter in the charter. Christ church, Alexandria, Va,, Ivy and moss covered, was completed and delivered over to tho vestry on February Feb-ruary 27, 1773, tho construction having hav-ing been begun January 1, 17C7. Col. Washington was ono of tho first vestrymen ves-trymen of tho church, and on tho dny that It was turned over by tho builders he purchased pew No. 5 for the sum of 30 10 shillings, ngroo-Ing ngroo-Ing also to pay an annual rental of G for tho samo. The church was consecrated by Ulshop Claggctt of Marylnnd on Juno 14, 1814. This ancient nnd historic cdlflco Is still used as n place of worship. wor-ship. ' It Is kept open every week day, and Is annually visited by thousands. A small admission fee Is charged for tho purposo ot defraying tho expenso of keeping It open to tho public. In tho rear ot and on tho south sldo Is an old burial ground, nnd somo very old tablets, antedating tho construction construc-tion of the church, nro still standing, nnd nro In n rcmnrkablo stato of preservation. pres-ervation. Tho square pew, with open door, on tho right of the pulpit and under the balcony, Is pow No. C, which was occupied oc-cupied by Col. Washington who attending at-tending services thero until tho dato of his death; ho novor changed hla membership from tho church. A silver sil-ver plate, bearing his autograph, Is on tho top of tho pow door. Originally Orig-inally all tho pows In tho church wcro built In a squaro form, but later, with tho exception of tho Washington pow, wero changed to tho present-day stylo of construction. On tho cast wall, under the balcony bal-cony nnd to tho right of tho pulpit, Is a memorial tablet placed to tho momory of Gen. Washington. A similar tablet, placed to tho memory mem-ory of Gen. ltobert E. Leo, occupies slmllnr spaco on tho wall to tho left of tho pulpit. Gen. Leo was a vestryman vestry-man of tho church at tho commencement commence-ment of tho civil wnr, and tho pow occupied by him Is across tho alulo from and a llttlo to tho rear of tho Wushlngton pow. This pow Is Indicated Indi-cated by a silver plate showing his autograph. Washington received his commission commis-sion In 1755, as n colonel in tho British army, from Gen, Uraddock, In tho Car-lylo Car-lylo house, at Alexandria, Vn. This house was erected In 1732 by John S. Carlylo on tho brow of n hill, nnd Its base rests on an old fort built In 1C15 by Cnpt. John Smith on one of tho occasions oc-casions when ho enmo up tho Poto-nine Poto-nine to trndo with tho Indlnns. Originally Orig-inally tho houso wns reached by a Una lllght of stono stops from n beautiful lawn reaching to Fnlrfax street and adorned by 1C Lombnrdy poplars ar- Washington's Headquarters While Directing Survey of Washington City, 1791. ranged In four pnrallol rows. Tho poplars and lawn havo long slnco disappeared, dis-appeared, and long ranges of rooms of tho presont Uraddock houso occupy their site, and tho house Is only vlslblo vls-lblo to tho public from thu eastern or rear side. It was also In this houso that tho unfortunate expedition against Fort Duquesno wns arranged by Gon, Uraddock Urad-dock and tho governors of Maryland, Now York, North Carolina, Pennsyl-vnnla Pennsyl-vnnla nnd Vlrgluia, in 17C5, |