Memo to the American Legion: Get it right, will you guys?
It Gets Worse
Audrey Miller inadvertently topped Mark in the boner department. She
sent us a newspaper story from the Independent Press of Bloomfield,
N.J. about a discussion of the town's historic district. This town is
on the road both armies marched over to fight the battle of
Springfield in 1780. The reporter, remarking on the district's
importance wrote: ``George Washington made his way through the town
with his soldiers during the Civil War period.''
If this doesn't prove the U.S.A. is dumbing down, what does?
And Worse
Tom Fleming contributes another boner, this one in a book that
purports to deal with American history, edited by the distinguished
publishing house of Alfred A. Knopf. In American Views,
the much praised book on American art, Robert Hughes writes on page
89: ``The Boston Tea Party of 1775 has shown how fierce popular
sentiment was against the Tories.'' Mr. Hughes is Australian, so much
can be forgiven him. But it is dismaying to discover Knopf copy
editors don't know that the Tea Party took place in 1773.
Once More The Landmark Maven
All right, by now our faithful followers know exactly where President
George Washington had his executive mansion when New York City was the
nation's capital. The next question is where the vice president, John
Adams, and his awesome wife, Abigail, held court? From 1789 through
1790 they were ``uptown'' at the current intersection of Spring Street
and Sixth Avenue. (Stubborn New Yorkers still reject the silly
``Avenue of the Americas'' for dear old Sixt' Avenoo.) The site was
known at the time as Richmond Hill. It once belonged to a British
major named Abraham Morton. From 1794 through 1804 it served as the
residence of John Adams' vice presidential successor, Aaron Burr.
Today a completely different landmark, the 1903 Butterick Publishing
Company building (now a Janovic Plaza) occupies this site. On or
about the 90th anniversary of this splendid piece of architecture,
some people placed on the wall a bronze plaque which tells the story
of Richmond Hill. It ends with: ``This plaque is placed here so that
future generations may know and enjoy the memory of these events in
our history.'' Ye Olde Maven could not agree more.
The Treasurer's Trivia Treat Answers
Jim Davis report the answers to his October questions.
The letter in question was written by John Adams to his wife Abigail. he was referring to July 2nd, 1776, the actual date of the vote in Congress on independence. Adams thought that would be the date of Independence Day.
Persons may serve a maximum of ten years as President (two years of a
predecessor's term, plus eight years of their own terms).
The December Quiz
What better subject for the holiday season than the battle of Trenton?
Okay, this is a tough quiz. The first person who submits the correct
answers to Jim at our December 2nd meeting gets treated to dinner!
(From the Treasurer's private funds, of course.) Don't be bashful.
This is his idea!
The Treasurer's Tidbit
History offers us a strange parallel to the current contretemps in the
British royal family caused by Princess Diana's death. One hundred
and eighty years ago, in 1817, another English princess died. Her
name was Charlotte. She was the granddaughter of George III and the
only child of the man who would soon become George IV. She died
giving birth to her only and still-born child after 50 hours of
labor. Her doctor was so distraught at losing two royal generations
that he committed suicide.
At her death, Charlotte was 21, the free spirit of the English court, the fashion and trend-setter of the nation, and the darling of the British people. The United Kingdom had looked forward to the day when she and her husband would rule; instead, the nation mourned.
Everyone now realized that when Charlotte's father died the throne would pass into the hands of George IV's siblings -- a prospect that did not warm many hearts. the poet Shelley called the seven brothers and five sisters ``the dregs of their dull race.'' The Duke of Wellington referred to them as ``the damnedest millstone about the necks of any government that can be imagined.'' To make matters worse, they did not have one legitimate heir among them.
Parliament immediately launched a drive to get the royals married and
their wives with child. the two eldest, the Duke of Clarence, who
became King William IV, and the Duke of York, remained childless. But
Edward, Duke of Kent, became the father of a baby girl, Alexandra
Victoria.
A Sort of Revolutionary Christmas
Mike Harris, aka the landmark maven recommends a visit to the Abigail
Adams Smith House at 421 E. 61st Street for a Christmas treat with a
Revolutionary flavor. The residence of Abigail Adams Smith, daughter
of John and Abigail, the house later became the Mount Vernon Hotel. On
December 11, 12, 18 & 19, there will be candlelight tours of the
period rooms with seasonal music on early American instruments.
Complimentary holiday refreshments will be served in the Tavern Room
and last minute stocking stuffers may be found in the well stocked gift
shop. Tickets are $10.00.
Notice These Notices
There will be a meeting of the board of governors at 5:30, before the
Tuesday, Dec. 2 meeting.
Tom Fleming will have copies of Liberty! The American Revolution available for purchase with his autograph at the Dec. 2 meeting. He will also have on hand copies of his new novel, Remember The Morning, an Indian captivity story set in colonial New York.