How the Quakers B„
katiiikim: iioskivs
Met Washington
George Washington inspired such
reverence and awe in the hearts of
the people that the respect universally
displayed on his appearance ap¬
proached that shown the Divinity.
When, in 1791. he set out on the first
presidential swing around the circle
with the avowed purpose of “acquiring
knowledge of the face of the country,
the growth and agriculture thereof,
and the temper and disposition of the
inhabitants toward the Government,"
he gave the nation an unparallcllcd
opportunity to exhibit its love and
loyalty. The ever-present onlookers
haunted his footsteps, and ill indeed
was the inhabitant of the countryside
along his route who failed to behold
with his own eyes the majestic leader
of the newly organized United States
of America mounted on his great
black horse, or seated in his gilt-
trimmed. cream-colored chariot of
state drawn by four white horses.
When. June 2, 1791, the Quaker
settlement of New Garden learned that
the President, in company with the
then Governor of North Carolina.
Alexander Martin, would dine at
Ballinger's Inn on the stagecoach road
from Salem to Guilford Courthouse,
the population gathered in force to pay
such respect as lay within their power.
The Ballinger family, warned by their
neighbor, the Governor, and aided by
the entire community, had made due
culinary preparations for entertaining
the distinguished guest and his party,
and pridefully set forth the handsome
pewter plates buried ten years before
to save them from the British follow¬
ing the battle of Guilford Courthouse.
No cheers, no music, and no speeches
marked the occasion, since the good
Friends felt their mere presence indi¬
cated their respect. The great man
came, and the great man dined with
the gusto for which he was noted on
such occasions. Just as he was on the
point of making a dignified departure,
"Uncle Billy" Starbuck, one of the
Elders of the settlement, upheld his
long continued reputation for being
late to meeting. Lumbering into view
on his old white horse with his small
son on the saddle-bow in front of him.
he let forth a loud shout.
“Ho. George! Wait there! Edward
wants to sec thee."
Neither written history nor tradition
tells us whether or not George waited
to gratify Edward's wants, but it is
highly probable that never in all his
life was the Father of His Country
greeted with less ceremony than thus
by the loyal, forthright Quaker on
this, the last important stop of the
first national official journey of state.
Perhaps there is a tinge of chagrin in
the record of that day made in Wash¬
ington's Diary, which reads thus:
"June 2, 1791. In company with the
Governor. I set out at 4 o’clock (A.M.)
for Guilford, breakfasted at one Dob¬
son’s (now Kcrncrsvillc) at a distance
of 1 1 miles from Salem and dined at
Guilford, 16 miles further on. where
there was a considerable gathering of
people who had received notice of my
intention to be there today, and came
to satisfy their curiosity. On my way,
I examined the ground (at New Gar¬
den cemetery) on which the action of
General Greene and Lord Cornwallis
commenced, and after dinner, rode
over to where their lines were formed.
On my approach to this place (Guil¬
ford Courthouse) I was met by a
party of light-horse which I prevailed
on the Governor to dismiss and to
countermand his orders for others to
attend me through the State."
THE STATE. February 15. 1966
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