The DC Traveler

On June 12^th, 1776, by a unanimous vote, the Virginia Convention of Delegates drafted by George Mason approved Virginia’s Declaration of Rights. The 16 rights are the first modern Constitutional protection of individual rights for citizens of the New World.

The Declaration’s first Right was “That all men are by nature equally free and independent, and have certain inherent rights… namely, the enjoyment of life and liberty, with the means of acquiring and possessing property, and pursuing and obtaining happiness and safety.”

Additional Rights detailed now commonly accepted rights (but new to the time) including many which were later included in the U.S. Bill of Rights which was drafted by James Madison and adopted in 1789 and ultimately defined the American way of life. Concepts such as:

• Cruel and unusual punishment
• Unlawful search and seizure
• Government’s role as the servant of the people
• Rights to a speedy trial by an impartial jury
• Freedom of the press
• Maintenance of a civil-controlled militia, that, “in time of peace, should be avoided as dangerous to liberty”.

Unfortunately, the Rights did not extend to “all men”, as it excluded women and slaves.

The final Right includes some insight into Mason’s thoughts on life — “…a firm adherence to justice, moderation, temperance, frugality, and virtue and by frequent recurrence to fundamental principles.” My, how things have changed.

Mason was a delegate from Virginia to the 1787 U.S. Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia. He was one of the three delegates that refused to sign the Constitution because it lacked a declaration or bill of rights.

He is considered the father of the U.S. The Bill of Rights, even thought James Madison drafted the original.

The Bill of Rights, Constitution and Decoration of Independence are all on display at the National Archives.

As a private citizen, he lived a quiet but comfortable life in Northern Virginia, where he owned and managed his large plantation which consisted of 300,000+ acres on both sides of the Potomac River. Uncommon to many farmers in the region, he diversified his crops from strictly tobacco to wheat, barley and corn.

You can tour Mason’s home, Gunston Hall and grounds in nearby Mason Neck, VA. This is one of the lesser known and often missed homes of the area’s Founding Fathers. The 45 minute docent-guided tour of the first floor of the home is very informative on Mason’s life, the home’s architecture and living during Mason’s life. You can tour the 9 sleeping chambers upstairs on your own. The guide on a recent tour was VERY informative and exceptionally knowledgeable on Mason and his life.

Guests to Mason’s home arrived by carriage up the long tree-lined front driveway or by boat to his private dock a mile away and them by carriage through the rear garden.

After the home tour, you can stroll the outbuildings including the reconstructed slave’s quarters, kitchen, dairy, smokehouse and laundry. There’s even Mason’s original water well. Close to the home is the schoolhouse and residence of the family teacher. A short walk away is the family graveyard. The garden behind the house includes boxwoods that Mason planted and at the end of the garden, there’s a point where you get a beautiful panoramic view of the Potomac River which is about a mile away.

This would be a great Fall tour to take as the colors begin to change.

Gunston Hall Plantation
10709 Gunston Road
Mason Neck, VA. 22079 (map it)

Dates and Times - Daily, 9:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. (last tour at $4:30). Tours start every 30 minutes, during any wait, you can watch a brief introductory film, “George Mason and the Bill of Rights”.

Tickets - Adults – $8:00, Seniors – $7.00, students (grades 1-12) – $4.00, pre-school kids are free. There is an online $1.00 discount coupon available.

Parking - Free parking is available.

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