CHAPTER V.

La Fayette returns to France. — He is u Mason. — WASHrxoTON receives letter from Watson & Cassoul witli Masonic regalia. — His reply. — Tiiis re- galia now in Lodge No. 2-2, at Alexandria. — Washington at Newburg. — Military Lodges there. — Masonic " Temple." — Its dedication. — Lodge meetings in it. — Celebration at West Point. — Wasiiingtox present at celebration of Solomon's Lodge at Poughkeepsie. — Address to him. — Closing scenes of the Eevolution. — The " Newburg letters." — Washing- ton' calls a council in the Lodge-room. — Origin of the Society of the Cincin- nati.— Washington its first president. — An earlier proposed " Order of American Knighthood." — Washington proposed as its Grand Master. — Object of the Society of the Cincinnati. — Opposition to it. — Its Masonic features'. — Army disbanded at Newburg. — Washington's farewell to his officers at New York. — Eesigns his commission to Congress at Annapolis. — Extract from Lis address. — Extract from President Mifflin's address.
T tlie close of tlie campaign of 1781, La Fayette, believing tlie war virtually closed, returned to France. He had enlisted in our cause during the darkest period of the Eevolution, and had been an angel of hope to Washington, when despondence was -vNTitten on the brow of many an American soldier. Of all the names on the bright roll of our country's history dur- ing the Revolution, that of La Fayette stands nest to Washington.
La Fayette is supposed to have been made a Mason in one of the Military Lodges of this country, but the record of it is lost. Traditions which we shall consider
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in their properplace, state that it was at Morristown — at Newburg— at Albany — and perhaps at other places that he received his degrees, and even that Washestg- TON presided as Master on some of those occasions. While we are unable to verify these, we entertain no doubt that the Masonic tie existed between them at this time, and was strongly felt.
Washington was -well known in France as a Mason at this period ; and a Franco-American mercantile firm there, comjDosed of Messrs. Watson & Cassoul, both of whom were Masons, v>dshing to send some testimony of respect to him, procured some nuns in a convent at Nantes to marnufftcture a Masonic sash and apron of the finest satin, wrought with gold and silver tissue, on -which the French and American flags were com- , billed with various Masonic emblems beautifully de- /' lineated. They were executed in a superior and ex- pensive style, and forwarded fi"om France to Washing- ton, accompanied by the following letter. Mr. Watson had known General Washington in America. He was the youthful officer who had charge of the convoy of powder from Providence to the American camp, when they were so destitute of that article before Boston.
"To HIS Excellency General Washington, America:
" Most Illustrious and Respected Brother — Tii tlio moment when all Europe admire and fool the off glorious efforts in support of American liberty, wc hasten to offer for your acceptance a small pledge of our homage jealous lovers of liberty and its institutions, wc have ex- perienced the most refined joy in seeing our chief and
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brotlier stand forth in its defence, and in defence of a new- born nation of republicans.
" Your glorious career will not be confined to the protec- tion of Amei'ican liberty, but its ultimate effect will extend to the whole human family, since Providence has evidently selected you as an instrument in His hands to fulfil Ilis eternal decrees.
" It is to you, therefore, the glorious orb of America, we presume to offer Masonic ornaments as an emblem of your virtues. May the Grand Architect of the universe be the guardian of your precious days, for the glory of the western hemisphere and the entire universe. Such are the vows of those who have the favor to be, by all the known numbers, " Your affectionate brothers,
" Watson & Cassoul.
" East of Nantes, 23d 1st month, 5782."
"Washington replied to this letter as follows, from his headquarters at Newburg :
"State of ITew Yoex, August 10, 1782.
"Gentlemen — The Masonic ornaments which accompanied your brotherly address of the 23d of January last, though elegant in themselves, were rendered more valuable by the flattering sentiments and affectionate manner in which they were presented.
" If my endeavors to avert the evil with which the country was threatened by a deliberate plan of tyranny, should be crowned with the success that is wished, the praise is due to the Grand Architect of the universe, who did not see fit to suffer His superstructure of justice to be subjected to tho ambition of the princes of this world, or to the rod of op? pression in the hands of any power upon earth.
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"For your affectionate vows, permit me to be grateful, and offer mine for true brothers in all parts of the world, and to assure you of the sincerity with which I am,
" Yours,
" G". Washington. "Messrs. "Watson & Cassoul, East of Nantes."
This letter is still in tlie hands of the family of Mr. Watson, at Port Kent, New York. It is the earliest Masonic correspondence of Washington that is known to be .extant. The sash and apron to which it relates were often worn by Washington, and were after his death presented by his legatees to Washington Lodge, No. 22, at Alexandria, where they are still preserved.
Our sketch now leads ns again to the banks of the Hudson, near Newburg, where the principal northern forces under Washington were stationed. Here, in 1782-3, in rude huts erected to shelter them, they awaited the progress of events which might close their military labors, and secure to them the boon for which they had endured years of toil, privations, and peril ; or which might require them to again renew their weary marches, and bare then' breasts in deadly con- flicts.
Many Military Lodges existed in the army at this period, but the records of most of them are lost. So well established had these camp-lodges become, and so beneficial to the brethren, that in providing the necessary conveniences for the troops in their quarters on the Hudson at this time, an Assembly-room, or Hall was built, one of the i)urposcs of which was to serve as a Lodge-room for the Military Lodges. Wash-
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INGTON Limself ordered the erection of the building. It was a rude wooden structure, forming an oblong square, forty by sixty feet, was one story in height, and had but a single door. Its Avindows were square unglazed openings, elevated so high as to prevent the prying gaze of the cowan. Its timbers were hewed, squared, and numbered for then- places ; and when the building was finished, it was joyously dedicated, and called " The Temph-of Virtue."
This Temple, or " Assembly-room," as it was some- times called, was not appropriated-exclusively to Ma- sonic purposes ; but on the Sabbath it was used as a chapel for religious services, and at other times for meetings of the officers of the army, and also for dan- cing and other festive amu.sements. The American Union Lodge met in this room on the 24th of June, 1782, preparatory to celebrating the festival of St. John the Baptist, and proceeded from thence to West Point, where they were joined by Washington Lodge, when a procession was formed at the house of General Patterson, its first master ; and both lodges proceeded from thence to the " Colonnade," where a dinner was provided, and an oration dehvered by Colonel John Brooks, Master of Washington Lodge, and afterwards governor of Massachusetts. American Union Lodge then returned to their room at the temple, and closed in good time. We have no record of Washington's being present on this occasion ; but at a celebration of the festival of St. John the EvangeHst, on the 27th of December of the same year by King Solomon's Lodge at Poughkeepsie, Washington was present as a visitor. The imperfect records of that lodge state, that " after
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dinner the following address was presented to his ex- cellency, Brother Washington :"
"We, the Master, and Wardens, and Brethren of Solo- mon's Lodge, No. 1, are hig'hly sensible of the honor done to Masonry in general by the countenance shown to it by the most dignified character ."
We have given the language of this address as it stands recorded on the minute-book of the lodge ; but it has the appearance of being the commencement of an address to Washington which the secretary neglected fully to record. We regret that he did not give us the full address, and AVashington's reply. It was the first instance we have met with of a formal Masonic address by any lodge to Washington.
The drama of the Revolution had been wtually closed at Yorhtown, in October, 1781, by the capture of CoRNWALLis, and the operations of the armies in the two succeeding years partook more of the nature of an armistice than of military campaigns. The principal British force remaining in America was still in posses- sion of the city of New York, and Washington's head- quarters were still at Newburg. The scenes which occurred at Newburg during the cantonment of the troops there from the autumn of 1781 to the final dis- banding of the army in November, 1783, are not with- out interest in the Masonic history of WlsinNGfoN.
It was during this transition period from war to peace, when inaction had given the officers and soldiers of the army time to reflect on their past and present sufi'er- ings, and the future that was before them, that a s])irit of discontent arose almost to mutiny and rebellion.
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Earnest but respectful solicitations had been made to Congress for relief from their embarrassments, by an^- adjustment of their meritorious claims ; but the tardy action of that body so increased the discontent of the army, that a caU was made, from a then unknown source, for a grand convention of the officers to meet and demand of Congress in unequivocal terms imme- diate redress. Two anonymous letters, artfully written, appeahng to the passions of the army, and denouncing as a traitor to its interests any one who should venture to recommend moderation and delay, were at the same time put in circulation.
Washington saw that a crisis had come when the in- tegrity of the army and the authority of Congress must be maintained, or aU the toil, privation, and blood of the past eight years, and all the glorious hopes of the future, would be at once lost. He there- fore ordered a council of his tried and trusty officers to meet at the lodge-room in the " Temple," and by his own wise counsels in it, obtained another proof of the devotion of the army, and the attachment of the officers to him as their commander.
No historian can ever determine the influence of that mystic tie that bound so many of the officers of that suffering patriot army in bonds of Masonic brother- hood to "Washington, in the haj^py termination of this incipient treason. He had often joined with them in the same room in Masonic labors ; and while, by the constitutions of Masonry, neither the civil or military concerns of the country could have been discussed in the lodge, yet who will say that the lessons taught and learned there were not instrumental, in the hands
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of Washington, in directing and controlling the minds of his associate officers at this critical period. But the veil which then covered the hand that so cunningly penned those anonymous letters, which sought to draw even Washington himself from his devotion to the civil authorities, still rests on the strength of that mystic tie that bound so many of that patriot band to hun, and through him to our country.
We have already noted in our sketch the strong de- sire of the Masonic brethren in the army that Wash- ington should be constituted the head of Masons in this country. But as the time for the disbanding of the army drew near, and no definite action of the whole Fraternity in America had been taken, an affec- tionate regard of the officers for their commander, and for each other, led them to form an association among themselves, having the social features of the Masonic institution as its leading principle, and desig-ned, by in- culcatmg benevolence and mutual relief, to perpetuate theu' friendships, and incite in their minds the most exalted patriotism. The idea of such a society is said to have originated with General Knox, who commmii- cated his plan to Baron Steuben ; and at a general meeting of the officers, on the 13th of May, 1783, with the approbation of Washington, they instituted tlie " Society of the Cincinnati," and he became its first president, and continued to hold the office until his death.
In a sermon delivered on the 4th of July, 1700, bo- fore the State Society of the Cincinnati of Pennsyl- vania, by the Ptev. William Smith, D. D., and provost of the college at Philadeli)hia, lie claims that the name
90 WASHINGTON.
of Cincinnati for tliis society was adopted from a sug- gestion of his, iu a Masonic sermon preached before the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania in presence of Wash- ington, on the festival of the Evangelist in 1778, in which he alludes to him as the "Cincinnatus of the age."
The newspapers of that period give an account of an earlier proposed association, or "New Order of American Knighthood," as it was called. As early as March 25, 1783, the Philadelj)hia papers stated that,
" On the next anniversary of ludependenco, the 4th of July, a new Order of Knighthood, called the Order of Free- dom, will be established, and the installation take place in the city of Philadelphia.
" Patron of the Order ; — St. Loos.
" Chief of the Order ; — President of Congress for the time being.
" Grand Master ; — General WASHixGToy.
" Chancellor ; — Dr. Franklin'.
" Prelate ; — Dr. Witherspoon.
" Genealogist ; — Mr. Payne.
" Gentleman Usher ; — Mr. Thompson.
" Register and Secretary ; — Mr. Diggs,
" Herald ; — Mr. Hutchings.
" Twenty-four knight companions, consisting of the gov- ernor of each State for the time being, which they reckon nineteen.
" General Lincoln ; — General Greene ; — General V»'ayxe ; — Colonel Lee.
" The robe is to be scarlet and blue, with ermine, — the ribbon a broad satin, with thirteen alternate stripes of red and white ; to which will be suspended an embossed medal
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of gold and enamel, on the front of which will be repre- sented Virtue, the genius of the United States, dressed like an Amazon, resting on a spear with one hand, and holding a sword with the other, and treading on Tyranny, represented by a man prostrate, a crown fallen from his head, a broken chain in his left hand, and a scourge in his right ; in the exergue, Sic semper tyrannis. On the reverse is a group : Liberty with her wand and Pilous ; on one side of her, Ceres with a cornucopia in one hand, and an ear of wheat in the other ; on the other side, Eternity, with the globe and Phajnix. In the exergue, Deus nobis hoc otia fecit. The loop of the medal is to be formed by the figure of a rattlesnake with the tail in its mouth, as an emblem of eternity. An erect staff of liberty, terminated by a cap at top, will be fixed to the body of the snake, and under it the motto of In rec- to dec us."
This w^ believe to liavS been the earliest attempt in the United States to form a social institution modelled after civic distinctions of society in Europe. Who its projectors' were, v.lio its ;ul\'()catcis, and who its op- posers, we have not learned. Although such a society never went into ■existeiKre7~yet" as it contemplated for General Washington the distinguished honor of being its Grand Master, and as a curious prelude to the for- mation of the Society of the Cincinnati, we have given it a place in this sketch.
The Society of the Cincinnati was designed as an association of the officers of the army after its disband- ing, and of their eldest male descendants, to whom the privilege of membership was to be hereditary. It pro- vided for a golden modal or " Order," as a badge of distinction to its members, and made provision also for
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funds from tlie attainment of membership and volun- tary contribution, for tlie relief of its indigent mem- bers.
The Society of the Cincinnati thus became an or- ganized body, without any tno^\Ti opposition either in the army or fi'om citizens in civil hfe. Its associa- tions were pleasing to its members, and they doubt- less looked for-o'ard to its futui-e meetings as social re- unions, without any idea of personal aggrandizement to themselves. But a strong feeling of jealousy and opposition to the society soon sprang up in different States ; and, as it was claimed by many that it created became strongly opposed to it in many of them. Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, and Connecticut offi- cially declared the institution unjustifiable, and Khode Island proceeded so far as to annul the civil privileges of all her citizens who should be members of it, and declare them incapable of holding any office imder her government. While this opposition to the society in America arose fi-om a belief that it was dangerous to the hberties of the country, it is a curious commentary on the falhbility of opinions, and the strength of preju- dice, that Gustavus the Third, king of Sweden, forbade the Swedish officers who had served in the French army during the American war, -te- wear •fcfaB'Ibadges of the Cincinnati, on the ground that the institution had a rvpuhlicaii tendency, and was not suited to his gov- ernment.
Washington saw, that though the institution . was innocent in itself and laudable in its real objects, yet, that the prejudices of the people were too deeply
WAsniNGTOisr. 93'
disturbed by it ; and by Lis recommendation its con- stitution was changed at its next annual meeting, by withdra^\'ing all claims of its members to hereditary distinctions, disclaiming all interference witli political subjects, and placing their funds under the immediate cognizance of State legislatures, retaining only their right to indulge 'their own private feelings of fi'iend- ship, and the acts of benevolence which it was their intention should jflow from them.
The social and benevolent features of this society were strikingly similar to the same features in Ma- sonry, fi'om which, doubtless, the leading idea was drawn. Many of its members were Masons, and as such, well understood the social influence of a union that embraced in its objects, not only the welfare and happiness of its members while hving, but of their widows ancLpOrphans after them. From this institu- tion, Masonry may also a few years later have drawn some of its principles of government in the higher bodies of the Ancient York Eite.
The autumnal months of 1783 were the last in the military life of Washington. His army had been dis- banded at Newburg, and he had seen each corps of his remaining soldiers file by him for the last time, and pass onward to their homes. He then hastened to New York, where his final adieu was to be taken of his officers. The British troops had evacuated the city on the 25th of November ; and on the 4th of De- cember, at meridian, JYashington's principal officers assembled at Fraunces' taveni, to take a final leave of their commander.
The'scene was aftcctiug beyond comparison. There
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■^"ere gathered there those who for eight long years had been his faithful associates in privations and dangers; who had followed him in many weary marches, and fought by his side in many an unequal battle. Many were there who had sat with him in the war-councils of the camp, and mingled with him in the mystic labors of the Masonic lodge-room. And now they were met to bid him, as theii* loved commander, a last farewell !
As Washington entered the room, and stood for the last time before them, he cordd not conceal his emo- tions. Filling a glass with wine, he raised it, and said : " With a heart full of love and gratitude, I now take leave of you ; and most devoutly do I wish that your latter days may be as prosperous and happy as your former ones have been glorious and honorable." He tasted the wine, and, with voice trembliiw with emo- tion, said : " I cannot come to each of you, to take my leave ; but shall be obliged to you, if each of 3^ou ^vill come and take me by the hand." General Knox stood nearest to him. Washington grasped Jiis proffered hand, and, inca^pable of utterance, drew him to his bosom with a tender embrace. Each officer in his turn received the same silent affectionate farewell: Every eye was filled with tears, every hearOhrobbed with emotion, but no tongue inteiTuj)ted the tender- ness of the^cene. To those who had known him only as the stern commander, it was like Joseph's making himself known to his brethren ; but to those who had met him as a brother in the lodge-room, it was but the renewal of the mystic grasp, and the well-remembered silent embrace they had each known before.
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" Weeping tlarongh that sad group he pass'd, Turned once, and gazed, and then was goue — It was his teuderest, and his h\~t."
A corps of infantry received liim at tlie door, and as he passed through their ranks, they saw his broad bosom heave with emotions to them unseen before ; and the sobs of sorrow, and the tears that fell fast on theii* cheeks, told how well they loved him. Washington hastened on board a barge upon the Hudson that was ready to receive him, and as the dipping oar sped him from them, he raised his hat above his head, and bade all whom he left behind a silent adieu.
But there was still another link to be severed in the chain that bound him, as commander-in-chief, to om- country, and he hastened to Annapolis, where Con- gress was then in session, to return to their hands the commission he had received fi"om them eight years before, and lay before them a sword unstained with dishonor. He arrived at Annapolis on the 19th day of December, and immediately signified to Congress his purpose to resign into their hands his commission, and desired their pleasure as to the time and manner of its reception. That body, desirous of giving dignity to the spectacle, and honor to him who was its chief actor, appointed the following Tuesday, at meridian, to»honor him with a public aiulience, and receive from his own hand the high commission he bore.
Upon the 23d of Deceml)er, at the hour appointed, the closing scene in the drama of the Revolution took place. The chosen representatives of the States were each in their seats, and a few distinguished foreigners and Americans wore admitted to their floor, while the
96 WASHINGTON".
gallery was crowded vnih citizens. As Washington entered, every spectator arose and stood uncovered, while tlie members of Congress, representing tlie su- preme majesty of the people, remained covered in their seats. Nine years before he had been a member of that same body, as an honored delegate fi'om Virginia, and had been elected fi'om his seat, by then' own wise choice, to receive a commission he now held in his hand to return again to them. But to whom was he to return it ? As representing the sovereignty of the people, the body was indeed the same ; but, alas ! many familiar faces were not there. The first president of that body, Peyton Randolph, was not there. Lov- ing hands had, years before, borne him to his last rest- ing-place in the green fields of Virginia, and his Ma- sonic brethren had planted the acacia over his grave.
As Washington advanced to offer his commission to General Mebtlin, then president of the body, amidst a deep and solemn silence, he addressed him in words of felicitation on the happy termination of the war, com- mended the interests of our country to the protection of Almighty God, and closed by saying :
" Having' now finished the work assigned me, I retire from the great theatre of action ; and bidding an affec- tionate farewell to this august body, under whose ordei* 1 have so long acted, I here offer my commission, and take my leave of the employments of public life."
President Mifflin received his commission with words of gratitude and tenderness, and closed by saying :
WASHINGTON. 9T
" We join you in commending the interests of our dearest country to the protection of Ahiiighty God, beseeching him to dispose the hearts and minds of its citizens to improve the opportunity afforded them of becoming a happy and respectable nation ; and for you, we address to him oui earnest prayers, that a life so beloved may be fostered with all his care; that your latter days may be as happy as they have been illustrious, and that he will finally give you that reward which this world cannot give."
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