Washington's Masonic Correspondence Part 11

"JOHN CUTLER, _Grand Master_ "JOSIAH BARTLETT } "MUNGO MACHEY } _Grd Wardens_.

"Boston "Decem. 27, A.D. 1792."

The following reply was sent by President WASHINGTON from Philadelphia to the Brethren of the Grand Lodge of Ma.s.sachusetts. It will be noticed that there was no date or place mentioned upon the copy in the Letter Book, nor on the original letter, which at present is believed to be in the Library of the Grand Lodge of Ma.s.sachusetts.

WASHINGTON'S REPLY

"TO THE GRAND LODGE OF FREE & ACCEPTED MA- "SONS, FOR THE COMMONWEALTH OF Ma.s.sACHU- "SETTS.

"Flattering as it may be to the human "mind, & truly honorable as it is to receive "from our fellow citizens testimonies of appro- "bation for exertions to promote the public wel- "fare, it is not less pleasing to know, that the "milder virtues of the heart are highly respected "by a Society whose liberal principles must be "founded in the immutable laws of truth and "justice.--

"To enlarge the sphere of social happi- "ness is worthy the benevolent design of a ma- "sonic inst.i.tution; and it is most fervently to "be wished, that the conduct of every member "of the fraternity, as well as those publications "that discover the principles which actuate them; "may tend to convince mankind that the grand "object of Masonry is to promote the happiness "of the human race.

"While I beg your acceptance of "my thanks for the "Book of Const.i.tutions" which "you have sent me, & the honor you have done "me in the dedication, permit me to a.s.sure you "that I feel all those emotions of grat.i.tude "which your affectionate address & cordial "wishes are calculated to inspire; and I "sincerely pray that the Great Architect "of the Universe may bless you here, and "receive you hereafter into his immortal Temple.

"Go. Washington"

No fac-simile copy of the original letter was obtainable for the Collection of the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania.

=WASHINGTON'S REPLY TO THE GRAND LODGE OF Ma.s.sACHUSETTS. LETTER BOOK II, FOLIO 108.=

XI

CORRESPONDENCE WITH GRAND LODGE OF PENNSYLVANIA, DECEMBER, 1796.

September 18, 1796, President WASHINGTON issued his farewell address.

His second term was drawing to a close; the term had been a more or less exciting one: The pa.s.sing of the Neutrality Act; Genet's appeal from the executive to the people; the Fugitive Slave Act; the whiskey insurrection in western Pennsylvania; the adoption of the Eleventh amendment; the purchase of peace from Algiers, Tripoli and Tunis; the troubles with Great Britain about the non-delivery of the military posts and later the Jay Treaty, all came within President WASHINGTON's second and last term.[58]

During these troublous times WASHINGTON had no stauncher supporters than his Masonic Brethren of the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania. Further, that WASHINGTON kept more or less in touch with his Masonic Brethren of the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania is shown by the fact that he attended the services at St. Paul's Episcopal Church, on Third Street below Walnut, on St. John's Day, December 27, 1793, where a charity sermon was preached by Rev. Brother Samuel Magaw, D.D., Vice-Provost of the University of Pennsylvania, before the Grand and Subordinate Lodges for the purpose of increasing the relief fund, for the widows and orphans of the yellow fever epidemic which ravaged the capital city during the past summer.[59]

When the Brethren found that WASHINGTON positively declined reelection in 1796, and that John Adams was elected to succeed him on the fourth of March following, the Brethren of the Grand Lodge at their Quarterly Communication, December 5, 1796, determined that it would be right and proper to present him with an address before his retirement from office, whereupon, it was resolved: "On Motion and seconded, that a Committee be appointed to frame an Address to be presented on the ensuing Feast of St John, Decemr 27th, to the Great Master Workman, our Ill.u.s.trious Br.

Washington, on the occasion of his intended retirement from Public Labor, to be also laid before the said Grand Lodge on St John's Day, and the Rt W. Grand Master, Deputy G. M. Brs Sadler, Milnor and Williams, were accordingly appointed."

At a Grand Lodge held on St. John's Day, Philadelphia, December 27, 5796, "The Committee appointed to prepare an Address to our Brother George Washington, President of the United States, presented an Address by them drawn up, which was ordered to be read, and was in the words following, to wit:

"To GEORGE WASHINGTON PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES.

"The Address of the Grand Lodge of Pennsyl- "vania.

"_Most Respected Sir and Brother_,

"Having announced your intention to retire from "_Public Labour_ to that _Refreshment_ to which your "preeminent Services for near Half a Century have "so justly ent.i.tled you. Permit the Grand Lodge "of Pennsylvania at this last Feast of our Evangelic "Master St. John, on which we can hope for an im- "mediate Communication with you to join the grate- "ful Voice of our Country in Acknowledging that "you have carried forth the Principles of the Lodge "into every Walk of your Life, by your constant "Labours for the Prosperity of that Country, by "your unremitting Endeavours to promote Order, "Union and Brotherly Affection amongst us, and "lastly by the Vows of your Farewell Address to "your Brethren and Fellow Citizens. An Address "which we trust Our Children and Our Childrens "Children will ever look upon as a most invaluable "Legacy from a _Friend_ a _Benefactor_ and a _Father_.

"To these our grateful Acknowledgments (leav- "ing to the impartial Pen of History to record the "important Events in which you have borne so illus- "trious a part) permit us to add our most fervent "prayers, that after enjoying to the utmost of "Human Life, every Felicity which the Terrestial "Lodge can afford, you may be received by the "great Master Builder of this World and of Worlds "unnumbered, into the Ample Felicity of that _Celes- "tial Lodge_ in which alone distinguished Virtues and "distinguished Labours can be eternally rewarded.

"By unanimous order of the Grand Lodge of "Pennsylvania at their communication held the 27th "Day of December Anno Domini 5796.

"Wm Moore Smith"

=REV. BRO. WILLIAM SMITH, D. D.

B. ABERDEEN, SCOTLAND, 1727. D. PHILADELPHIA, MAY 14, 1803.

GRAND CHAPLAIN "MODERNS," 1755. GRAND SECRETARY "ANCIENTS," 1779-1784.

WHO PRESENTED THE PENNSYLVANIA ADDRESSES TO BRO. WASHINGTON, 1792-1796.=

It was then moved and seconded that the same be adopted. Upon the question being taken it appeared that it was approved of. On motion and seconded, it was agreed that a committee be appointed to wait on Brother WASHINGTON to acquaint him that it is the intention of this Grand Lodge to present an address to him, and to know what time he shall be pleased to appoint to receive it. The committee appointed to perform this duty were Brothers William Smith, Peter Le Barbier Duplessis and Thomas Procter, who, after having waited on him, reported that he had appointed to-morrow, December 28, 1796, at twelve o'clock to receive it. Said committee, to wit, Brothers W. Smith, Duplessis and Procter, together with Right Worshipful Grand Master, Deputy Grand Master, and Junior Wardens, Grand Secretary and the Masters of the different Lodges in the City, were then appointed a Deputation to present the said Address.

This deputation consisted of Right Worshipful Grand Master William Moore Smith, Gavin Hamilton, Deputy Grand Master, Thomas Town, Senior Grand Warden, Thomas Armstrong, Esqr., Junior Grand Warden, George A.

Baker, Grand Secretary, John McElwee, Grand Treasurer, and the following Masters of the Philadelphia Lodges, viz.: David Irwin, No. 2, Israel Israel, No. 3, Andrew Nilson No. 9, Eleaser Oswald, No. 19, Cadawalder Griffith, No. 52, Richard E. Cusack, No. 59, Thomas Bradley, No. 67, William Nelson, No. 71; together with the appointed Committee, Brothers William Smith D.D., Le Barbier Duplessis and Thomas Procter.

President WASHINGTON received the august deputation of the Brethren at the appointed time; the address was read before him by the Rev. Brother William Smith, D.D., whereupon he returned them a reply. This doc.u.ment, still in the Library of the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania, is entirely in the handwriting of WASHINGTON and signed by him, viz.:

"FELLOW-CITIZENS AND BROTHERS, "OF THE GRAND LODGE OF PENNSYLVANIA.

"I have received your address "with all the feelings of brotherly affection, "mingled with those sentiments, for the "Society, which it was calculated to excite.

"To have been, in any degree, an "instrument in the hands of Providence, "to promote order and union, and erect upon "a solid foundation the true principles of "government, is only to have shared with "many others in a labour, the result of "which let us hope, will prove through "all ages, a sanctuary for brothers and "a lodge for the virtues,--

"Permit me to reciprocate your "prayers for my temporal happiness, "and to supplicate that we may all "meet thereafter in that eternal temple, "whose builder is the great architect "of the Universe.

"Go. Washington"

=FAC-SIMILE OF WASHINGTON'S REPLY TO GRAND LODGE OF PENNSYLVANIA, DECEMBER, 1796. ORIGINAL IN ARCHIVES OF THE GRAND LODGE OF PENNSYLVANIA.=

Brother William Moore Smith, Right Worshipful Grand Master of Pennsylvania, whose first official act as Grand Master was to head the committee to call on the President, was a son of the Rev. William Smith, D.D., born in Philadelphia, June 1, 1759. He was a lawyer by profession and served as Deputy Grand Master for the year 1795 under the Venerable William Ball, and as Right Worshipful Grand Master for the years 1796-1797. He was appointed by the President as agent for the settlement of claims that were provided for in the Sixth Article of John Jay's Treaty, and visited England in 1803 to close the commission. He died at the Smith Homestead at Falls of Schuylkill, March 12, 1821.

Both the address and reply were copied in WASHINGTON's Letter Book III, pp. 244-245, in the handwriting of one of his secretaries, G. W. Craik, a son of Dr. James Craik, WASHINGTON's "compatriot in arms, and old and intimate friend," who attended him during his last illness.

Photostat copies of above are in the Library of the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania, also the original draft of the address, presented to the President (Mss. Volume A, folio 23).

This autograph Masonic letter from WASHINGTON to the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania has been reproduced in fac-simile, published and circulated (in most cases without the knowledge or consent of the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania) more widely than any other known letter of WASHINGTON.

Some of these copies are treasured by their owners under the impression that they have the original letter. Several cases of this kind have of late come under the notice of the writer. In one case where one of these reproductions was offered for sale, hundreds of dollars were asked for the reproduction, and it was with great difficulty that the owner could be convinced of its character.

Another use made of this letter by unprincipled persons was to make a photo-lithographic copy of the letter, and subst.i.tute the name of another state for that of Pennsylvania, and then palm it off upon the authorities of that state as an original letter to their Grand Lodge.

The latest case of this kind known to the writer is that of the Grand Lodge of Georgia, who were thus imposed upon.