George Washington - Washington's Masonic Correspondence

THEnext Washington letter of Masonic import in chronological order is his reply to an invitation to join the brethren of Alexandria Lodge, No. 39, in the celebration of St. John the Baptist's Day, June 24, 1784, to which Washington sent the following reply, accepting the fraternal invitation.

" Dear Sir : With pleasure, I received the invitation of the master and members of Lodge No. 39, to dine with them on the approaching anniversary of St. John the Baptist. If nothing unforeseen at present interferes, I will have the honor of doing it. For the polite and flattering terms in which you have expressed their wishes, you will please accept my thanks."

"With esteem and respect,

"I am, dear sir,

"Your most Ob't serv't

"Wm. Herbert, Esquire."

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Letter to Julius F. Sachse from Manuscript Division, December 19, 1914—in Library of Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania.

The letters referred to by the Anti-Masons were the one to King David's Lodge at Newport, two to the Grand Lodge of Massachusetts, and one to Charleston, S. C., and to the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania. The above five Masonic Letters were all that were known to the Anti-Masons at that time.

"Vindication | of | General Washington | from the stigma | of adherence to | Secret Societies | by | Joseph Ritner | Governor of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, | communicated | by | request of the House of Representatives, to that body,| on the 8th of March, 1837."

This address during the Anti-Masonic period was regarded as an important state paper.

Letter press copies of the Snyder letters were retained by Washington. Photostat copies of same are in the Archives of the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania.

"Proceedings of the Third State Anti-masonic Convention, of Massachusetts, Worcester, 1832," p. 27.

Vindication of Washington before quoted, p. 13.

The Ancient Minute Book and Ledger of Fredericksburg Lodge, No. 4, in Virginia, of which we have a photostat, is still in possession of the Lodge, showing that "George Washington was entered November 4, 1752, and on November 6, paid for his entrance £2. 3. 0, March 3, 1753, George Washington was passed to Fellow-Craft; August 4, 1753, George Washington was raised Master Mason."

Catalogue of Washington Collection in Boston Athenæum, Boston, 1897, p. 185.

Cf. "Works of William Smith, D.D.," Philadelphia, 1803, Vol. II, pp. 27-88, also "Life and Correspondence of Rev. William Smith, D.D.," Philadelphia, 1880, Vol. II, p. 9. Et seq.

For an exhaustive sketch of Brother Moses Michael Hays, see The American Freemason , Vol. V, p. 576.

"Newport, ss. Newport, August 18th, A.D. 1832. I certify that the extracts taken from the records of King David's Lodge, Newport, contained in the above and three foregoing pages, have been by me compared with the minutes contained in two books purporting and appearing to be the original records of said Lodge, and found to be true and accurate copies of the same.

"Quid attestor, "Geo. C. Mason.

"Jus. Peace and Pub. Not'y."

Cf. "Anti-masonic Republican Convention of Massachusetts held at Worcester, September 5-6, 1832," p. 23.

For a full account of this episode, see "Freemasonry in Pennsylvania," Barratt and Sachse, Philadelphia, 1908, Vol. 1, Chapter XII; "Washington as General Grand Master," p. 393 et seq.

"Men and Times of the Revolution, or Memoirs of Elkanah Watson," New York, 1856, pp. 135, 136.

Cf. "Proceedings Grand Lodge of New York," 1867, p. 28.

"Memoirs of Elkanah Watson," p. 135.

Cf. "Itinerary of General Washington from June 15, 1775, to December 23, 1783," by William S. Baker, Philadelphia, 1892, p. 271.

It will be noted that on both the draft and letter, Washington spells the name Cassoul—"Cosson."

Catalogue of Antiquities and Curios, Grand Lodge F. & A. M., New York, Class J, No. 1, New York, 1905.

Cf. "Calendar of the Papers of Benjamin Franklin in the Library of the American Philosophical Society," edited by I. Minis Hays, Volume V, p. 312.

Cf. "Old Masonic Lodges of Pennsylvania—Moderns and Ancients," Julius F. Sachse, Philadelphia, 1913, Vol. II, p. 157. Also Vide "Washington the Man and the Mason," by Charles H. Callahan, published under the auspices of the "Memorial Temple Committee of the George Washington Masonic National Memorial Association," Washington, D. C., 1913.

Original among Washington relics in Alexandria-Washington Lodge, No. 22, Alexandria, Virginia. Fac-simile in Washington collection of Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania.

Elisha C. Dick's petition was presented in Lodge No. 2, September 14, 1779, approved and entered by virtue of a dispensation from the Grand Master, September 15; passed and raised, September 23. "Freemasonry in Pennsylvania," Vol. I, pp. 352, 353.

Cf. "The Lodge of Washington," by F. L. Brocket, Alexandria, Va., 1876.

"Washington and his Masonic Compeers," by Sidney Hayden, New York, 1866, p. 104.