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V
Correspondence with St. John's Lodge, No. 2 at Newbern, N. C., April, 1791
THE next Masonic letter of President Washington was written, in answer to an address by the brethren of St. John's Lodge, No. 2, at Newbern, North Carolina, during his southern tour in 1791.
April 7, 1791, Washington started on a tour through the Southern States, by way of Fredericksburg, Richmond, and Petersburg, Virginia; Halifax, Tarborough, Newbern, and Wilmington, North Carolina; Georgetown, and Charleston, South Carolina; and Savannah, Georgia.
When advice of this proposed presidential visit reached Newbern, the brethren of St. John's Lodge, No. 2,34 at the stated meeting held on April 1, 1791, passed the following resolution. "Resolved, that an address shall be presented to Brother George Washington, in behalf of this Lodge, on his arriving in this town."35
Upon his arrival at Newbern, N. C., April 20, following address was presented to the President,36 which, together with the reply, has thus far never been in print or noted:
"To the President of the United States of
America.
"The Address of St Johns Lodge No. 2 of Newbern.
"Right Worshipful Sir,
"We the Master, Officers, and Members of St.
"Johns Lodge No 2, of Newbern, beg leave to hail
"you welcome with three times three.
"We approach you not with the language of
"adulation, but sincere fraternal affection—your
"works having proved you to be the true and faith-
"ful brother, the skilful and expert Craftsman, the
"just and upright man, But the powers of elo-
"quence are too feeble to express with sufficient
"energy the cordial warmth with which our bosoms
"glow toward you.
"We therefore most ardently wish, most fervently
"and devoutly pray, That the Providence of the
"most high may strengthen, establish, and protect
"you, in your walk through this life; and when you
"shall be called off from your terrestrial labours by
"command of our divine grand master, and your
"operations sealed with the mark of his approbation,
"may your soul be eternally refreshed with the
"streams of living water which flow at the right
"hand of God, and when the supreme architect of
"all worlds shall collect his most precious jewels as
"ornaments of the celestial Jerusalem, may you
"everlastingly shine among those of the brightest
"lustre.
"We are in our own behalf, and that of the
"Members of this Lodge,
"Right worshipful Sir;
"St Johns Lodge No. 2.
"Your true and faithful brethren
"April 20th 5791.
"Isaac Guion Master.
"Samuel Chapman Senior Warden.
"William Johnston, Junior Warden.
"Solomon Halling, Edw. Pasteur, Jas Carney, F. Lowthrop.
"Members of the Committee."
Fac-simile of Address from St. John's Lodge, No. 2, Newbern, N. C. Letter Book II, Folio 47-48.
Brothers: Isaac Guion, Worshipful Master, Samuel Chapman, Senior Warden, William Johnston, Junior Warden, and Solomon Halling, signers to above petition had all seen service in the Continental Army during the Revolutionary War. Brother Guion served as Surgeon and Paymaster; Brother Chapman, Captain in 8th North Carolina, serving until the close of the War; Brother Johnston, Captain in North Carolina Militia and present at Kings Mountain.
Brother Hailing was Surgeon of the 4th Carolina Regiment and served until the close of the War.
Washington's Reply37 to the Brethren of St. John's Lodge
"To the Master, Wardens, and Members of St
John's Lodge No. 2 of Newbern.
"Gentlemen,
"I receive the cordial welcome which you
"are pleased to give me with sincere gratitude.
"My best ambition having ever aimed at
"the unbiassed approbation of my fellow-citizens,
"it is peculiarly pleasing to find my conduct
"so affectionately approved by a fraternity whose as-
"sociation is founded in justice and benevolence.
"In reciprocating the wishes contained
"in your address, be persuaded that I offer a sincere
"prayer for your present and future happiness.
"At the following Meeting of St. John's Lodge, No. 2, April 29, 1791, the Master laid before the Lodge the answer of Brother George Washington ordered that it be read, which being done, Resolved that it be entered on Minutes of this Lodge."38 "The Address to Brother Washington and his answer are both on the Minutes of the Lodge. The original letter may have been lost during the late unpleasantness, as the Lodge lost nearly everything it possessed."39
VI
Correspondence with Prince George's Lodge, No. 16, Georgetown, S. C., April, 1791
WASHINGTON left Newbern, North Carolina, under an escort of horse, April 22, 1791, and arrived at Georgetown, South Carolina, by way of Wilmington, N. C., Saturday, April 30, where he was received with a salute of cannon, and by a company of infantry, and during the afternoon was presented with the following address, by a Committee of Prince George's Lodge, No. 16 (Moderns), of Georgetown, South Carolina.
This Lodge was one of the original six Lodges, which had been warranted prior to 1756 in South Carolina, under the Jurisdiction of the Provincial Grand Lodge, and through it, the Grand Lodge of England. It is the only instance where a Lodge of the "Moderns" addressed Brother Washington:
"To Our illustrious Brother George Washington.
"President of the United States.
"At a time when all men are emulous to approach
"you to express the lively sensations you inspire as
"the Father of our country. Permit us the Brethren
"of Prince George's Lodge No. 16 to have our share
"in the general happiness in welcoming you to
"Georgetown, and the pleasure of reflecting that we
"behold in you the liberator of our country. the
"distributor of its equal laws, and a Brother of our
"most ancient and most honorable Order.
"At the same time indulge us in congratulating
"you on the truly honorable and happy situation in
"which you now stand, as the Grand Conductor of
"the political interests of these United States.
"Having by your manly efforts caused the beau-
"teous light of liberty to beam on this western hemi-
"sphere, and by the wisdom Heaven has graciously
"endowed you with established the liberties of
"America on the justest and firmest basis that was
"ever yet recorded in the annuals of history, you
"now enjoy the supremest of all earthly happiness
"that of diffusing peace, liberty, and safety to mil-
"lions of your fellow-citizens.
"As a true reward for your patriotic, noble and
"exalted services we fervently pray the Grand Archi-
"tect of the universe long to bless you with health,
"stability, and power to continue you the Grand
"Pillar of the arch of liberty in this vast empire,
"which you have been so eminently distinguished in
"raising to this pitch of perfection at which we now
"behold it.
"May the residue of your life be spent in ease
"content and happiness, and as the Great Parent of
"these United States may you long live to see your
"children flourish under your happy auspices and
"may you be finally rewarded with eternal happiness.
"We conclude our present address with a fervent
"wish that you will continue as you have hitherto
"been, the friend of our ancient and honorable
"Order, and of all worthy Masons.
I. White
R. Grant Committee from Prince George's Lodge.
AB. Cohen
Jos. Blyth.
J. Carson.
"George Town 30th April 1791."
Of the above signers, three of the brethren had served in the War for Independence, viz.: Brother Isaac White, Lieutenant in North Carolina Militia at Kings Mountain; Brother Reuben Grant, Ensign in the 6th North Carolina Infantry, and Brother Joseph Blythe, Surgeon in 1st North Carolina Regiment, taken prisoner at Charleston, May 12th, 1780; exchanged June 14, 1781; in 4th North Carolina in February, 1782, and served to close of war.
Fac-simile of Address from the Brethren of Prince George's Lodge, Folio No. 16, Georgetown, South Carolina, April, 1791. Letter Book II, 59-60.
The following reply unfortunately bears no date. Both address and reply were entered in Washington Letter Book, No. II, folio 60-61. It is not known what has became of the originals. No notice or copies of either of the above documents have thus far been published.
Washington's Reply
"To the Brethren of Prince George's Lodge,
No. 16.
"Gentlemen:
"The cordial welcome which you give me
"to George Town, and the congratulations, you are
"pleased to offer on my election to the chief
"magistracy receive my grateful thanks.
"I am much obliged by your good wishes
"and reciprocate them with sincerity, assuring the
"fraternity of my esteem, I request them to believe
"that I shall always be ambitious of being considered
"a deserving Brother.
GENERAL MORDECAI GIST.
B. BALTIMORE, MD., 1743. D. CHARLESTON, S. C., 1792.
WHO, AS GRAND MASTER OF SOUTH CAROLINA, SIGNED THE ADDRESS TO BROTHER WASHINGTON.
VII
Correspondence with Grand Lodge of South Carolina, May, 1791
PRESIDENT Washington left Georgetown at six o'clock in the evening, May 1, 1791, reaching Charleston, South Carolina, Monday, May 2, in a twelve-oared barge rowed by twelve American captains of ships accompanied by a great number of boats with gentlemen and ladies in them, and two boats with music.40 Brother Washington remained in Charleston until May 9.
Wednesday, May 4, 1791, General Mordecai Gist, an old companion in arms of Washington, and formerly Master of the Military Lodge in the Maryland line (No. 27 upon the register of Pennsylvania),41 but now Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Ancient York Masons of South Carolina, attended by the other present and past grand officers,42 waited on their beloved brother, the president of the United States, and presented the following address:43
"Sir—Induced by a respect for your public and private character, as well as the relation in which you stand with the brethren of this society, we the Grand Lodge of the State of South Carolina, Ancient York Masons, beg leave to offer our sincere congratulations on your arrival in this state.
"We felicitate you on the establishment and exercise of a permanent government, whose foundation was laid under your auspices by military achievements, upon which have been progressively reared the pillars of the free republic over which you preside, supported by wisdom, strength, and beauty unrivalled among the nations of the world.
"The fabric thus raised and committed to your superintendence, we earnestly wish may continue to produce order and harmony to succeeding ages, and be the asylum of virtue to the oppressed of all parts of the universe.
"When we contemplate the distresses of war, the instances of humanity displayed by the Craft afford some relief to the feeling mind; and it gives us the most pleasing sensation to recollect, that amidst the difficulties attendant on your late military stations, you still associated with, and patronized the Ancient Fraternity.
"Distinguished always by your virtues, more than the exalted stations in which you have moved, we exult in the opportunity you now give us of hailing you brother of our Order, and trust from your knowledge of our institution, to merit your countenance and support.
"With fervent zeal for your happiness, we pray that a life so dear to the bosom of this society, and to society in general, may be long, very long preserved; and when you leave the temporal symbolic lodges of this world, may you be received into the celestial lodge of light and perfection, where the Grand Master Architect of the Universe presides.
"Done in behalf of the Grand Lodge.
"M. Gist, G. M."44
"Charleston, 2d May, 1791."
To this address Washington returned the following reply.45
"Gentlemen:—I am much obliged by the respect which you are so good as to declare for my public and private character. I recognize with pleasure my relation to the brethren of your Society, and I accept with gratitude your congratulations on my arrival in South Carolina.
"Your sentiments, on the establishment and exercise of our equal government, are worthy of an association, whose principles lead to purity of morals, and are beneficial of action.
"The fabric of our freedom is placed on the enduring basis of public virtue, and will, I fondly hope, long continue to protect the prosperity of the architects who raised it. I shall be happy, on every occasion, to evince my regard for the Fraternity. For your prosperity individually, I offer my best wishes."
This letter was probably destroyed with other Grand Lodge property when Columbia, South Carolina, was burned by Sherman's Army during the war between the States.46
Fortunately, the original draft of Washington's reply, was found among the Washington papers now in the Library of Congress. This is written upon two pages of a letter sheet: the first page shows a paragraph which was suppressed and did not appear upon the clear copy sent to the Grand Lodge of Ancient York Masons of South Carolina.
A photostat of this draft is in the collection of the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania, viz.:
"To the Grand Lodge of the State of South
"Carolina Ancient York Masons.
"Gentlemen,
"I am much obliged by the respect
"which you are so good as to declare for my
"public and private character. I recognise
"with pleasure my relation to the Brethren
"of your Society—and I accept with gratitude
"your congratulations on my arrival in
"South Carolina.
"Your felicitations It is peculiarly
general
"pleasing to observe the ^ satisfaction expressed
"on the establishment and exercise of the
"federal government—
"Your sentiments on the establishment
"and exercise of our equal government are
"worthy of an association, whose principles
"lead to purity of morals, and beneficence
"of action—The fabric of our freedom
"is placed on the enduring basis of
"public virtue, and will long continue
"to protect the Posterity of the architects
"who raised it.
"I shall be happy on every
regard
"occasion to evince my respect for the
"Fraternity, for whose happiness individually
"I offer my best wishes.
Fac-simile of Draft of Washington's Reply to Address from Grand Lodge of South Carolina, May, 1791.
Handwriting of Mayor William Jackson.
Upon the first page the four lines commencing with "Your felicitations" and ending with "federal government" were crossed out, and as above stated, were not in the reply sent to R. W. Grand Master Gist and his officers.
In the third line from the bottom the word "regard" is substituted for "respect."
Brother Gist was the original Warrant Master of the Regimental Lodge in the Maryland line, No. 27, on the Roster of the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania. After the war, Brother Gist settled in Charleston, South Carolina, retaining his old Military Warrant, and, in 1786, applied to the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania, to renew this warrant, for a Lodge to be located at Charleston under the same number. This request was granted, and Brother Gist was again named as Warrant Master.
At the formation of the Grand Lodge of South Carolina Ancient York Masons in 1787, Brother Gist was elected Deputy Grand Master and served as such during the years 1787-88-89, and as Grand Master, 1790-1791.
VIII
Correspondence with Grand Lodge of Georgia, May, 1791
ON the way from Charleston, South Carolina, to Savannah, Georgia, Washington called on Mrs. Greene, the widow of late Brother General Nathaniel Greene, at her plantation called Mulberry Grove, reaching Savannah, Georgia, on the evening of Thursday, May 12, 1791.
Saturday, May 14, Washington was waited on by Brethren of the Grand Lodge of Georgia and presented with the following address:47
"To the President of the United States.
"Sir, and Brother,
"The Grand Master, Officers and Members of the
"Grand Lodge of Georgia, beg leave to congratulate
"you on your arrival in this city. Whilst your ex-
"alted character claims the respect and deference of
"all men, they from the benevolence of masonic prin-
"ciples approach you with the familiar declaration
"of fraternal affection.
"Happy indeed that Society, renowned for its
"antiquity, and pervading influence over the en-
"lightened world, which having ranked a Frederick
"at its head, can now boast of a Washington as a
"Brother. A Brother who it justly hailed the Re-
"deemer of his country, raised it to glory, and by his
"conduct in public and private life has evinced to
"Monarchs that true majesty consists not in splendid
"royalty, but in intrinsic worth.
"With these sentiments they rejoice at your pres-
"ence in this State, and in common with their fellow-
"citizens, greet you, thrice welcome, flattering them-
"selves that your stay will be made agreeable.
"May the great Architect of the Universe pre-
"serve you whilst engaged in the work allotted you
"on earth, and long continue you the brightest pil-
"lar of our Temple, and when the supreme fiat shall
"summon you hence, they pray the might I AM
"may take you into his holy keeping,
"Grand Lodge in Savannah
May 14th 5791.
Geo: Houston,
Grand Master."
Bro. Washington's Reply to Address from the Grand Lodge of Georgia, May, 1791. Letter Book II, Folio 78.
Upon the next day, Sunday, May 15, after attending the morning church service, Washington left Savannah and set out for Augusta, Georgia, halting for dinner at Mulberry Grove, the seat of Mrs. Nathaniel Greene. The following reply to the Masonic address was sent to the Grand Lodge of Georgia,48 both address and reply now first published:
"To the Grand Master, Officers and Members
"of the Grand Lodge of Georgia.
"Gentlemen,
"I am much obliged by your congratulations
"on my arrival in this city, and I am highly indebted
"to your favorable opinions.
"Every circumstance contributes to
"render my stay in Savannah agreeable, and it
"is cause of regret to me that it must be so
"short.
"My best wishes are offered for the welfare
"of the fraternity, and for your particular happiness.
PRESIDENT WASHINGTON'S RESIDENCE IN PHILADELPHIA, A. D. 1790 A. D. 1797.
WHERE THE MASONIC ADDRESSES OF THE GRAND LODGE OF PENNSYLVANIA WERE DELIVERED.
FROM A CONTEMPORARY WATER COLOR PAINTING BELONGING TO THE LIBRARY COMPANY OF PHILADELPHIA.
THE FIGURES ARE THOSE OF WASHINGTON AND ROBERT MORRIS.
