[2] 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.
[3] "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.
[4] 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.
[5] "Proceedings of the Third State Anti-masonic Convention, of Massachusetts, Worcester, 1832," p. 27.
[6] Vindication of Washington before quoted, p. 13.
[7] 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."
[8] Catalogue of Washington Collection in Boston Athenæum, Boston, 1897, p. 185.
[9] 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.
[10] For an exhaustive sketch of Brother Moses Michael Hays, see The American Freemason, Vol. V, p. 576.