Washington's Masonic Correspondence / As Found among the Washington Papers in the Library of Congress

by George Washington

"Gentⁿ.,
"The Masonick Orna-
"ments which accompanied your
"Brotherly Address of the 23d.
"of the first month, tho' elegant
"in themselves, were rendered
"more valuable by the flattering
"sentiments, and affectionate
"manner, in which they were
"offered.—
"If my endeavours to
"avert the evil, with which
"this Country was threatned, 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
see fit to
"who did not ^ suffer his superstruc
"tures & justice, to be subjected
ambition of the Princes of this world—or
"to the ^ rod of oppression, in the
"hands of any power upon Earth.
"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,

Y^rs.

Endorsed
to
"Mess^rs. Watson &
"Cosson—Nantes
"10^th Aug^t 1782."

A photographic fac-simile of the letter now in New York, and a photostat of the original copy retained by Washington are in the collection of the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania.

The firm of Watson and Cassoul of Nantes, France, acted as confidential agents of the American Government during the Revolutionary period, as is shown by their correspondence with Benjamin Franklin in the Franklin Mss. collection of the American Philosophical Society.[19] Elkanah Watson was also a bearer of despatches to Dr. Franklin.

Footnotes:

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

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

[15] "Memoirs of Elkanah Watson," p. 135.