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.