"They are a part of the Washington papers in
"the Government's possession, purchased from the
"Washington family, one lot in 1834 and the re-
"mainder in 1849, and deposited in the Department
"of State until 1903, when, by the President's order,
"they were sent to this Library. They range in date
"from 1754 to 1799. Some of them are partly
"or wholly in Washington's hand-writing, and others
"in the writing of his secretaries and their clerks.
"There are no volumes of press copies, but there are
"some press copies among the papers."
Washington in writing his answer to the various greetings, in most cases would first make a rough copy of his reply, then digest, alter, correct or change such parts or sentences as he thought proper. Then after deliberate consideration, a fair copy would be made either by Washington or one of his Secretaries and signed by him, and sent to the Masonic bodies for which they were intended.
Fortunately some of the original drafts of these Masonic letters have come down to us; thus far five autographic copies have been found among the Washington papers in the Library of Congress at Washington.
1. Draft of letter written at Newburg, New York, August 19, 1782, to Watson and Cassoul of Nantes, France, thanking them for the Masonic Apron, embroidered by the nuns at Nantes, and which is now in possession of Alexandria-Washington Lodge, No. 22, at Alexandria, Virginia.
2. To the Grand Lodge of Massachusetts.
3. To the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania.
4. To the Grand Lodge of South Carolina.
5. To the Grand Lodge of Maryland; this draft is a two-page letter written upon a letter sheet and shows many changes and corrections; it is dated 1798.
In addition to the above original drafts there were found several addresses and the accompanying answers, which thus far have never been published, in fact no mention of them has ever appeared in print, viz:—
1. An address from the Grand Lodge of Georgia, together with Washington's reply.