Washington telegraph., 1864-03-23
Masonic.
/MARLBRooK, Hampstead Co., Ark,
Feb. l4th. A. 1864, A. L. 1864 I
Hon. L. H. ENGLISH.
III ~ Grand Mnstnr Of Arl-s
rand Master of Arks.


M W. Grand Master of Arks.
Dear Sir and BrothD:-While filing the West
pro tempore a few evenings since, unexpectedly
to me you asked question in regard to the
| 'sGolden Fleece" which | was at the time
able to answer, but gave il NJ my opiaon that
it was an ancient chivalric order which opinion
proved correct. The following is the result Of
my subsequent investigation:
From mythology we learn that the ''Golden
Fleece" was sacred relic. By some it hls
been called the Golden Fleece of Janus. A
legend in ancient mythology is stated thus:
"Athamas was directed by the Oracle Of
Delphi to sacrifice his sun. which he was about
to put into execution, when Nep. hele snatchcd
away his son and daughter and gave them
golden-feec ram, which Mercury had Civ
her. which ram carried them through The air.
over sea and land. The ram was afterwnr, $
sacrificed TO Jupiter Phyrius, who gave the
Il, zee 10 Aeetus, who nailed it to an oak in the
grrye Of Mars
But the order of the Golden Fleece j. one #
the most honorable o. the Orders of Chivalrv
in Europe, being second only to the British
Order oI the Garter. ''It is conferred in SPAN
and Austria IL was instituted on the 24th NJ
january, I429. ~ Brngcs. in Flanders ny
fhliip the Good, IhIke Of burgundy. anf Bra
bant. being Tile day OF his maI riage with his
tnird wife, Isabella of Portugal. It was founded
ia honor OF e n Oily Virgin AMI Saint Andrews
fU- the purpose uf strengthening the catholic
Church, religion, virtue ani good mann, l-..
Having determi ned TO establish an Order oi
haigh'hUoi- Pnihp chose for his biuiE,. thr
-iaIie material Of the country, witch was the
tleteei ihiS emblem the more agreeable
'roin ~ connection with mythology. when the
ArgOnauric expedition was undertaken to ob-
t,IH * ul,rr ne guidance Of Jason, the ci,e-
SanIlpu atly. N han tIa Il :.
established, the Grand Mastership Of the Or
der was inalienably attached to the Earldom {
flanders
The second festival Of the Order was held on
Nov. 10Th, 1881. The statutes then proridr WY d
that If the male line OF tie house Of Burgundy
should become extinct. the husband of the
daughter aud heircss If the last sovereign
should NJ the chef Of the Order: and in this
way Il pass u 10 the house of Austria, ~ the
marriage Of the only daughter Of the Graad
Master 10 Maximiiian. Arclduke of Ausff.ia, /,
and afterwards Emperor Of Germany
The Order was ~ iahlisLcd Nv Emperor
Charles, at Vienna, in l7l3, anu Philip The
| Fifth. ~ Spain. lT2l, both claiming the Or ma
| Master hip of the Order->iuce which time the
orier ha7 been confined in horh countries.
SO honorable u The Order IL the Goller
| Fleece, that a knight ranks above all pers M :
except princes ~ the blood. ana are exempted
from taxes All K lights NJ the Order must
he Roman Catholics, ard ID crn only ~ cent
ferred on Protestant by dispensation from
the Pope. The badge uf the Order H. "A CoIsc7
Fleece or LGnb, with gol. fl nj : o.e enanleled
blue, On WHICH il engraved the name III the
order. On days "f ceremony tie knight W, ar
n splendid costume robe nf rel velvet lined
with white six. aud "a long p.trIe yelr,t maitle
lined with white sntin, with q border ,mi.rusf l.
cred with gold, cap NJ purple velvet. w.tr
ia embroidery. from which drop. . piece -af
velvet, fastened ID the shoulder; a plain bnfl
is suspended from the lett side Of the cap
The shoes and -f0cki - arc red
The anniversary II tie Order Il celebrated
at Vienna IN Saint Anirrw'- iay. if thar nav
u d. on week day, th-n II ~ celebrated ou
sunday, when .,ll ~ in gran costume. in pro -
cc>son ID church. hear divire service, nnd
then returu % their chapter room. where they
dine. On the day NJ EHirhnay tle Chapter ~
presided Over by the Erp"ror. At me cou-
cln-i1n- t.e Emperor, preceded MN hi- court
snn accompanied iy the knigat-. u o Y, T. a.
the iinll NJ the I'm ght-. ami takes hi- sea- mr-
On the throne. each hnighr taking his -t.I
Any c4nulili"- I'm waiting. .irc-,ed in fi- e5 :
tune Ny tile Orler. nry rl hy WV uIi,.-
hn'ri :, preceded ty thc knE-nf-AIls c,.i+r
the II .i VA lhv hnigLIs. lle canI.dIte w iA-
Vested by tie GrId Ma-tr with the nrds,.
by thrrv hiI~s yf tnr SRrri il+ Ti.rt .k N
tHe .aIn vi thr Order. TIE Emp.rar. I,
his oMn hrnh- 'ls-n Iit,, Ii~ cuiirr r.ulI l.i.
neck, AMI nbr uin.. W icl fensrr :
.-lcatc" hy aI .n- knic'u-
Ihi~ NJ a cn.ltustd ccuuIt rf fhc Drlu. III
tle GOldeu Fleece. h ch j. - of n .,,id .h.
AeMil -lLit aftd LiT rru A ApIr--iiirt i- f.-- n N
cIen' i'u 'aH stni %, g,is ~ .er4 oDran
to unt prefer fu iy tir m ytr.,
VII -'In- "til-i. formed 'rhsr siyr a. tar
thcr views IN regard tnii-
Truly a 4 4 at-rtnily.