The daily morning journal and courier., 1894-08-01
CINCINNATI SOCIETY.
THE COMMANDMENT OF THE sOCIE-
 TY IN IS>COSNECTICUT.

vsiedictory Address of General David
 Humphreys, Eto.-A Paper Read Before
 the Society July {, 1894, by Rev. A. N.
 Lewis, and Ordered to he Spread Upon
 the Records-Pubiished by Request.
 ''PosT HUBILA PHoEBUs.
 have thought that 1t might be ap- propriate on this one hundreh and elev- enth anniversary of our society to re- view the movement which has resulted in Its restoration after sleep" of eighty-four years.
 The Order of the Cincinnati was founded in the Continental army at their cantonment on the Hudson, May 13. 17s3. Delegates from the several lines met at the headquarters of Gene ral the Baron Steuben. and after ses- sion of several days reported a consti- tution-(or institution" as 1t was called)-which was signed by Washing ton and about twenty-five hundred of the officers. Thirteen state societies were organized afterwards; the Con- necticut society at West Point, July 1. l7S3.
 From the first there was a wide spread and deep-seated opposition to the society. It was gravely urged that 1t was "an hereditary aristocracy," which would control the government and monopolize all the offices" Jef- ferson and Franklin (who were ineligi- ble to membership, opposed 1t
 A clever pamphlet attacking the so- ciety. written over the signature of "Cassius," was published by Aedanus Burke, one of the chief justices of South Carolina. This was translated into French and re-published in Paris by Mirabeau. John Adams also came out against 1t. John Jay was afraid "the Order will divide us into two mighty factions" Governors of states pre- scented the society to the consideration and censure of the legislatures. In Massachusetts and Connecticut threats of disfranchisement were made against the Cincinnati chevaliers" The pop ular excitement was almost equal to that which assailed the Masonic frater- nifty fifty years later. '"Tantaera-ne animis coelestibus iraae?"
 A committee of congress introduced a report that Tho person holding an he reditary title, or order of nobility, should be eligible to citizenship" This (so Washington aff1rmeO was aimed at the Cincinnati, and he declared his in- tention to withdraw from the society unless "the hereditary part was done away" The storm, however, soon spent It's fury, and he was elected pres ident-general, serving as such until his death.
 In process of time, and from various causes, seven of the state societies, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Con- necticut, Delaware, Virginia, North Carolina and Georgia were dissolved, or, to speak more accurately, became dormant"
 The fund of the Connecticut society, at its disbandment in 1894, amounted to $1,521.66. For several years the society had petitioned the Connecticut legisla- ture for an act of incorporation to ena- ble them to hold their; funds, but with out success. The opposition to the so- ciety had not yet died out in Connecti- cut.
 At the anniversary meeting, July 4, 1903, motion was made to dissolve the society, which failed to pass. At the next meeting, July 4, 1894, the motion was renewed, land after a critical and lengthy discussion the previous ques- tion was moved and taken-voted in the affirmative" Only forty-five mem- bers (no quorum were present, and the number of negative votes is not stated. The funds were ordered to be divided pro rata among the members, and any undivided balance that might remain to be deposited in the treasury of Yale college for safe keeping, where it has lain without interest for ninety-one years.
 Several of the members invested their shares (some $50O in portrait of Washington by Trumbull, which hangs in the Art building of Yale university.
 The books and papers are in the archives of the Connecticut Historical society at Hartford.
 In the year 1860 several descendants of Revolutionary offices in Rhode Is- land and Connecticut began to insti- ute inquiries as to what steps were ne- cessary to revive the dormant state societies. A memorial was presented to the general society who decided that on account of the destitute state of the country the inquiry was inopportune.
 In 1887 or '88 the Hon. John Fitch, of New York city, and Major John c. Kin ney, of Hartford, both members of the New Jersey society, took initiatory steps toward reviving the Society of the Cincinnati in Connecticut. A meet ing was held at the Capitol in Hartford July 4, 1888, at which a provisional or ganization was effected and officers elected. The second meeting was held at the same. place July 4, 1889. Officers were elected and steps taken to memo rialize the general society for restora- tion. Search was made throughout the United States for descendants of the original members of the Connecticut society, and at the general meeting" at Baltimore, May 10, 1890, a petition signed by some forty "eligibles" was presented. It was referred to com mittee of one from a state, who were ordered to report thereon at the gene ral meeting of 1893.
 May 13, 1893, the committee recom- mended to the general society that the Connecticut society be restored. This report was adopted by a unanimous vote, and the Connecticut delegates were admitted to seats.
 The society now has forty members and a fund of $e, 800.