The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1898-02-22
S0Ci8tU Of th0 Cincinnati
Major Charles |. Davis u. S. A. Secretary cf AsheviIIe
Gives Sketch of THIS Patriotic Order.

Hon. tcdanuS Burke. Judge of the SUI
prcmc court OF South Carolina. in II
long aS they shall endure. or any of their
eldest male po>tcrfty and. IN failure
thereof the collateral branches who may
lc judged worthy Of becoming its SUP
lt~rter~ ana members
II adopted the name of Tho Society Of
the Cincinnati OH account Of the simsl-
arity between the character of the Illus
tIiouS Roman. lMciu> QuintuS tincin-
natUS. ard the officers Of the American
Army who. having generally been taken
from American citizens. were about 10
lay down in peace thc arms they had
taken up in public defense.
Its immutablc principles were:
An ince<Satt attention to preserve
mvi0latc those exalted rights HIid lihcr-
ties Of human nature for which they
ilavc fought and blcd. and without whica
the high rank of a national being - Il
curse instead Of Il blessing.
An unaltcrablc determination To pro-
mote and cherish, between the rc>pcctv"
States. that union and national honor -
essentially necessary 10 their happiness
and The future dignity of the American
empire.
TO render permanent the cordial ar
fcct:on SuisSisting among the officers.
This spirit will Dictate brothcrly kindness.
in all things and particularly extend -
the most substantial act of bcnciiecncc
according 10 the ability Of the Society,
towards tho~a officers and their families
who unfortunately, anay be under the
necessity of receiving il.
In order to form funds. which may
hc respectable, and assist the unfQrtn-
nate. each officer shah deliver to tho
Treasurer of the State Society one
month 5 pay. which shall r.main forever
to the use of the STATE Society. the III
terest only OF which. if necessary. 10 be
appropriated to the relief of the unfor.
tunatc.
Its membership WAS limited to those
officers then IN service. ''aS well IL
those who have re-. gned with honor.
after three years service IN the capacity
OF officers. or who have been derangcd
by the resolutions Of Congress, upon
tie several reforms OF the army:
provided tina: they subscribe one months
pay and sign their names 10 the gencral
ru,Js III their respective State Societies
g within six months: and as
Il testimony Of affection 10 the memory
and the offspring OF such officers rs have
d:cd in the service. their eldest male
branches, shah have the same right of
becoming members "a the children of the
actual members OF the Society,"
The Society there formed was divided
into State Societies and Washington
being waited upon 10y It committee for
the purpose. affixed his signature. tlr
.iIst. to the document and complied
with their request To act as tine Socr'y'S
president until the general meeting
called to assemble at Philadelphia in
May Of the following year. when this
selection was confirmed and he contiu-
ucd 10 fill the office Of President General
Until his dcceasc.
HE insignia Of the Society. a bald
eagle. l. ing Il bird found only in North
America. was adopted, at the suggestion.
Of Erevet Maj. Pierre Charles L'Eufant,
Captain. corps OF engineers. anh tA" Ger
titicateS Of membership, 0n parchment,
bore Tie signatures Of o. Washington,
president and II. Knox. secretary.
BY the Close Of tn" wear Societies bad
been formed in all thirteen Of the State.
some of them being organized in the
cantomcnt of the Army on the Ilud-
son.
No sooner was the Society established !
than il became an object "f ficrcc a.
tack from all quarters which, in tbs
generation, when it is Of 50 limited
nIllltpT- ana tIJlTtIN tf'hDlt 9! lH5Ittl'di
significance. il difficult 10 understand.
Writers and orators throughout th''
country denounced il aS an attempt
To form privileged aristocracy. Legs
litures and the Congress threatened +"
di~fianrhs,c It's members unless they
abolished the hereditary feature. In New
York the Columbian Orier tnow called
the Tammany Society was founded. III
17S9. to ant1genize it and, IN
striking contrast. has grown int"
membership of thousands and
become the most powerful pol
iticaI organization in III. Union while
the Society Of the Cincinnati, numbering
about half a thousand, i entirely With
Cut political influence Statesmen Such
as John and Samuel Adams, Benjamin
Franklin and Thomas jefferson por-
nounced ii: The first step taken 10
dcface the beauty of our Temple ot
liberty:' IA rapii stride towards an
hereditary military nobility IAN Or
der Of Hereditary knights;' ''nn her
editary aristocracy. and yet two Of these
50 changed their views AZ to accept hon
oraIy membership IN tlis. society. The
most formidable attacks known We're lay
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