The Montgomery advertiser., 1902-04-11
THE CINCINNATI.
Origin of a Society Founded by Washington and Other Kevolu-
 tionarY Generals.

tionary Generals.
 Wm. Armstrong Crozier in Philadelphia
 Times.
 In writing oi the Society of the Cincin-
 natis ones mind reverts to a most criti- cal period in the history of the new re-
 public. Hostilities- between the British
 and Americans had ceased, but the terms
 of a treaty ot peace had not been set-
 tied, and the American troops lay en-
 campetls It. Newl1r gh on the Hudson.
 Alter eight years of warfare the sol-
 dters drafted from every condition of life
 were about ts return 10 peaceful avoea-
 tions, and both officers and men Ielt that
 much of that military prestige that had
 heretofore sustained them in ths' heat of
 conflict would be lacking in the. new. or
 der of things. Their pay was in arrears and no adeauate provision had been made to cancel this deot, and already jealous eyes were looking, adversely upon the proposal to found a retired oV pension list and affected to see in d simple act of justice the first step toward the introduc- tion of a privileged class preying upon the common purse.
 4 proposal was made to commute the half pay for life to nve years full pay. and generally aceeded to: and certificates indettli tely promiSSory were issued on the faith of the Congress. It isF needless to say these certificates were freely part cd with at a ruinous depreciation. Dissat- isfacfion at length rose to such pitch that it claimed the serious attention of the commander-in-chie hief-.N asnington. IL was even proposed to leave the service iu a body if the war continued, or. If peace prevailed to retain their arms in defiance Of the civil authority. The wise and moderate c9unsels. oi Washington soon cslmed the general agitation.
 1t was at this Juueture that several Of his companions in arms. impressed with the danger of the doctrines SD open. ty expressed in their midst. determined to mark their disapprobation by some that met with the cordial approval of Washington.
 On May 10. 1I75. gallant officers of the American army mst on the borders or the H ddson and converting the name Of the Roman dictator into 7, Latin plural, calted themselves ,rhe Society Of the Cncin- natl.
 The plan of the society had been pre- viously communicated to the several req imcnts who appointed an officer rom each and these in conjunction with the general officers. formed the prelimlnafy meeting. Major General Baron de Steu- ben in the chair. The presentativts or the army met together three days' iatet; at the quarters of Baron de Steuben. and then and there the institution ot the order was duly accepted. The three fundamental articles upon which 1t Is based are thcse'
 "An lncesssnt sttention to preserve ih- violate those exalted rights and liberties of human nature flor which they nave fought and bled, and without which the high rank of a rational being Is a curse instead of a blessing
 An unalterable determination to pro mote, and cherish between the respective States that union and national honor so essential. to their happiness and the ia- n,re dignity of the American empire.
 ITO render permanent tne eoTu,aI atS ton subsisting among the oucers' tnls spirit will dictate brotherly Hlhdness m all things and particularly extend lo the most substantial acts of benehcence ac- coroinx to the ability or the societ! to- wards those officers and their families who unfortunately may be under the hs' cessity of receiving It. -
 <ll the officers of the American army. as we'll as those who had resigned wlth honor atttr three years scrNicS LII '.it canacitv of officers, or who had been de- ranged by the resolutions of Congress. mon the several reforms ot tHc aFtu!' 's well ss those who should have continued1 to the end of the war. had the riSht io hecame parties to the institution. proNid- sd thcv subscribed one month pa! anu signed their names to the general ruIes; Ali the officers of the French army anu navy who had assisted m tnc Wal VI ', icppn dcnta. we're coiisiu"''u rhe society, ,, ,
 Major L. E;ntant. of the French eng ,ccrs. who. like the unfortunate Anufc; ,f the British army. Wis an 1se1rutt,aS 1,t',n nf h.. hedges and under his supervision tnoa were executed in Paris. . , ~.
 The badge consists of bald eagle or .namcled gold. upon it's breast Il meual- ion charged as follows: On thc ohNerse. he principal figure is Cincinhatns' lhree .enAtors ore sent him with sword ana II her milit iry cnsigns: h. IS fecIlit1S mon his blow. and al his side arc inlnoi implements of husoahofy' Hh tna ao, ,ato. .ha sun rises over ',i'y win open gate; -essels are seen entering inc port anu n the midst. r'ame crowns Slhciuiatus xi;h n wreath inscribed Nlrtuus pre- nium." Below. hands J2nto suppoi, pe,n, q ,eart with the motto. Esto perpetua: The whole is pendant to blue ribbon ,dged with white, descriptive ot th" inion between France ana America Around the principal charge 's ene t
 .u. ..,,,ni. rcllAlit sofN are fefnpuo'
 if was dccreed that the eagle should descend from father to son. accor1nis Q the law of primogenlt'r", %f' bnirs ,G ,''i, ii, ,re of issue. to his collalerai herS III he ,l,,e line of inheritsnrF forever.
 T., w4s inc motto "Esto perpetua' uh- ,xecptional Latin, but dangerous " nis rinr that raised sn outCrN Sha'n"a @ s lew state. which Tn our ""'
 Ar that time pamphlets were the taH1l- TO vehicles for conveying political sauios; md giving vent to all that 'PneNheI si assion which now finds 9ilti%t m pop- ',ar ba arsnrues and the daily journals
 cdanus Burke. an eccentric irlsnfnan, [ ,ho held a seat on the supreme nchch f South CarolinB. had rean the idinUmS ni, 1 ettcL U ,iu,;,otton G, and calling himself Gas ims irr wrote violent trade against the | ociety. r tho State. an. pointed committees to lnqure Hhto tne ,uiu,..nee Tn every instance the report | r.. nnfsy orsble. Rhode Island disfran- 'h;sod such of it's citizens as were mem ,ers of the society; and Massachusetts Zee Ibertv and safety of the union. When the nrst effervescence was over the ,nnosition to the society rapidly declined. The first general meeting after the lisba ndment of the army was held at me ;tat tehouse Philadelhpia. May {. l7SL On ,aturday. May l5. General Washington yas unanimously chosen president. Major General Gates vice-president. and Major General Knox secretary.
 At the death of General Washington he vas succeeded by Alexander Hamilton: .fter him tame Charles Cotesworth