The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1902-07-03
Paper Read Before the Chauta uqua Circle.

Paper Read Before the Chaata uqua Circle.
n IOWADAYS the Society of the
mi Cincinnati is chiefly noted for
Y its banquets. Every little
while we read in the papers
that it has held meeting and that its
members have eaten meal together
and listened to some good speeches over
their wine and nuts: and when this
occurs we are glad or sorry, according
to our several dispositions, that we are
not present; but how many of us ever
stop to think of the part that same
Society of the Cincinnati once played
in the history of our country; what a
violent tempest in a teapot it once
Occasioned? 1t is safe to say not one
man in hundred. And yet it was the
cause of almost as much blind hatred
and passion as the notorious stamp act
itself.
In 1888, shortly after the signing of
the Paris treaty and before the Con-
tinental army had been disbanded,
General Knox suggested that the
officers of that army who had shared so
many vicissitudes and hardships to-
gether should meet and organize a
society amongst themselves as
the officers did after the Civil War
when they organized the Loyal Legion.
The plan met with the approval of
those concerned, meeting was held
and the organization was perfected. 1t
was decided to name the order after
Cincinnatus, who, it will be remem-
bered, was called from his four acres of
garden to take command of the Roman
armies and who returned to his plow
when the war was ended. 1t was like
wise decided that the organization
should be secret society.
The purposes of the Society of the
Cincinnati were social and benevolent.
The members agreed to keep up friend
ly intercourse and they pledged them
selves to provide for the widows and
orphans of the officers who had died
during the war, as we'll as of those who
might leave their families destitute in
the future. The only political purpose
was to cherish the union. The perpet-
uation of the society was to be accom-
plished through the eldest sons of the
members, upon whom membership
would descend at the demise of the
father. Itwas also proposed to admit
French officers who had fought for the
American cause during the Revolution,
while from time to time its ranks might
be swelled by the admission of dis
tinguished men of other nationalities.
At the first meeting CT the order a
constitution and bylaws were adopted,
and George Washington was unani-
mOusly elected president. A general
meeting of the entire body was to be
held in May each year and the branches
in the several states were to gather and
celebrate every Fourth of July. The
badge of the order was golden eagle
attached to blue ribbon edged with
white.
Now to us of the twentieth century
this seems like very harmless organ
ization. We can see no good reason
why it should not exist. But to the
patriots of the eighteenth century it
assumed terrible proportions. The
news of its establishment spread over
the thirteen states like a fire on the
prairie and it raised commotion that
must have been akin to what we wit
messed when the news of the destruction
of the Maine reached this country.
"What" exclaimed the men of '76,
shave we gained freedom at the ex-
pense of an eight years war, only to
have the fruits of the victory snatched
from US by handful of ambitious
traitors ?" Men of all creeds and classes
raised their voices against the aristo-
Gratis who sought to establish an hered-
itary nobility (for so the order was
considered by them) in free America.
Indignation meetings were held in
every state in the union, and some of
the greatest thinkers of the age joined