The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1902-07-03
II Short Chapter Of Hmerican bistcry.
their voices in the universal protest.

their voices in the universal protest.
Samuel Adams, the "Father of the
Revolution," sOlemnly warned the
country against it in the sacred name
of Liberty, and he was ably seconded
by his famous cousin, John Adams.
Franklin made it the target for the
shafts of his ridicule. The press of
the entire country was tremendously
bitter against the order, and in one or
two instances even went so far as to
attack the personal character of Wash
ington for his connection with it. But
what reached and appealed to the great
mass of the people was neither the ora
tions of the statesmen nor the invectives
of the newspapers; it was an army Of
pamphleteers the society called into
existence. These writer's represented
all classes, and as they were linked to-
gether by common cause their in
fiuence was great, so great that they
finally succeeded in making the Society
of the Cincinnati the most unpopular
body of men in America. The PAM
phlets contained both sense and nom
sense, but on the whole the ground was
we'll chosen. The evils that might re-
suit from the establishment of any
hereditary titles in America were point
ed out in hundred different ways,
while the assertion that the order pro-
posed to admit foreigners into, an
American political organization was
made the most of by clever writer's.
The New England states were partie-
ularly antagonistic to the society, trucu-
lent little Rhode Island even going so
far as to introduce bill into its Iegis-
lature for the purpose of disfranchis-
ing any member. When one recollects
that Nathaniel Greene was a member
one appreciates how high the popular
feeling must have run.
The literature on the subject created
much comment abroad as well as at
home. Some of the pamphlets were
penned by the ablest statesmen the
country boasted, and Fiske says that
one by Hdanus Brooks, of the supreme
court of South Carolina, was translated
into French and did great deal to fan
into flame the smouldering brands of
revolution that were so soon to devas-
tate that land. The pamphleteers were
thoroughly sincere, and so were bound
to carry weight. There can be no
doubt but that every state in the union
would have enacted laws against the
society had not Washington, at the
first annual meeting, persuaded it to
abandon the distasteful hereditary
membership clause. And so the
loathed and wicked Society of the Gin
cinnati became in single year what
we know it today.
This lack of public confidence in
leaders who had spent eight years,
terrible years they were too, in the
struggle for liberty is inexplicable un-
less one is familiar with the current
events. The truth is that in the weary
days of waiting between the surrender
of Yorktown and the evacuation of
New York by the British there was no
love lost between the Continental army
and the people. The people had given
the army the worst of it for several
years. They were not to blame for
this, but it was true. The men had
been promised pay at the conclusion of
the war, and now the war was over and
no money in sight. They grumbled and
the people were afraid. On the other
hand, the armyha not always behaved
in manner calculated to instill conf
dence in the heart of non-combatant.
At Newburgh Washington was forced
to use his influence to quiet small
insurrection which that honorable
man." General Gates, had instigated;
and at Philadelphia drunken lieuten-
ant and q couple of hundred men had
| actually laid siege to the building
wherein congress was in session,
threatening to remain there until pay
was forthcoming, and had chivied that
august body across the river to New