The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1933-04-21
henru
Knox

Praemium'-the reward Of valor In the back
ground is a seaport city with open gates and
ships entering the harbor and below this
Joined hands supporting heart inscribed "Esto
Perpetua"-Be thou Faithful, the command Of
the society The design for this medal was the
work Of Major L'Enfant destined for future
fame as the man who was to plan the new Capt.
tai Of the Nation, Washington, d. G.
Besides this order each member was given
diploma. The diplomas were printed on fine vel
lum from a drawing by Aug. lie Belle. The de-
sign represented American liberty as a strong
armed, bearing in one hand the American
flag as it appeared in 1888, and in the other
naked sword. Beneath his feet were British
flags and broken spear shield and chain At
his side was the eagle flashing destruction at
the British lion. Britannia, her crown falling
was shown fastening to escape to her fleet, this
being significant of the departure of the British
arms from America. Upon cloud at the right
hand side of the diploma was an angel blowing
q trumpet proclaimng to the world the dates of
American Independence, declared in 1776 and
won in 1888.
The membership of the society was composed
of officers of the Continental army, native or
foreign who had served three years or been
honorably discharged and to their direct male
descendants by order of birth, through females
In default Of males and then by collaterals If
judged acceptable by the society. Individuals dis
tinguished for their patriotism were to be ad-
mitted honorary members for life and the
state branches were always to meet on the
Fourth OF July, while the general society was
to meet every third year the anniversary of
its founding. May Is. 17S3.
1t was agreed at the first meeting that in or
der to secure the fund for the desired relief of
the widows and orphans that all the officers
should contribute full months salary, as soon
congress appropriated equal amount This
would make a very considerable pension fund,
the interest on which alone was to be expended.
Strange as it may seem, the organization of
this patriotic and fraternal organization soon
became the object of bitter denunciation by
large number of citizens of the new nation The
first mistake on the part of its founders had
been in limiting the membership to officers. both
native and foreign. Unlike the G. A. R.. which
followed the Civil war and the American Le-
gion which followed the World war, the Society
of the Cincinnati did not include in it's member
ship the common soldier.
Then the memberships were made hereditary,
to pass down to pos-erity by the rule of prim-
ogeniture. and in this provision the patriots
detected move toward the perpetuation Of
military aristocracy." And then. to cap The
climax. there was the golden decoration" which
went with a membership. Were not such deco
rations of the very essence of the Old world feu-
dial aristocracy?
So. in spite of the fact that the great Father
Of Our Country vouched for the patriotic spirit
of the new society and honored 1t by becoming
its first president, the tribunes of the people
ragged against it and detained against it as an
insidious influence, TO such extent that the
tine came when it was much as a mans
political life was worth to appear In public
with the insignia of the Cincinnati pinned to
his bosom. France. just swinging into its bloody
revolutionary period. took a hand in the fight
and even the great Mirabeau Numbered against
the Cincinnati and warned the young Republic
against its dangerous tendencies
The young Republic was quite willing to believe