Show oCie the Cincinnati A l dt Xi jn P t r I r eri I Headquarters at Ne ibur h ht t is 6 f Gen George Geor Wa r ru u WM 1 5 7 J x I Dy By ly ELMO ELrIO SCOTT WATSON T WAS just years ago that the cur cur- curtain I curI pl tain tamn was rung down on the last act ot of o rl the mighty drama known as the Amer- Amer American lean ican Hv and appropriately enough the sta stage e setting for Cor this act ac was as along the Hudson river which sc r had been the scene of or so many Important tant taut events during that struggle More Mon particularly the locale was the town towi of Newburgh N Y It was here that Washington and his Continental army after the Ictor victory over oer Corn mIlls w at Yorktown York had settled down on their last camp ground of ot the war var In the Hasbrouck mansion a small sloping roofed stone farm farm- farmhouse house farm hous house Washington had established his head head- headquarters headquarters headquarters quarters and here were living 11 with him Martha Washington and members of ot his military family ly Ir 13 officers who had followed his fortunes faith faith- faithfUlly faithfully faithfully fUlly during the war war-Col war war-C war Col ll Tench Tilghman Col David Humphries Maj 1 Benjamin Walker Col William t Stevens Smith Baylies and Jonathan Trumbull Jr son of the famous Camous Brother Jonathan Trumbull governor of or Con Con- Connecticut The camp of or the soldiers was pitched In a circle semi circle extending from Crom four Cour miles southwest cst of Newburgh to the village of New Windsor on orthe the west bank of ot the Hudson now a suburb of Dr Newburgh On the summit of or a high tree tree- treeless treeless less hill overlooking the valley had hall been erected a big oblong wooden building known as the Temple or the New Public building which was used for holding religious services for Cor the Con Con- Continentals On April 19 W 1783 1753 the anniversary of ot the Rat nat Bat tl tit of Lexington a courier rode hastily through th t streets of ot Newburgh and drew up before the mansion The burden of his des des- was the proclamation of or congress for Cor Corthe forthe the cessation of or hostilities At noon of the same da dal the proclamation was read to the officers of tae Ue army who were assembled In the Temple Temple for that purpose and In the evening It was read was to overy overt regiment in the army Although the th signing ng of the treaty of or peace was still several months In the future It it was not signed until September 3 1783 1753 the American Revolution ne was at an nn end Now ow began the work of or demobilization and andas andas andas as the officers prepared to take leave of or each other perhaps forever It occurred to Gen lien lien- Henry ry 17 Knox c commander at West Point to whom had been given the delicate task of disband disband- disbanding disbandIng Ing the army that there should be some Bomo way of perpetuating the ties that had bound them together during the dark days of or their struggle for tor liberty Then too there was the Idea Iden ot of pa paying tribute to their tell fellow ow officers who ho had lost their lives In the struggle and of or finding some method of support for tor the widows and orphans of or the dead heroes The proposal of Knox to found a patriotic and memorial society met with the tho Instant ap- ap approval of or the other officers of or the army and It also had the acquiescence and hearty apr ro- ro of Washington A meeting to or organize such BlICh n a socIety was held heM at Verplanck house the headquarters of ot Baron von Steuben near Fish Fish- Fishkill kill w with Ith that doughty German soldier ID log and Knox serving as as general secretary The name chosen for Cor the organization was the Society of ot the Cincinnati and the selection or of that name Is 1 easily explained The colo were mostly agriculturists and many them had been educated In En England land where Roman history was ever eter the Inspiration of or the scholar So the name of ot Society of or the Cincinnati was approprIate for them them because they like the of f Roman Homan legend had left the for tor their country's service and like him now that their service was over were returning to tc the plow again The order or medal of the society was also In keeping with this Idea It Is a eagle engle suspended on a a- a blue ribbon with white borders t typifying the union of ot France and Amer Amer- AmerIca America ica On the eagles eagle's breast Is shown receiving a sword s and Insignia from the Roman noman senate and In the background Is his home his wire wife and his bits plow Around this tills scene are dis displayed played the tile words Omnia ten arc reme rem publican I lle He left all to serve the republic On tho reverse of oC the order Is Fame crowning Cia Cin- CincInnatus cinnatus Cin-cinnatus cInnatus with wIlh n a wreath Inscribed the the reward of valor In the back back- background ground round Is a n seaport city with open gates and ships entering the harbor and below this are joined hands supporting a heart beart l Esto Perpetua-Be Perpetua Be thou Faithful the command or of orthe the society The design for tor this medal was time the timework work of Major LEnfant L'Enfant destined for future fame Came ns as the man who was to plan the new Capital Capi Capital tal of ot the Nation Washington D 0 C aThe The Time membership of or the society was composed of or the time Continental army native or of f officers t who had served ser three years or been foreign honorably dl dici discharged ch red and to their direct e descendants s by ode order of tit birth through females femal s A 4 mi miIli Ili cr S 'S s j t i- i ir r 1 n r r Z 1 O Henry Knox In default of males and then by collaterals If judged acceptable by the society Individuals dis dis- distinguished dis- dis distinguished distinguished for their patriotism were to be ad- ad ad admitted as honorary members for tor life me and the state branches were always to meet on the Fourth of or July while the general society was to meet every ery third year on the anniversary ot of Its founding May 13 1783 1753 It was agreed at the first meeting that In or- or order order or order der to secure the fund for the desired relief reller of oC the widows and orphans that all the officers should contribute a full months month's salary as soon as congress appropriated an equal amount This would make a n very considerable pension fund rund 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 hitter batter denunciation by n a large number Dumber of citizens of or the new ne nation The first mistake on the part of or Its founders had bad been In limiting the membership to officers both native and foreign Unlike the G A R n which followed the Civil war and the American Le- Le Legion Le Legion gion glon which followed the World war the Society or of the Cincinnati did not Include In Its member member- membership membership ship the common soldier Then tho the memberships were made hereditary to pass down to posterity by the rule of or prim prim- primo primogeniture primogeniture o and In this provision the patriots detected a move more toward the perpetuation of a military aristocracy And then to cap the he climax there was the golden decoration which went with a membership Were not such deco decorations co rations of or the very cry essence of the Old world feu teu- fen fen- fendal feudal dal aristocracy So In spite of ot the fact that the great Father or of Our Country vouched for the patriotic spirit or of the new society and honored It by becoming becoming It its first president the tribunes of ot the people raged n against It and declaimed against It ft as an Insidious Influence to such an extent that the time came when It was as as much as a mans man's political life was worth to appear In public with the Insignia of ot the Cincinnati pinned to his bosom France just swinging Into Its blood bloody revolutionary period took a hand In the fight and even en the great laundered against the Cincinnati and warned the young Republic against Its dangerous tendencies The young oung Republic was quite willing to believe him It was not only the tavern orators and the political pamphleteers that pitched Into It nut not merely the rabid republican followers of Jefferson Jeffe u who h o viewed ed It t as n dangerous menace to the Republics Republic's new some Institutions Institutions some of or the most conservative statesmen and publicists ot of the time raised their voices and employed employ ol tit their pens against It IL Jefferson was publicly hostile to It BenjamIn Franklin then representing the republic at the court of ot France wrote home ridiculing the pur pur- purposes pur- pur purposes purposes poses of or the society as an attempt to form an order of or hereditary knighthood He lie expressed the wonder vonder that any nay set of ot American gentlemen should In the face race of ot the provisions of the Articles of ot Confederation against ranks of ot no- no no set themselves and their posterity apart from their fellow citizens of or the Republic In an exclusive order Invested with all the privileges and Insignia of aristocracy Probably the most Influential enemy of or the I new order was Samuel Adams the father tather ot of otI othe the Revolution He While his views were states states- statesmanlike statesmanlike I manlike they were severe No man he said sahl was more read ready to remember gratefully and re- re reward re reward ward the services of the army In the great struggle struggle gle but It was astounding that any set of or men should Imagine that a people who had hall freely treely spent blood and treasure In support of equal rights should the moment the struggle was over be reconciled to the odious hereditary distinction distinction tion of or families He lie looked upon the Society of the Cincinnati as ns a n stride toward a heredi hereditary tary military nobility as rapid as ever was made In so short a time and he lie could not but lament as a n grievous misfortune to the states that so illustrious a man as Washington sanctioned It John Adams added his voice olce to the general clamor against the Cincinnati The legislators or of Massachusetts Inspired by resolutions from Cam Cam- Cambridge bridee bridge tho the university center denounced the so- so society society so society as ns dangerous to the peace liberty and safety of or the Union A flood of or pamphleteers joined the chorus of condemnation One of or these Burke a Revolutionary veteran and a n judge of or the Supreme Court of South Carolina wrote a a bitter pamphlet over oer the I signature of or Cassius denouncing the aris aris- aristocratic aristocratic tendencies of or the society which put the on the condemnatory movement The pamphlet was reprinted In every state and found Its way across t tae tt e Atlantic A copy fell Into the hands of or vho ho translated It Into French and published It In England Washington tried to stem the tide of ot opposition tion to the child of or his sponsorship by advocat advocat- advocating ing fag the repeal of or the provision making the mem memo memberships hereditary But It was too late Pub Pub- Public Public Public lic suspicion had been aroused and the patriots of the rank and file lIe had placed their taboo on the order One of or the most Interesting results of or the th feeling against tho the Cincinnati was the founding of or Tammany Hall a counter movement In New NewYork NewYork NewYork York nucleating In a society organized on the alleged basis of pure democracy So unpopular unpopular lar tar did the Cincinnati become that candidates for public office curried favor by y y denouncing the aristocrats from the stamp and Instances are arc related whore men publicly divested them them- themselves themselves selves of the eagle and the tine ribbon at the polls polis vowing that they had severed sc their connection connection with the society Rhode Island went tc to the time len length tb or of disfranchising all members of or the time hated organization or- or organization or organization and one by one the state societies In Georgia North 1 Carolina Virginia Delaware Connecticut and New Hampshire abandoned their charters and the once propitious Society ot of the Cincinnati was In a fair way to oblivion The visit of Lafayette In 1824 revived re a temporary Interest In It but It was wa many years before popular apprehension had become so o ap ap- ap appeased ap that It was safe eafe for a man maR who asked preferment at the tho hands of or the American pub public lic Ile to profess proCess that he was n a member of or the hon hon- honorable honorable honorable Society of ot the first r t association of or war veterans i 0 0 b by Western Wt t rn X w p PH pw Caton n |