"but little leisure is allowed me to read News
"Papers, or Books of any kind. The reading
"of letters and preparing answers, absorb
"much of my time.--

"With respect,--I remain,
"Revd Sir,
"Your Most Obedt Hble Servt

"Go. Washington"

"The Revd.
"Mr Snyder."
Endorsed
to
"The Revd Mr Snyder,
"24th Oct. 1798."

It is a historical fact that WASHINGTON had always retained the highest
respect for the people of Maryland, and especially the citizens of
Frederick County. No man ever stood higher in the estimation of the
people of Maryland than WASHINGTON, and his death awakened genuine
sorrow. On February 22d, 1800, memorial services were observed in the
Reformed Church at Fredericktown.[79] It was a solemn day and the whole
County was in mourning; at which time Ex-Governor Thomas Johnson
pronounced the funeral oration. Snyder took no part in these services.

The two letters to Snyder were chiefly relied upon by the Anti-Masons to
support their political claims.

"That Washington was never in a Lodge but twice, in his life; that
he paid no attention to Masonry during the war; that in 1781 he
declined being addressed by Masons as a brother Mason, and in 1798
was very particular to insist upon the fact that he had not been in
a Lodge, but once or twice in 30 years, and knew nothing of their
principles and practices."[80]

How false these statements so frequently made, is shown by the many
proofs here presented in fac-simile of the originals, which also
absolutely controvert the statement in Governor Ritner's Vindication?
viz:--

"That all the letters said to be written by Washington to Lodges
are spurious. This is rendered nearly certain: First, by the
non-production of the originals: Second, by the absence of copies
among the records of his letters: Third, by their want of dates:
Fourth, by the fact that his intimate friend and biographer, Chief
Justice Marshall,[81] (himself a Mason in his youth,) says that he
never heard Washington utter a syllable on the subject, a matter
nearly impossible, if Washington had for years been engaged in
writing laudatory letters to the Grand Lodges of South Carolina,
Pennsylvania, and Massachusetts."[82]

The movement to elect General WASHINGTON a Grand Master over all the
Brethren in the United States