a,
soliciting a charter, which were presented to our Grand Lodge, February
3, 1786. The same thing is shown by a medal struck in 1797, the obverse
showing the bust of WASHINGTON, with the legend, "G. Washington
President. 1797," the reverse showing many Masonic emblems,[89] with the
legend "Amor. Honor. Et Justica G.W.G.G.M." (_i. e.,_ George Washington,
General Grand Master).

The writer of the letters to WASHINGTON, Snyder, quoted at the beginning
of this chapter, being of foreign birth, and not a member of the Masonic
Fraternity, nor even living where a Masonic Lodge existed, evidently
labored under the same delusion as the Brethren at Cape Francois.

The Masonic Correspondence of WASHINGTON as represented upon these
pages, should settle for all time to come the question, as to the esteem
in which WASHINGTON held the Masonic Fraternity, of which he was an
honored Member.

It is stated that there are still a large number of Washington papers in
the Library of Congress, that are not accessible, as they have thus far
not been classified or indexed. Thus it is in the possibilities that
there may be still further documentary evidence found of Masonic import,
in addition to such as are set forth upon these pages.

=_The Arms of ye most Ancient & Honorable Fraternity of Free and Accepted
Masons._=

Footnotes:

[64] "Memorial Volume, Washington Sesqui-centennial Anniversary,"
Philadelphia, 1902, p. 165.

[65] "PROOFS | of a| CONSPIRACY | against all the | RELIGIONS and
GOVERNMENTS | of | EUROPE | carried on | in the secret meetings | of | FREE
MASONS, ILLUMINATI, | and | READING SOCIETIES, | " collected from Good
Authorities | by | JOHN ROBISON, A. M. |--EDINBURGH, | 1797. |

[66] The original letter of August 22, 1798, is among the Washington
papers in the Library of Congress; a photostat of same is in the
Archives of the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania.

[67] Cf. Historical sketch of the Evangelical Reformed Church of
Frederick, Maryland, 1904, pp. 22-25.

[68] Cf. "Washington, The Man and Mason," p. 288.

[69] _Vide_ "Sesqui-Centennial Anniversary of the Initiation of Brother
George Washington before quoted," p. 149.

[70] Cf. Chapters II and III _supra_.

[71] Cf. "Washington, The Man and Mason," p. 286.

[72] _Ibid_., December 20, 1789. His excellency, General WASHINGTON,
unanimously elected Master; Robert McCrea, Senior Warden; William
Hunter, Jr., Junior Warden; William Hodgson, Treasurer; Joseph