herman's Army during the war
between the States.[46]

Fortunately, the original draft of WASHINGTON's reply, was found among
the Washington papers now in the Library of Congress. This is written
upon two pages of a letter sheet: the first page shows a paragraph which
was suppressed and did not appear upon the clear copy sent to the Grand
Lodge of Ancient York Masons of South Carolina.

A photostat of this draft is in the collection of the Grand Lodge of
Pennsylvania, viz.:

"TO THE GRAND LODGE OF THE STATE OF SOUTH
"CAROLINA ANCIENT YORK MASONS.

"_Gentlemen_,

"I am much obliged by the respect
"which you are so good as to declare for my
"public and private character. I recognise
"with pleasure my relation to the Brethren
"of your Society--and I accept with gratitude
"your congratulations on my arrival in
"South Carolina.

"_Your felicitations It is peculiarly
general
"pleasing to observe the ^ satisfaction expressed
"on the establishment and exercise of the
"federal government_--
"Your sentiments on the establishment
"and exercise of our equal government are
"worthy of an association, whose principles
"lead to purity of morals, and beneficence
"of action--The fabric of our freedom
"is placed on the enduring basis of
"public virtue, and will long continue
"to protect the Posterity of the architects
"who raised it.

"I shall be happy on every
regard
"occasion to evince my respect for the
"Fraternity, for whose happiness individually
"I offer my best wishes.

"Go. Washington"

=FAC-SIMILE OF DRAFT OF WASHINGTON'S REPLY TO ADDRESS FROM GRAND LODGE OF
SOUTH CAROLINA, MAY, 1791.

HANDWRITING OF MAYOR WILLIAM JACKSON.=

Upon the first page the four lines commencing with "Your felicitations"
and ending with "federal government" were crossed out, and as above
stated, were not in the reply sent to R. W. Grand Master Gist and his
officers.

In the third line from the bottom the word "regard" is substituted for
"respect."

Brother Gist was the original Warrant Master of the Regimental Lodge in
the Maryland line, No. 27, on the Roster of the Grand Lodge of
Pennsylvania. After the war, Brother Gist settled in Charleston, South
Carolina, retaining his old Military Warrant, and, in 1786, applied to
the Gran