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Proposals for establishing a Society, upon principles
therein mentioned, whose Members shall be officers of
the American Army, having been communicated to the several
regiments of the respective lines, they appointed an
officer from each, who, in conjunction with the general
officer, should take the same into consideration at
their meeting this day, at which the Honorable MAJOR
GENERAL BARON DE STEUBEN, the senior officer present,
was pleased to preside.
The proposals being read, fully considered, paragraph
by paragraph, and the amendments agreed to, MAJOR GENERAL
KNOX, BRIGADIER GENERAL HAND, BRIGADIER GENERAL
HUNTINGTON and CAPTAIN SHAW, were chosen to revise the
same, and prepare a copy to be laid before this assembly
at their next meeting, to be holden at MAJOR GENERAL
BARON DE STEUBEN'S quarters, on Tuesday, the 13th instant.
Tuesday, 13th May, 1783
The representatives of the American Army being assembled
agreeably to adjournment, the plan for establishing
a Society, whereof the officers of the American Army
are to be Members, is accepted, and is as follows, viz.:
It
having pleased the Supreme Governor of the Universe,
in the disposition of human affairs, to cause the separation
of the Colonies of North America from the domination
of Great Britain, and after a bloody conflict of eight
years, to establish them Free, Independent, and Sovereign
States, connected by alliances, founded on reciprocal
advantages, with some of the greatest princes and powers
of the earth.
To
perpetuate, therefore, as well the remembrance of this
vast event, as the mutual friendships which have been
formed, under the pressure of common danger, and in
many instances cemented by the blood of the parties,
the officers of the American army do hereby in the most
solemn manner, associate, constitute and combine themselves
into one SOCIETY OF FRIENDS, to endure so long as they
shall endure, or any of their eldest male posterity,
and in failure thereof, the collateral branches, who
may be judged worthy of becoming its supporters and
Members.
The
officers of the American army having generally been
taken from the citizens of America, possess high veneration
for the character of that illustrious Roman, LUCIUS
QUINTIUS CINCINNATUS; and being resolved to follow his
example, by returning to their citizenship, they think
they may with propriety denominate themselves ---
THE SOCIETY OF THE CINCINNATI.
The
following principles shall be immutable, and form the
basis of the Society of the Cincinnati.
An
incessant attention to preserve inviolate those exalted
rights and liberties of human nature, for which they
have fought and bled, and without which the high rank
of a rational being is a curse instead of a blessing.
An
unalterable determination to promote and cherish, between
the respective states, that union and national honor,
so essentially necessary to their happiness, and the
future dignity of the American empire.
To
render permanent the cordial affection subsisting among
the officers, this spirit will dictate brotherly kindness
in all things, and particularly extend to the most substantial
acts of beneficence, according to the ability of the
society, towards those officers and their families,
who unfortunately may be under the necessity of receiving
it.
The
General Society will, for the sake of frequent communications,
be divided into State Societies, and these again into
such districts as shall be directed by the State Society.
The Societies of the districts to meet as often as shall
be agreed upon by the State Society, those of the State
on the fourth day of July, or oftener, if they shall
find it expedient, and the General on the first Monday
in May, annually, so long as they shall necessary, and
afterwards, at least once in every three years.
At each meeting, the principles of the institution will
be fully considered, and the best measures to promote
them adopted.
The
State Societies to have a President, Vice President,
Secretary, Treasurer, and Assistant Treasurer, to be
chosen annually by a majority of votes, at the State
meeting.
Each State meeting shall write annually, or oftener,
if necessary, a circular letter, to the State Societies,
noting whatever they may think worthy of observation,
respecting the good of the Society, or the general union
of the States, and giving information of the officers
chosen for the current year; copies of these letters
shall be regularly transmitted to the Secretary-General
of the Society, who will record them in a book to be
assigned for that purpose.
The State Society will regulate everything respecting
itself and the Societies of its districts consistent
with the general maxims of the Cincinnati, judge of
the qualifications of the members who may be proposed,
and expel any member who, by a conduct inconsistent
with a gentleman and a man of honor, or by an opposition
to the interests of the community in general, or the
Society in particular, may render himself unworthy to
continue a member.
In order to form funds which may be respectable, and
assist the unfortunate, each officer shall deliver to
the treasurer of the state society, one month's pay,
which shall remain forever, to the use of the state
society; the interest only of which, if necessary, to
be appropriated to the relief of the unfortunate.
Donations my be made by persons not of the Society,
and by members of the Society, for the express purpose
of forming permanent funds for the use of the
State Society, and the interests of these donations
appropriated in the same manner as that of the month's
pay.
Moneys, at the pleasure of each member, may be subscribed
in the Societies of the districts, or the State Societies,
for the relief of the unfortunate members, or their
widows and orphans, to be appropriated by the State
Society only.
The meeting of the General Society shall consist of
its officers and a representation from each State Society,
in number not exceeding five, whose expenses shall be
borne by their respective State Societies.
In the general meeting, the President, Vice-President,
Secretary, Assistant Secretary, Treasurer, and Assistant
Treasurer-Generals, shall be chosen, to serve until
the next meeting.
The circular letters which have been written by the
respective State Societies to each other, and their
particular laws, shall be read and considered, and all
measures concerted which may conduce to the general
intendment of the Society.
It is probable that some persons may make donations
to the General Society, for the purpose of establishing
funds for the further comfort of the unfortunate, in
which case, such donations must be placed in the hands
of the Treasurer-General, the interests only of which
to be disposed of, if necessary, by the general meeting.
All the officers of the American army, as well as those
who have resigned with honor, after three years' service
in the capacity of officers, or who have been deranged
by the resolution of Congress upon the several reforms
of the army, as those who shall have continued to the
end of the war, have the right to become parties to
this institution; provided that they subscribe one month's
pay, and sign their names to the general rules, in their
respective State Societies, those who are present with
the Army immediately; and others within six months after
the Army shall be disbanded, extraordinary cases excepted;
the rank, time of service, resolution of Congress by
which any have been deranged, and place of residence
must be added to each name-and as a testimony of affection
to the memory and the off-spring of such officers as
have died in the service, their eldest male branches
shall have the same right of becoming members, as the
children of the actual members of the Society.
Those officers who are foreigners, not resident in any
of the States, will have their names enrolled by the
Secretary-General, and are to be considered as members
in the Societies of any of the States in which they
may happen to be.
And as there are, and will at all times be, men in the
respective States eminent for their abilities and patriotism,
whose views may be directed to the same laudable objects
with those of the Cincinnati, it shall be a rule to
admit such characters, as Honorary Members of the Society,
for their own lives only: Provided always, That the
number of Honorary Members, in each State, does not
exceed a ratio of one to four of the officers or their
descendants.
Each State Society shall obtain a list of its members,
and at the first annual meeting, the State Secretary
shall have engrossed, on parchment, two copies of the
Institution of the Society, which every member present
shall sign, and the Secretary shall endeavor to procure
the signature of every absent member; one of those lists
to be transmitted to the Secretary-General, to be kept
in the archives of the Society, and the other to remain
in the hands of the State Secretary. From the State
lists, the Secretary-General must make out, at the first
general meeting, a complete list of the whole Society,
with a copy of which he will furnish each State Society.
The society shall have an order, by which its members
shall be known and distinguished, which shall be a medal
of gold, of a proper size to receive the emblems, and
be suspended by a deep blue ribbon, two inches wide,
edged with white, descriptive of the union of France
and America. |
