the
United States.

"_Sir and Brother:_

"The Right Worshipful Grand Lodge of Free Masons for the State of
Maryland, wishing to testify the respect in which the whole
fraternity in this State hold the man who is at once the ornament
of the Society and of his country, vote a copy of the Constitution
of Masonry, lately printed under its authority, to be presented to
you.

"Accept, Sir and Brother, from our hands this small token of the
veneration of men who consider it as the greatest boast of their
Society, that a WASHINGTON openly avows himself a member of it, and
thinks it worthy of his approbation. With it accept also our
warmest congratulations in the name of the body which we represent,
on your reappointment to that elevated station in which you
formerly wrought the salvation of your country; and on your
restoration to the inestimable blessing of health which, that the
Almighty disposer of events may continue to accord to you
uninterruptedly, is the most earnest prayer of your most
respectfully affectionate Brethren and most humble servants.

"Signed, WM. BELTON, R.. W..G..M..
"Peter Little, Grand Secretary,
"Baltimore, November 5th, 1798."

=FAC-SIMILE (REDUCED) OF THE ORIGINAL DRAFT OF WASHINGTON'S LETTER TO THE
GRAND LODGE OF MARYLAND.--ELKTON, MD., NOV. 8, 1798.=

To this address WASHINGTON sent a reply, the original draft of which is
in the Library of Congress, written upon two pages of a letter sheet,
and differs somewhat from the final copy sent to the Grand Lodge from
Elkton, where WASHINGTON spent the next day. It will be recalled that
but two weeks had elapsed since he wrote his last letter to Dominie
Snyder of Fredericktown, and this fact was evidently in his mind when he
wrote this letter to the Maryland Brethren.

Upon second thought he eliminated the lines bearing upon the
insinuations in Snyder's letter. Following is a copy of the letter as
originally written, viz.:

"TO THE RIGHT WORSHIPFUL GRAND LODGE OF FREE
"MASONS FOR THE STATE OF MARYLAND.

"_Gentlemen & Brothers_,

"Your obliging & affectionate
"letter, together with a copy of the Constitutions of
"Masonry has been put into my hands by
"your Grand Master; for which I pray you to
"accept my best thanks.--

"So far as I am
"acquainted with the principle