d it
from a member of the Watson family in the year 1866 or 1867 at a cost of
approximately $1,000, and is now framed and secured between two sheets
of glass in the collection of the Committee of Antiquities of the Grand
Lodge F. & A. M. of New York.[18]

It is written upon two pages of an ordinary letter sheet, and was a copy
of one written by WASHINGTON, with which he was not entirely satisfied,
as shown by the changes made in the text before it was sent to France.
The first copy WASHINGTON retained, and is now in the Library of
Congress, and is here given for comparison, viz:

"STATE OF NEW YORK,
"Augt 10th 1782.

"_Gentn._,

"The Masonick Orna-
"ments which accompanied your
"Brotherly Address of the 23d.
"of the first month, tho' elegant
"in themselves, were rendered
"more valuable by the flattering
"sentiments, and affectionate
"manner, in which they were
"offered.--

"If my endeavours to
"avert the evil, with which
"this Country was threatned, by
"a deliberate plan of Tyranny,
"should be crowned with the
"success that is wished--the
"praise is due to the _Grand
"Architect_ of the Universe; who
see fit to
"who did not ^ suffer his superstruc
"tures & justice, to be subjected
ambition of the Princes of this world--or
"to the ^ rod of oppression, in the
"hands of any power upon Earth.

"For your affectionate
"vows, permit me to be grateful;
"and offer mine for true Brothers
"in all parts of the world; and
"to assure you of the sincerity
"with which I am,

"Yrs.
"Go. Washington"

Endorsed
to
"Messrs. Watson &
"Cosson--Nantes
"10th Augt 1782."

=FAC-SIMILE OF THE ORIGINAL DRAFT OF WASHINGTON'S LETTER TO WATSON AND
CASSOUL, NEW YORK, AUGUST 10, 1782.=

A photographic fac-simile of the letter now in New York, and a photostat
of the original copy retained by WASHINGTON are in the collection of the
Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania.

The firm of Watson and Cassoul of Nantes, France, acted as confidential
agents of the American Government during the Revolutionary period, as is
shown by their correspondence with Benjamin Franklin in the Franklin
Mss. collection of the American Philosophical Society.[19] Elkanah
Watson was also a bearer of despatches to Dr. Franklin.

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