202 
 
 INSTITUTION 
 
 of the 
 
 SOCIETY 
 
 of the 
 
 CINCINNATI 
 
mSTlTUTlON 
 
 OF THE 
 
 SOCIETY OF THE 
 
 CINCINNATI 
 
 •• • •• 
 
 Printed for 
 
 The Society of the Cincinnati in the State of 
 
 New Jersey 
 
 1905 
 
E^^ 
 
 OFFICERS • W\X^ 
 
 president 
 Frank Landon Humphreys 
 
 vice-president 
 Franklin Davenport Howell 
 
 secretary 
 Wessel Ten Broeck Stout Imi,ay 
 
 treasurer 
 James Wall Schureman Campbell 
 
 assistant secretary 
 William McKnight Reckless 
 
 ;«* 'fet '^A<SSn3efiAKT«'?REi?SUREK 
 I -**<'' ''HubrfES 1)'A*f TON** 
 
 ,<■' ,'■' R}cfKkj<^)Jljk:vls HOWKLL' 
 
 standing committee 
 Franklin Davenport Elowell, Chairman. 
 William Wilmot Ballard, 
 William Pancoast Barber, 
 Frederick Walcoit Jackson, 
 Paul Augustine Hendry, 
 Henry Dusenbery Maxwell, 
 Henry Applegate Wilson, 
 Timothy Matlack Cheesman. 
 
 P. 
 
PREFATORY NOTE 
 
 "T"HE Society of the Cincinnati is a hereditary 
 Military Order ^ instituted at the close of the 
 Revolutionary War by officers who had served three 
 years and had contributed one month's pay towards 
 the formation of a general fund. 
 
 The Order '" for the sake of frequent communi- 
 cations " is divided into State Societies— one in each 
 of the Original States — and these societies by dele- 
 gates form a General Society. 
 
 As there is but one Society of the Cincinnati 
 formed under an "institution" adopted May 13, 17S3, 
 which has never been amended nor changed, the 
 Standing Committee of the Society in the State of 
 New Jersey has directed that the "institution" 
 be printed so that each member may become familiar 
 with the principles and purposes of our Order. 
 W. T. B. S. IMLAY, 
 
 Secretary. 
 Ridgewood, N. J., 
 Sept. 10, 1903. 
 
ZU institution. 
 
 Convention of the American Army— Canton- 
 ment OF THE American Army, on Hudson's 
 River, May ioth, 1783. 
 
 Proposals for establishing a Society, upon princi- 
 ples therein mentioned, whose Members shall be 
 officers of the American Army, having been com- 
 municated to the several regiments of the respect- 
 ive lines, they appointed an officer from each, 
 who, in conjunction with the general officers, 
 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, para- 
 graph 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 to prepare a copy to be laid before this assem- 
 bly at their next meeting, to be holden at Major 
 General Baron de Steuben's quarters, on Tues- 
 day, the 13th instant. 
 
 5 
 
Tuesday 13th May, 17S3. 
 
 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 dominion of Great Britain, and, 
 after a bloody conflict of eight years, to establish 
 them free, independent and sovereign States, con- 
 nected, by alliances founded on reciprocal advant- 
 ages, with some of the great princes and powers of 
 the earth. 
 
 " To perpetuate, therefore, as well the remem- 
 brance of this vast event, as the mutual friendships 
 which have been formed under the pressure of com- 
 mon 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, asso- 
 ciate, constitute and combine themselves into one 
 Society of Friends, to endure as 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 gen- 
 erally 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 return- 
 ing to their citizenship, they think they may with 
 propriety denominate themselves — 
 
 Cbe Society of tbe etncinttdtl 
 
 " The following principles shall be im- 
 mutable AND FORM THE BASIS OF THE SOCIETY 
 
 OF THE Cincinnati. 
 
 "An incessant attention to preserve in- 
 violate THOSE rights AND LIBERTIES OF HUMAN 
 NATUR.E 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 ESSENTIAL- 
 LY NECESSARY TO THEIR HAPPINESS, AND THE 
 FUTURE DIGNITY OF THE AMERICAN EMPIRE. 
 
" To RENDER PERMANENT THE CORDIAL AFFEC- 
 TION SUBSISTING AMONG THE OFFICERS. ThIS 
 SPIRIT WILL DICTATE BROTHERLY KINDNESS IN ALL 
 THINGS, AND PARTICULARLY, EXTEND TO THE 
 MOST SUBSTANTIAL ACTS OF BENEFICENCE, ACCORD- 
 ING TO THE ABILITY OF THE SOCIETY, TOWARDS 
 THOSE OFFICERS AND THEIR FAMILIES. WHO UN- 
 FORTUNATELY MAY BE UNDER THE NECESSITY OF 
 RECEIVING IT. 
 
 " The General Society will, for the sake of fre- 
 quent communications, be divided into State So- 
 cieties, 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 annually, or 
 oftener, if they shall find it expedient, and the 
 General Society on the first Monday in May, an- 
 nually, so long as they shall deem it necessary, and 
 afterwards, at least once in every three years. 
 
 "At each meeting, the principles of the Institu- 
 tion will be fully considered, and the best measures 
 to promote them adopted. 
 
 " The State Societies will consist of all the mem- 
 bers resident in each State respectively ; and any 
 
member removing from one Stale to another, is to 
 be considered, in all respects, as belonging to the 
 Society of the State in which he shall actually 
 reside. 
 
 "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 other 
 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 regu- 
 larly transmitted to the Secretary-General of the 
 Society, who will record them in a book to be as- 
 signed for that purpose. 
 
 " The State Society will regulate everything res- 
 pecting itself and the Societies of its districts con- 
 sistent 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 con- 
 duct 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 respect- 
 able, and assist the unfortunate, each officer shall 
 deliver to the Treasurer of the State Society one 
 month's pay, which shall remain for ever to the use 
 of the State Society ; the interest only of which, if 
 necessary, to be appropriated to the relief of the 
 unfortunate. 
 
 " Donations may be made by persons not of the 
 Society, and by members of the Society, for the ex- 
 press 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 ap- 
 propriated by the State Society only. 
 
 " The meeting of the General Society shall con- 
 sist 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, 
 
 10 
 
" In the general meeting, the President, Vice- 
 President, Secretary, Treasurer, and Assistant 
 Treasurers-General, 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 miy make 
 donations to the General Society, for the purpose of 
 establishing funds for the further comfort of the un- 
 fortunate, 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 neces- 
 sary, 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 w'ho have 
 been deranged by the resolutions 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 
 
 11 
 
Societies, those who are present with the Army im- 
 mediately, and others within six months after the 
 Army shall be disbanded, extraordinary cases ex- 
 cepted ; 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 offspring 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 of 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 Hon- 
 orary Members of the Society, for their own lives 
 only : Provided always, That the number of Honor- 
 ary 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 Secre- 
 tary-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 emblem?, and suspended by a deep blue riband 
 two inches wide, edged with white, descriptive of 
 the union of France and America, viz. : 
 
 " The principal figure, Cincinnatus : Three Sen- 
 ators with a sword and other military ensigns — on 
 a field in the back-ground, his wife standing at the 
 door of their Cottage — near it a plough and instru- 
 ments of husbandry. Round the whole, Om^iia 
 Reliquit Servare Remptiblicam. On the reverse, 
 sun rising— a city with open gates, and vessels en- 
 
 13 
 
tering the port — Fame crowning Cincinnatus with 
 a wreath, inscribed Viriictis Praemium. Below, 
 hands joined, supporting a heart, with the motto, 
 Esifl Perpetjta. Round the whole, Societas Cincin- 
 iiatorum Instituta. A. D. 1 783." 
 
 The Society, deeply impressed with a sense of the 
 generous assistance this country has received from 
 France, and desirous of perpetuating the friendships 
 which have been formed, and so happily subsisted, 
 between the officers of the allied forces, in the prose- 
 cution of the war, direct, that the President General 
 transmit, as soon as may be, to each of the characters 
 hereafter named, a medal containing the Order of 
 the Society, viz : 
 His Excellency the Chevalier de la Luzerne, 
 
 Minister Plenipotentiary, 
 His Excellency the Sieur Girard, late Minister 
 
 Plenipotentiary. 
 Their Excellencies, 
 
 The Count de Estaing, 
 
 The Count de Grasse, 
 
 The Count de Barras, 
 
 The Chevalier de Touches, 
 
 Admirals and Commanders in the Navy, 
 14 
 
His Excellency the Count de Rochambeau, Com- 
 mander in Chief, 
 And the Generals and Colonels of his army, and 
 
 acquaint them, that the Society does itself the honor 
 
 to consider them members. 
 
 Resolved, That a copy of tlie foregoing Institution 
 be given to the senior officer of each State line, and 
 that the officers of the respective State lines sign 
 their names to the same, in manner and form fol- 
 lowing, viz.: 
 
 " We, the subscribers, officers of the American 
 army, do hereby voluntarily become parties to the 
 foregoing Institution, and do bind ourselves to ob- 
 serve, and be governed by, the principles therein 
 contained. For the performance whereof we do 
 solemnly pledge to each other our sacred honor. 
 
 " Done in the Cantonment, on Hudson's river, 
 in the year 17S3." 
 
 15 
 
LIBRARY OF CONGRESS