"At a meeting of the Subscribers to the establishment of a WASHINGTON SOCIETY held at Gadsby's Hotel on Tuesday, the 14th day of January, 1800,

William Fitzhugh, Esq.,

in the Chair:

On motion, Resolved, that William Fitzhugh, Elisha C. Dick, C. Sims, Jonathan Swift, James Muir, Wm. Herbert, G. Deneale, Roger West, William Maffatt and Walter Jones, be appointed a Committee to prepare and report a Constitutional Plan of Association, together with such Rules and Regulations as shall appear to them best calculated to promote and preserve the objects of this Society; and that the same be submitted to the consideration thereof at the next meeting to be held on the 28th instant, at the place above mentioned.

William Fitzhugh, Chairman
John C. Herbert, Sec'y.

at an adjourned meeting of The Washington Society held at Gadsby's Hotel, the 28th of January, the following Gentlemen were elected to fill the offices annexed to their respective names for the ensuing year. William Fitzhugh, Esq., President; E. C. Dick and R. West, Esqs., Vice Presidents; Rev. W. Maffatt, Chaplain; Jonathan Swift, Treasurer; George Deneale, Secretary. William Herbert, James Keith, Rev. J. Muir and Charles Simms were chosen. a standing committee."

On Saturday, February 1st, the Treasurer, Jonathan Swift, called on the members of the Washington Society "to make their first payment for raising a fund, as required by the Constitution." The Society was striving to perfect its organization in time for a fitting demonstration on the 22nd of February, the next ensuing birthday of Washington, and following as it did so closely upon his death; in this they were highly successful; as early as February 6th the plan decided upon was published; it included "a procession on King Street of Citizens, Organizations and Societies, Military, &c., to march to the Presbyterian Meeting House (Note 8) where an Oration by Dr. Dick would be delivered, accompanied by Religious Solemnities by Rev'd. Davis, Muir and Maffatt; all colors on shipping in the harbour to be at half-mast; all business houses closed."

The oldest copy of an Alexandria newspaper preserved in the Library of The American Antiquarian Society is No. 1070, Vol. VII., of The Columbian Mirror & Alexandria Gazette, dated Thursday, February 27th, 1800; it contains

"A dissertation by Rev. James Muir, on Saturday last, (prefatory to Dr. Dicks Eulogy on General Washington) on the respective methods pursued by Different Nations at different periods, for perpetuating the memory of deceased Personages of eminence."

Dr. Dick's Eulogy is a classic, and is to be found, in part, in The History of the Lodge of Washington,' (Brockett-Uhler) published in 1879.

The will of Elizabeth Washington, of "Hayfield," on record in Fairfax County, (1812) makes a bequest of securities and cash to "The Washington Society of Alexandria." (Va. Mag. Hist. Vol. 34). The writer was surprised to find that nothing was known, by those of whom he made inquiry, of such a Society and that, apparently, nothing regarding it had ever appeared in print. Determined to learn its history if humanly possible, he began a search of records which finally proved successful, and he found, as he had expected to find, that it had been organized by men who were not only the leaders in the community, but who had been the personal friends and intimate associates of Washington.

He learned also that the Society had functioned for more than forty years, true to its original ideals and numbering among its members men of the highest intellectual and moral standing; an organization with such an honorable history and such noble aims seems to him worthy of immortality and he is hopeful of seeing it revived on lines as nearly like the original as the changing conditions of the present era will permit.

The Constitution of the Washington Society of Alexandria was published in "The Columbian Mirror & Alexandria Gazette," on February 13th, 1800, a copy of which paper the writer found in "The Treasure Room' of Harvard College Library; it is believed to be the only one in existence. The following is an exact copy:

CONSTITUTION

of The

WASHINGTON SOCIETY

Of

ALEXANDRIA.

OUR Country having lost a Citizen in the late illustrious. GEORGE WASHINGTON, the able, successful and heroic Leader of our Armies during the Revolutionary War, which gave us Independence; the late wise, moderate and pacific President of the United States, whose unsullied Virtue, Wisdom and Magnanimity in discharging the duties of his public functions, whose rectitude and benevolence in his station, of a Man and Citizen, were at once an elevated Example, and the source of unequaled benefits to the Community; WE DEEM IT, not only a tribute justly due to his memory, but the important and useful means of giving a lasting impression, and exciting a generous emulation of exalted Merit, to adopt a plan the best calculated to preserve in our minds, and in those of our fellow citizens, an animated recollection of those virtues which so eminently contributed to his Glory.

As human nature derives, from its peculiar capacity for social institution, all its greatness and many of its most exalted qualities; as every effort of individual man, unaided by social co-operation, is comparatively weak and inefficient of the greatest moral and political ends, so particular objects of beneficence have been ever found to be advanced with most energy and effect by subordinate associations of men, pursuing sincerely, in concert, the attainment of their purpose:

To the end, therefore, that we may, in the most becoming and effectual manner, commemorate the virtues and the glorious actions of that much lamented Citizen, and that we may aid and perpetuate certain charities which his humane and munificent mind delighted to exercise-We do voluntarily associate ourselves under the appellation hereafter mentioned, and do adopt the following Articles for our Constitutional regulation; to an honorable observance of which we acknowledge ourselves to be solemnly pledged;

ARTICLE 1.

Section 1. This Society shall be unlimited as to the number of its members, and shall be known, and called, by the name of "THE WASHINGTON SOCIETY OF ALEXANDRIA."

Section 2. This Society shall meet quarterly, for the purpose of discussing useful subjects-and that the question for discussion may be maturely considered, it shall be agreed upon by the Society at each meeting preceding the one at which it is to be discussed. The days of meeting shall be the 22d of February, the 22d of May, the 22d of August, and the 22d of November, in each year. If either of those times of meeting should happen on Sunday, in any year, the same shall be postponed until the day following.

Section 3. The 22d of February shall be considered and observed as AN ANNIVERSARY by this Society; and on this day, each year, an ORATION shall be delivered by a member of this Society, to be chosen by ballot at the preceding Anniversary.

Section 4. A number equal to one third of the members resident in the Town of Alexandria, shall constitute a quorum to do business; and for the admission of new members; each candidate. shall be proposed at the quarterly meeting next preceding that at which he is to be balloted for; and a majority of three fourths of the members present shall be necessary to elect him.

Section 5. Every member, upon his admission and subscription to this Association, shall pay Four Dollars for the establishment of an immediate fund; and shall moreover contribute One Dollar at the expiration of every three months thereafter. A sum not less than Two Hundred Dollars shall be annually appropriated to the support of the Washington Free School, in the manner deemed most expedient by the Committee hereafter mentioned: Provided always, that if any member, upon his admission, shall pay in advance Thirty Dollars, he shall be thereafter exonerated from all contributions required by this Constitution.

Section 6. A copperplate diploma, or certificate of membership, shall be provided by the Society; a copy of which shall be furnished each member, at a price that will reimburse the expense of

procuring it. Each member also shall be provided with a medal, at his own expense; the weight, model, and device of which shall be agreed upon by the Society.

ARTICLE 2.

Section 1. The Officers of this Society shall consist of a President, two Vice-Presidents, a Chaplain, a Treasurer, the Secretary; who shall be elected by ballot, annually, on the 22d of November.

Section 2. The President, or in his absence either of the VicePresidents, shall be the organ of the Society when assembled; shall preserve order, and be the sole judge, thereof, except in those cases provided for by the standing rules, and ordinances; and shall sign all instruments of writing made out in the name of the Society.

Section 3. It shall be the duty of the Treasurer to make application to the several members of the Society, for the payment of all contributions required by this Constitution. He shall submit his accounts annually to the examination of the Society, at the meeting to be held on the 22d of November.

Section 4. It shall be the duty of the Secretary to keep an exact journal of the proceedings of the Society, and to insert them from time to time, in a book furnished him for the purpose. He shall also be provided with another book, wherein he shall, from time to time, record the Orations annually delivered, and such other compositions or instruments of writing as the Society shall be pleased to direct.

Section 5. A standing committee of five members shall be annually elected by ballot, (of whom the President shall be one exofficio) a majority of whom shall have exclusively the power of drawing on the Treasurer. They shall superintend the disbursements of all monies appropriated by the Society to particular purposes, and especially direct the expenditure of the specific sum set apart by this constitution, for the support of The Washington Free School.