p.2

4

of Genl Knox?-members were exclusively officers of the Army and navy. These men have been united had? shared the several? dangers and [furnations?] & in right? Leus? Strong friendships have a [illegible] strengthen they are almost to distance? to separate [illegible] they naturally felt that home? society should be furnished? to enable them to collaborate? in secret? the welfare of the Union they had fought

5

to maintain and [?] hence down to their remotest descendent some more tangible? honor then [??] recollection of their hourly and their [illegible] history herein says it would have been a hard task indeed to have bought to this way of thinking the [illegible] of 1783 when they heard with mingled feelings of alarm and disgust that a military order had been established that had been made his conditions? that

6

Frenchmen had been admitted to its ranks that a portion had been levied at the fort of the storm? had been grievously received and stuck? the [eagle?] and [illegible] [illegible] ribbon of the Cincinnati were daily to be seen in the fondest? of Courts where no subject? had ever before been permitted to wear the decorations of a foreign want?. Franklin wrote in his most comical? now? about it. [reconsidered?] it immensfully?. A man share he served