1780] REV. WILLIAM SMITH, D. D. 29 



was defensible in his ancestor's public life, and one which was 

 much the reverse, glosses over this, but defends it not; indeed, 

 while palliating, is compelled to condemn it* I do not, of course, 

 forget that the times in which President Reed chiefly figures were 

 times of revolution; that party-spirit had risen to a great height 

 and exhibited itself in scenes of violence ; that in the very Congress 

 of the country there were, at this same date, men who, like Rush, 

 Conway, Gates, Lovell, and others, seemed to hate Washington 

 and his friends as fully as they did the common enemy. The best 

 excuse for President Reed is found in his own language in1;he last 

 letter which he ever wrote, " I was thrown into turbulent times, 

 which did not leave me at liberty to speculate, was obliged to act, 

 and too often without time to consider or advice to guide me."t 



CHAPTER XXXIX. 



Dr. Smith interests himself ix having General Washint.ton made a Grand 

 Master over all the Masonic Lodges formed or to he formed in the 

 United States. 



We have noted in our former volume, as a feature of Dr. 

 Smith's mind, and one tending to prove its high order, that no 

 matter in what troubles he might be involved or in what exciting 

 scenes engaged, his mental faculties and his power to use them 

 seemed always undisturbed. Even in such trials as we have de- 

 scribed in the preceding chapter, when his very means of living 

 were taken or about to be taken from him, he interests himself 

 vividly in the affairs of the Masonic Society, and in an endeavor 

 to have General Washington elected a Grand Master over all the 

 Grand Lodges formed or to be formed in these United States. 

 We give some of his correspondence on this subject: 



Dr. Smith to Joseph Webb, Esq. 



Philadelphia, August iglh, 17S0. 

 Sir: I do myself the honor to address you, by order of the Grand 

 Lodge of Ancient York Masons, regularly constituted in the City of 



* Life and Correspondence of President Reed, by his Grandson, William B. Reed. 

 Vol. IL, pp. 169-172. 

 f Lip. 417. 



