Collier's New Encyclopedia (1921)/Cincinnati (society)

CINCINNATI, a society or order in the United States, established by the officers of the Revolutionary army in 1783, “to perpetuate their friendship, and to raise a fund for relieving the widows and orphans of those who had fallen during the war.” It was so named because it included patriots, headed by Washington, who in many instances had left rural affairs to serve their country (see Cincinnatus). The badge of the society is a bald eagle suspended by a dark-blue ribbon with white borders, symbolizing the union of France and the United States. On the breast of the eagle there is a figure of Cincinnatus receiving the military ensigns from the senators, round the whole are the words “Omnia relinquit servare rempublicam.” As this distinction was made hereditary, it was attacked as opposed to republican equality. Franklin saw in it the germ of a future aristocracy; and at a meeting held in Philadelphia in 1784 several changes were made in the constitution of the society, the right of succession being made conditional on approval in each case by the society. Membership descends to the eldest lineal male descendant, if judged worthy, and, in failure of direct male descent, to male descendants through intervening female descendants. The general society is composed of the general officers and five delegates from each State society, and meets triennially. In 1854 it ruled that proper descendants of Revolutionary officers who were entitled to original membership, but who never could avail themselves of it, are qualified for hereditary membership, if found worthy, on due application. There are about 1,000 living members. President, Winslow Warren.