“It is also interesting to know that New York City was not the only place in the country remembering Washington’s Birthday in this year 1784.  The residents of Richmond, Virginia, were not forgetful of the day, and in the evening an elegant entertainment and ball were given in the Capitol Building, which, we are informed, were largely attended.  So late as 1796, Kentucky and Virginia persisted in preserving the Old Style date.  But we have documentary evidence that in 1790 the Tammany Society of New York celebrated the day on February 22.  The society had been organized less than a year, and it is interesting to see that it did not allow the first Washington’s Birthday in its history to pass by without fitting expressions of regard for the man who was then living in the city as President of the United States.  Washington, at that time, lived in the lower part of Broadway, a few doors below Trinity Church.  Congress was in session in the old City Hall, on the corner of Wall and Nassau Streets, now occupied by the Sub-Treasury.  New York was the capital of the country, but it was the last year that it enjoyed that distinction, for before the close of 1790 the seat of government was removed to Philadelphia, where it remained until 1800, when permanent governmental quarters were taken up at Washington.  It may be of interest to know how the founders of this famous political organization commemorated Washington’s Birthday.  Fortunately, the complete account of this first Tammany celebration has been preserved.  It was published in a New York newspaper, a day or two after the event, as follows: 

“’At a meeting of the Society of St. Tammany, at their wigwam in this city, on Monday evening last, after finishing the ordinary business of the evening, it was unanimously resolved:  That the 22d day of February be, from this day and ever after, commemorated by this society as the birthday of the Illustrious George Washington, President of the United States of America.  The society then proceeded to the commemoration of the auspicious day which gave birth to the distinguished chief, and the following toasts were drank in porter, the produce of the United States, accompanied with universal acclamations of applause: 

     1.  May the auspicious birthday of our great Grand Sachem, George
     Washington, ever be commemorated by all the real sons of St.
     Tammany.

     2.  The birthday of those chiefs who lighted the great Council Fire
     in 1775.

     3.  The glorious Fourth of July, 1776, the birth of American
     Independence.

     4.  The perpetual memory of those Sachems and warriors who have been
     called by the Kitchi Manitou to the Wigwam above since the
     Revolution.

     5.  The births of the Sachems and warriors who have presided at the
     different council fires of the thirteen tribes since 1776.

     6.  Our Chief Sachem, who presides over the council fire of our
     tribe.