It may be of some interest that at least in 1842 Abraham Lincoln was an enthusiastic supporter of the Washingtonians, as documented in an address to their Springfield meeting celebrating Washington's birthday. I came across extended excerpts in Paul M. Angle and Earl Schenck Miers (eds). The Living Lincoln 1955, Barnes and Noble Books, N.Y. pp. 47-56 Paul Shiman (a lurker for Lilian)