Wilmington expositor. (Wilmington, Del.) 1831-18??, 1831-08-26

ciety, on hearing the relation of it, may be dis
posed to ask themselves, whether all the bene-
fits of masonry, alleged or real, can be coun-
terpoise for the perils which may thus spring
from it, through dellded or depraved zealots,
who gain admittance to its sanctuary; and who
eiFcctually silence compunction under iniquitv,
by flying to the misunderstood or perverted
tics and obligations of the craft. Ii power
from the day, has been found of eff
cacy sufficient, to interpose a fatal obstruction
TO the great course of public justice where
guilt has been SO aggravated, are we to suppose
that the mischief ends here? That it is asin-
gle, and insulated, instance? tits impossible.
He is weak and credulous who believes it. In
the vast and active character and business of
masonry, in its close and diversified connexions
with society at large, whose paths it besets
every where, whose movements from behind
its own screen it can watch and follow up at
pleasure, it must happen, that the streams of
justice will often be tainted, on occasions less
conspicuous, by the same power A danger
then exists, under the highest moral and even
judicial demonstration, which ought to rivet
deep attention, and awaken general alarm.
Not only has the government of the state of
New York lent its efforts in the aid of the or
binary process Of law, for detecting the cul-
|prits in this audacious conspiracy. The go
vernmenr of Upper Canada has stepped for
ward in cooperation; for it is characteristic
of the conspiracy, that there were strong sus-
picions of its embracing depraved members of
the fraternernity in that foreign jurisdiction;
$50 extensive were believed, and on rational
grounds to have been the hideous workings
of its malignant sympaties. But all has been
in vain. Executive messages. executive acts
and proclanations, with the offer of executive
l., a
special courts and Judges, 1orthese too were
|added,) have all fallen to the ground. The
Law is still paralyzed by hidden agent, that
continues to prove stronger than the combined
force Of its machinery and its ministers; the
Lodge of this agent has become its sepuichre.
| There it lies, spectacle for freemen to LOOK
lar
In the whole compass Of affairs to which
government is sibservient, there is nothing Of
lspch transcendent Importance, IS the faithful
and effective administration of justice between
man aud man, and by the body polite against
public delinqoents. 1t is Of daily, unceasing,
emergence. 1t blends itself with all the wants.
duties and necessities; with all the hopes and
all the dangers, that belong to the political and
rsocial condition of the world. 1t comes per-
lpetually home to the immediate business and
bosom of mankind, the remark SO often re-
has its application in exact truth. Hume de-
scribes ii, as the sole end and aim of all govern
Iment; and, certainly, il such an administration
.ot justice be wanting, is not going too far to
assert, that the functions of government have
stopped in point that is vital. If we have
laws without the power-to give them effect we
e are in the condition Of people having none
4 which brings society to pause. The levy OF
d ship money, was among the causes that produ.
Iced the decapitation of Charles |. and change
$ in the English Dynasty. The tax of three
il pence pound on tea, helped to bring in oul
own revolution. How small such acts in them,
G selves; yet, in union with quick and we'll un,
n derstood spirit of public liberty. how vast theii
IS consequences. throughout nations, and the pos.
IS terity of nations. 4 fear not to say, that mel
!, Their of them, were calculated to press so de
S structively upon the great fabrick of society
1t as the fact before us, of secret combinatior
lin the heart of the republic, being abeto keel
IF the laws at bay in this case of the murderer
l. of Morgan; so long to trample upon, SO long t
D. triumph over them. The apathy prevailing
lie under the baffed efforts to probe and fully 4
in punish SO great enormity, is. to my mind
If, Iinexplicable. among people watchful of thei
yn rights. and who would ever be ready, it Nigh
ell have been supposed, to embody the Who'll
C. power of society, wherever any one OF ii
TO members, however humble, was seen to be S
e, ruthlcssly struck down. Interposition shout
e. have been the more immediate and decided,
n the blow was so bold and terrible; as it wa
e. given amidst concommitants SO unusual, an
he indicative of SO supreme, SO insolent, col
Mt tempt for the laws. If ever an event arose
if the annals of any people, that should have mac
O. the whole body of the public, identical wit
at the authority of the magistrate, by burst
= =
or No other feeling ever yet kept permanent
nd alive the spirit of public liberty, or upheld IL
" supremacy and grandeur of the laws. The
nd both die as certainly under torpour, as
Ia crushed by open despotism. 1t is one of Il
be ways, in which free states begin to lose the