Martinsburg gazette and public advertiser. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1826-1833, 1831-10-13
NO a


lout as nj instrument for thu execution or
lsach purpose am relieved from beth
these aprrehensions by learning. since youp
tassemhlage here, that you have no other OBJ.
ljcct in view, than. in effect, 10 assert the su~
ipremacy OF the laws Of the land. that vou
seek TO disturb no portion Of the peaceabls
and virtusus citizens ef our country in then
enjoyment Of those social rights which are
secured 20 them by their constitution and
laws; hut on the contrary. that the principlsrs
which has embodied you, is one Of self de-
fence, in the enjoyment OF those right; thaD
having srseoms convinced by the disclosures
made under oath. by numerous and respceta-
bic witnesses. in the trials which have been
agitating the state Of New York, for several
years. and by your nvestig tons csnscqnsne
on those enclosures, that he Masonic Sscie>
| ~ has become Tremendous political engineA
with the power and the disposition 10 set tho
laws OF the land at defiance. to mark out ana
sacrifice its victims at pleasure, aud with inn
pnnity, and to silence all individual opposi-
ton by the mysterious terrors which it dilfus
SEES throughout the community, you have
come 10 the determination to rect cut this.
noxious institution, IL you can. By The use b
all the pcaceable. legaf and constitutional meu,za
IN yo,r po,cer; that the most effective rneans
Of this character. which has presented ITSELF
franchise; that dce.nng every man unfit fot
ofli,e, who, 10 accordance with the priaciplcA
esta hlished on the trials in New York, consi-
ders his Masonic oaths and obligations as su~
perior 10 his obligations to the constitution
and laws Of his country, you will support no
man fer any office who holds that principle
or sdhercs to the society whose principle u
| is: that you consider a mans allegiance -
his country his highest earthly obligation
and that no man il lit 10 be trusted with one
Of the Offices OF tho country who will psrmiA
a doubt TO rest on the fact Of his aIiegianceu
These l understand to be your principleSs
commend them 10 every man whose mind and
heart are sound: for there can Ne no question
among reasonable men, that ina government
like ours, the constitution ana laws are ouD
only sovereign: that the peace, order, prose
perity and happiness OF the people depend
on the steady, faithful and sffectual adminis~
traton Of our lava; that any secret society.
which. by the force Of mysterious oaths and
Obligations, and by by the extent Of its COM
bination, seeks to disturb the action Of thoso
laws, to set them at defiance, to ride over
and control them, 10 usurp the governmsne,
to hold the peace and happiness of sociotX
at their mercy, and to establish q rsigR o.
terror over the initiated and initiated, il =
political monster as fearful a. the iuvisibIo
( 1iIJuaaI Of Germany. or kr2uisificn IT SPAIN
and cugat to DO cxtirpated, without delayD
by the use or ali tho peaccabls means which
| the constitution and laws Of our country fuxp
nish. am further sure that, in y countrTe
lit is but neccssary to establish tho fact Of The
lexisenco Of such society to insure its anu1B
hilaiion.
But, gentlemen, although your fssoIution
asks Of me no pledges Or promises, yet the
name and style Of the Convention from whick
| it proceed The .asts yMdsssic CosiUsrisenp
may be- considered both BY yourselves and
cur fellow citizens, at large, as nscsssarily in
volving BY duplication such prstuisss anG
lpledgcs; and is therefore proper that
should be perfectly open and candid with
YOU, that there may be no misapprehensioM
between Us, and that yeu may be ablet dis
embarrass yourselves at cnce, by chaHginn
your nomiaatios. II ron iad that you have
acted under q mistake in passing this rsss~
Hutton.
You must understand. IL you arc not aIrsss
Idly apprissd Of it, that, in very early life, 4
was myself initiated into the mysteries %
Free Masonry have been told by Masone
that my eyes were not opened, because nes
! yer took he Masters degrees; but my eurioD
lity never led me thu. far--and alfho' soon
discontinued my attendance upon lodges, (not
having entered one even from curissiry FOO
more than thirty years. | belicve) il proceeds
cd from no suspicion on my part that there
/ was any thing criminal in the institution, -
any thing that placed its xoInbcrs 10 the
slightest degree, in collision with their allsgi-
ance to their country and its laws. On the
contrary, having been before my initiatisue
assured nv a gentleman in whom | had iH-
ipcit coHfidencs, that ihero was nething il
1.-The engagement that could Affect either my
lreligi or politics. (Which l considered 40
comprehenjing the whole range Of my du~
ties civil and religious, and AZ extending nor
Ito the first degree only, bat to the whole Ma
sonic erder,) and being furtherinfsrmcd thaS
! many Of the most illustrions men Of Vir9inies
with General Washington at thsir head, bes
llonged 10 that order. and had taken the de-
gree Of Master, l did not believe that there
lconld be any thing 10 the institution at was
with their duties as patrists, men, and chris
tians, nor Is it yet possible for me to believe
that they could have understood the engage
tment az invosng any such criminal obIga-
lions. I have, thence forward, continually
Regarded Masonry as nothing more than .
social and charitable club, desi -ned for the
lprometion Of good feeling among its neinber6
and for the pecuniary relief of their INDECENT
brethren have. indeed, thought very lie
tie about il for thirty years It had dropped
from my mind so completely, that do n0e
lbelieys / should have been able to gain add
mittsnce into any lodge at all strict in thcb
denominations, where | should have had To-
tdenend atona m NV rf,rrrory. and so little