Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1831-06-10
MASONICS,


There is a spirit at work upon this subject whose in
huence upon the Opposition can no longer be concealed.
Mr. Adams has lent his sanction indirectly to the Anti
Masons. Mr.. Rush has openly come out in their IA
vor., MIR. Clay still lags behind.-The Anti asons
are beginning to catechise him and 10 call for his creed
already we hear whispers OF their intention to run
niessrs. Rush and Granger as their candidates for the
Presidency and Vice. Already are sue-
gestons thrown out, that they cannot support Mr.. Clay,
unless he give some token of adhesion TO their cause.
The Providence American has a long article upon " Hem
ry Clay"-in which it calls upon him 10 come forth.
1t Is thus Gays this pspe) by their treaehery and
oosnnacy that the masonic presse, in ME- CIsy's inte-
resi' nave placed his election in jeopardy. The auti-
mason,e party goes Tor a great and absorbing principle,
and while they do their duty TO their country, they can.
moi STOP 10 their course, because /, may affect This o,
that mans political advancement. IL 10 their upcom.
promising honesty which renders them 70 formidable
to their opponents. They have been deceived, as we
Gemeve; Sy gross mis- pre 'en'aiions Of the ma,onic opin-
with MIR. Clay himself-Ought a citizen tfhis 6rmness
and eminence, TO shrink from an open ayowai of hi,
opinions on the subjects Of a public nature, aHe citing hi.
Slain to the confidence o. a respectable portion Of bs
fellow -citizenr? Should he then hesitate, if call. d up.
ont give his frank opinion Of Masonry as Il, now exisisl
ne would MOI he'i,a;e momen'io any o her ease, and
why should he in this We do not know hat he does
hesitate, aud we have go high an opinion of ,he fear.
Less Independence Of that high minded citizen. tina, we
oeneVe, properly called upon, he would give as
irAhK an answer, as II questioned on any measure of
national IollSy We car not abou, his renouncing ma.
sorry, but he should let the world know that he ia
bound by no oath and no ties that have not for their
highest aim MS country'o welfare, bis ach0ie couuty's
good. Another year will not pass before we shall see
This OF Henry Clay is not The frank and fearless man
he has ever sbo 1n himself"
And surely Mr.. Clay will not hesitate about H. What,
though he has been a high dignitary VI in the Society,"
what though he has attempted to establish a national
institution through the U. S.-yet he can be scarcely
more devoted to the Masons, than to the Taria-and vet
we have been assured by two OF his Organs, that he is
700 good a Republican not to sacrifice some of his IA
rim principles to the " wishes" or even to the t" pre-
JUDGES Of the SOuh." He is DESTROYS of seeing the
good people " happy and satisfied with their Govern
ment'-And is this the lofty and unbendine spirit.
which has been ascribed by his minions to Mr. Clay /!
Is this tme man " who would not Hdtter Neptune for his
irldent!-Yes-he is now " ~rotting' about the Ia
RIFLE is willing TO modify his principles, TO propitiate
.ne People-and upon the same calculation, we may
see him "beiore another year passes" giving the Anti,
Masonic pledges which are exacted of himoand aban.
doning the Lodges 10 a general prescription. Whv:
should ne not upon his own principles What! cannot
ne repeat mat "he is a republican,, and admits that the
first object. and the cardinal principle of repnblic,nism
IS, That the people should be happy, and satisfied wi h
Their goverDment'-and therefore. as they are dis
his oaths!
lis true that he cannot take a step Of this descrip-
ton, without due consideration. He is placed bet ween
TWO hres. IL he denounces the Masons. he forfeits the
confidence OF many of his Opposition friends in the
northern States. MIR. Rush has already rawn down
upon his hapless head their bitterest denunciation and
suspicious For example,, the Salem Gazette says of
"Various significant indications have led rs for some
i"e W expect inls grand movement from Mr.. Rush, at
w opening OF the PRESIDENTIAL campaign. II is at once
me sign and the effect Of a treacherous desertion of nj,
OLD Trend and colleague Henry Clay, and will unques-
uonaoiy secure for MIR. Rush the expected reward of a
nomination to the Presidency, by the Anli-masons, u
VIII secure him nothing else, however. Political. lead
ers VIII always gain more eventually by an adherence
10 moral principles, than they can by appealing 10 any
ignooIe local feeling, or by admins eriDg fuel to the
hauness oil a temporary popular excitement. They
may, perhaps, obtain a brief ascendancy i'm small por-
lions oil me country, by mounting on the bubble; but
they VIII lose elsewhere more than will countervail all
these momeDtary advantages. Aspirapts for office are
TOO apt to forget the moral ehects,-the influence which
such unworthy appeals to popular excitement, for the
purposes oil ambition, will have on those who are free
from the contagion."
Here's harmony smong the Coalition with a ven.
geancel-Eyen MIR. Walsh falls peI NELL upon MIR.
Rush in the following strains: enormous exaggera.
lion Is the principal trait or leven Of his Letter; In the
tempest and whirlwind Of his passion, he has fallen into
~Palpable Inconsistencies and sophisms; and. a. a nation.
al politician, ne seems TO hare ,cbolIy FORGOTTEN the in
fTests Of Mr.. Clay, or deemed Them uierIy insioti-
meant IN comparison Nth other objects. As far as his
present defamation may be operative, In tho contest
between the mere Jsckson-party and the National Re-
publicans, It must be injurious TO the cause Of the lat.
ter, which Is now the most important of our political
concerns. We have never admired Mr.. Rush as a no.
lihcai economist, a statesman or a writer; but we have
been accustomed to view him personally with much re.
sPect, and we therefore,, in common with many Of his
acquaintance aud well-wishers, sincerely regret Inc e1-
traordinary leap which he has just made upon a stage
suitable only for a different description Of actors y
MI walsh too taking osre Of the interests Of Mr.