Wilmington expositor. (Wilmington, Del.) 1831-18??, 1831-10-07
NTI-MASONIC.
,SAlX0SAA a.STA y aSOSNC
CONNE%YkOS.
ANSWERS OF MR.. WRIT AND
MIR. ELLMAKER.

conference.-the unanimous resolution OF
the National Anti-Masonic Convention, as
sen,bled atth;s place, nominating me as their :
candidate for the Office of President of the
limited States, at the ensuing election, is an
honor very grateful to me, as proof OF CONN
dence from so respectable body, and quite
as unexpected as it is grateful MY pursuits
habits and inclinations, have removed me SO
far from the political exctements and conten-
tions of the day. and know SO WE'LL from
close personal observation of twelve years,
how little of attraction there is in the Office of
President of the u. States, to any man who,
values his own peace, that it was as far re-
moved from my wishes as my expectations
that it would occur to any portion OF my tel
low citizens to present my name to the con-
sideration of my countryinen TOR that office.
Not only have never sought the Office. but
have, long since looked at it with far more of
dread than of desire, being fully aware OF its
fearful responsibilities, and of the fact. demon
strated by past experience, that no degree OF
purity and intelligence that can be eSerted in
the discharge of its duties, can protect its pos
SCISSOR from misrepresentation and aspersion.
Give me leave to add, gentlemen, that one
of the last quarters from which could have
anticipated such an honor. is the Anti Masonic
Conventions; because. adopting. (tao hastily l
am happy to find the current rumOrs of the
day. had supposed that the very principle of
your union was a war of indiscriminate pro-
scription against all persons throughout the
United States, who have ever borne the name
Of Mason; that you would put in nomination
no person who had ever been mason himself,
and who would not, moreover, pledge himself
to become party to such war of indscrimi-
nate determination, and WELD the appointing
power of the Office under your dictation; who
would not in short become the President oil
your party, instead of being the President oil
the United States. / am happy to find that
this is an error; for should have been grieved
for my country to see the rise of any party that
should affect to seize upon the reins of gov
eminent, and, through the agency of an auto
nation President. to direct its powers to the
vindictive purposes Of party prescription and
persecution; and | should be grieved for my
self, to learn that there had been any thing in
my life and character that could mark me out
as fit Instrument for the execution of such a
purpose. am relieved from both these APP
prehensions by learning, since your assemblage
here, that you have no other object in view
than, in effect, to assert the supremacy of the
laws of the land; that YOU seek to disturb no
portion of the peaceahle and virtuous citizens
of our country in the enjoyment of those
social rights which are secured to them hN
their constitution and laws; but on the contra
ny, that the principle which has embodied Won
is one of self defence, in the eni oynent Of thos
rights; that having become convinced by tn
disclosures made under oath. by numerou
and respectable witnesses, in the trials whicl
have been agtating the state of New York, 70
several years, and by YOUR Investigations con
sequent on those disclosures, that the Masoni
Society has become tremendous political en-
CINE with the rower and the disposition TO Sc
the laws of the land at defiance. to mark OH
and sacrifice its victims at pleasure. and witt
IMMUNITY, and to silence all individual oppo
sition by the mysterious terrors which it dHl
ses throughout the community. you have com
10 the determination TO root out this noXion
institution, if you can, Nv the use of all tn
peaceable. legal. and constitutional means !
your power; that the most effective means {
this character which has presented itself t
you, is by the exercise your elective franchise
that deeming every man unfit for Office, who
in accordance with the PRINCIPLES estabishe
on the trials in New York. considers his ma
sonic oaths and obligations as superior to hi
obligations to the constitution and laws of hi
country, you will support man for any o
fice who holds that principal or adheres to tn
society whose principle it is; that YOU conside
a mans allegiance to his country his highes
earthly obligation, and that no man is fit to b
trusted with of the Offices of the country
who will permit doubt to rest on the fact {
his allegiance. These understand to be YOU
principles. and l see nothing in them whic
does not commend them to every man who's
mind and heart are sound: for there can be n
question among reasonable men, that in FIRE
government like ours, the constitution an
laws are our only sovereign: let the peac,
order, prosperity and happiness of our peopl,
depend on the steady. faithful, and effectu;
administration of our laws: that any secret SC
ciety, which, by the force of mysterious oath
and obligations. and by the extent of its con
bination. seeks to disturb the action of thos
laws, to set them at defiance, to ride over an
cnntrcl than To usrrt, the nn,,err,I,,eI,t hnl