Wilmington expositor. (Wilmington, Del.) 1831-18??, 1831-09-02
CHARLES MINER.
ANTT-MASoNRY.


Committee of York county, and the subsequent pro-
ceedngs Of the Ant-Masonic Convention az Harris
burg"-by the q Junior Editor" of the Village Re-
cord.
Concerning this letter, which exhibits ssrHE sobFR
ZEAL OF AGE COMMENTING ON PRoDIcIoUs THINGS :"
We design making few candid observations The
author has with great propiiety, appealed 'to the
people, who undoubtedly form the proper umpire in
the present case 1.-The fervid spirit Of Mr. Rush's
letter could not fail deeply to affect The most cold
could not reed that address without emotion" II Is
not the fervour, but the argument and truth of Mr.
Rush's letter. which have deeply affected the pub
lie mind. It is true, MIR. Rushs letter has produced
"emofionp even amongst " the favourcd and enght-
ened few. But it was the emotion Generally of ma
lgnant feeling, why has his character been recently
impcached by many of those who were formerly his
most enthusiastic admirers! But we would hone in
the present instance, that the Junior Editor is an
honorable exception, But, swhat is the question
Mr.. Miner has shown what il is NOT we win en-
deayour to show what 1t is. The 1uest1nis whether
the principles Of secret societies. and those Of re-
public or democracy arc congenial9 Or, whether an
oath OF allegiance to compact docs net come
" conflict with the imperative duties of every freeman
either in private, or an official capacity Or, wheth-
any person act freeman, whose mind is un-
der the restraint of extraudical o2tha 1t is upon
the resolution of those leading and important prnci-
plies, that Anti-masonry is based. Principles which
have studiousy incucatcd in Ill our public writings
and at all our public meetings. Such being the fact
We must accuse the Junior Editor" either of W anti
Of knowledge, concerning the subject of his comments
or of insdously cndeavoung conceal, its real chm
racter, from his readers. We have never said that
the Junior Editor actually murdered 1forpnu: or
even assisted; But we do say that he Is member and
an advocate OF an institution, whose code of laws in
culcatcs the justice and necessity of cutting the throat
Of any member, who will do what Morgan did; that
is, disclose the secrets of tae craft.
"Every good man, whether he be mason or not
concurns in the sentiment of decided condemnation
and says in the language of eternal justice Let the
guilty be punished and let the innocent go free. 4"
Such is the language of the Juaior Editor concerning
the injustice Of INJECTING punishment upon the inno-
cent for the actions Of the guilty; when he knows full
WE'LL that the mnrderers of Morgan acted nasoncay,
that they only performed duty, which strictly
enoined upon them by the tenour of the oath they
had taken and that they subsequently, retained their
membership in the ." Glorious Order" Verify, This
is presuming too much, even for crcduity ITSELF At
fecng to condemn an a~aion, with its conseqent
element; and at the time defending the princi-
pies which necessarily produce both
"Cursed be every member of the Masonic frater-
nifty, and cursed be he that will not Join them
is in effect their language, St Such is the motto that
Charles Miner has made, and d;sngeniously stamped
upon the Ant-masonic standard 1t should be- cursed
arc those principles which prompt men " to strike Mt
the root of liberty, BY wanony Illegally and cruelty,
sacrificing the life of an innocent citizen VIII the
inhabitants OF Chester county hold this ahor rcspon
sible ior the truth Of his far fetched "mottos" Or,
will they consider it miSconccpon DEMONSTRATION,
or miss altogether
"Thc true and only Just ground for the formation
and maintenance of political parties, to be-, &c
After this follow many pertinent observations, CON
corning systems, governments confederation French
revolution, restrictive systens; &c, &c., which, in
our humble opinion, have no reference to the subject
lit does not seem to me THAT people, have Pledge
for the advancementof certain principles and inter-
ests1 in respect the Antinasonic party The most
heterogeneous and opposing principles may exist a
nong them, in respect 70 measures of national and
state policy. Win the Junior Editor dare hazard the
assertion that the Ant-masonc party is composed Of
more "heterogeous mass or comprises more incon-
gruous principles, than "the Brothers of the mystic
tie1" We know, by observation, that in the United
States, the Masonic ranks embrace the greatest con-
uofee concerning sui"rt Tho
Democrat, the FederAlist, and Astocrat in politics
the Orthodox, the Dest, and the Atheist concerning
religion; this motley SrGw alike bow down at I'll:
and Africa, the oath bound fraternity" include q
possible) even a more dscorlant mass of materials
There we behold the .Catholic, the Protestant, ant
the Mahometan;' the Monarchist, the Anarchist,
the subjects of despotism; all these infatuated dcvo
tees, do homage to the "Bhle, Compass, and Square
Charles Miner has very ingeniously concealed from
his readers the want Of congruity and unanmity which
exist in his party, by portrayng the different co
lours of ours. When, in fact the striking difference
between the two parties is that the Masons are unite
by restraint necessity, the Anti-masons by voitio
or choice To the members of different religious
and political parties voluntarily uniting to support til
cause of Ant-masonry, is one OF the strongest argu
ments in support of its justice. 1t must indeed be
case of emergency, which calls forth the spontancou
and united efforts OF many thousand treemen com
prisng individuals Of every denomination. The YER
iincongruity' of the Anti-masonc party affords TIL
surest pledge Of public safety. We do not desire t
promote any neV principles OF National pnlicy;-an
afezp cnde of laws-or any ne7U form of government
All we ask, is just and impartial administration
the laws of present constitution. This is pr
mary and only object. We opposed to the legis
lation of any party, that is bound by extraudicii
oaths and obligations.
"Can any man Of sagacity believe that Anti-masor
nv can possibly exist than year or two at most?
Such is the affected sentiment of the Junior Editor
concerning the durability of our party. ApPALLIN
PRopHEcY!! He might with rs much propriety haV
predicted the resurrection of Sc Hiram y4bB," or a
alteration in the established laws of Nature N,
Antnasonry is based upon principles which will la