The Massachusetts spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1831-1858, 1831-10-19
From the Providence Journal.
TIE PRESIDENCY

THE PRESIDENCY.
The anti-masons in their recent conven-
ton al Baltimore, have nominated for tae OIL
flee of President, an adhering mason. ms
surprised US, because the men,
bers of the anti-masonic convention ProteS-
sed the greatest friendship for Mr.. Clay, ami
opposed him because he was n mason. Mr..
Clay, it is true, is a mason; so Is Mr.. WIFI,
and we believe the former has no greater at
tachment to the masonic institution. than Inc
latter. At all events, we are deceived IN
the masonic character of Mr.. Clay, 1t he
will not give full, fee, ami entire assent 10
the anti-masonic principles of Mr. Writ
This opinion is not formed from idle rumur,
but is biassed on the declarations OF his IN
innate friends, the Hon. p. B. Porter and
Judge Rochester, whose letters are PUBLISH
ed in another column on the first page OF
the Spy.1 The opinion of those gentlemen,
both of them masons, is, that " frecmasonry
is at this time, quite useless" and they are
convinced "that the institution neither can
or ought to be maintained any longer, be-
cause the possibility of its doing good is
more than counterbalanced by the evil ten
denotes TO which under the circumstances
of the times, it is inevitably liable"
In this point, Mr.. Clay entirely concurs,
and that he does so concur, is freely and
openly declared by his friends, Gen. Porter,
and Judge Rochester. Under this state
ment, we submit the question to Intelligent
anti .mnsons, whether Mr.. Clay was not as
much entitled to the anti-masonic nominal
ton as Mr.. Writ? Mr.. Clay's opinion was
the result Of Investigation and reflection ;
Mr.. Wirt's opinion was formed from the
impulse of the moment; one hour or day
at most, was all the time taken for reticc-
ton. Although the subject had heen discus
sed fully in all the newspapers, IN pamph-
lets, by conventions, in public and in private
circles-yet Mr.. Writ, mason, had formed
no opinion favorable to anti-masonry, until
the very week of his nomination as the anti
masonic candidate. Besides this, what arc
Mr.. Wirt's political views on the great
question now sgtating the nation! They
were never inquired into; j: was not asked
whether he was or was not friend to the
American System, of Domestic Industry, oil
of Internal Improvements it was not in
quired whether he belonged to the school o
Virginia politicians, who contend for thu
sovereignty of the States as opposed to tina
of the United States. No questions of thu
hlDu WSEt d6kSh ny tulo Sou'Ohsiohs VIZ
members of which. proiessed to be Nation
al Republicans. He did not approve of thu
murder Of Morgan; he did not think tina
any man should he appointed to office, witt
believed his masonic obligations paramount
to his civll-yet although he had done no
thing for the cause of anti masonry, he wa!
nominated for the Office of President, in op
position to Mr.. Clay. Let the antimasoni
of tina: convention reconcile their conduct
if they can. In this State, at least, anti
masonry is not what Mr.. Writ believes it t
be. We give single example. The wor
thy Sheriff of this county was opposed by
the anti-masons in our Legislature, whc
were National Republicans, because hi
had taken three degrees in masonry ant
not because he considered his masonic obi
cations paramount to his civil duties. Ac
cording to Mr.. Wirt's principles, he woult
not have been an object for prescription
yet he would have been prescribed on anti
masonic principles, had that party possesse.
the power
TWAS our intention when we commenced
this article, to have shown the little proba
bility of success, for the anti-masonic can
didate. Twelve States have nominated
him, two of the twelve we have reason t.
believe, will vote for Jackson. Massachu
sets, Rhode Island and Connecticut, will
certainly vote for Mr.. Clay there is not the
slightest probability of his getting New
York or Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Mary
land, Delaware, or Ohio. Vermont he may
possibly obtain, but the result is extremely
doubtful even in that State. We canno
believe that the political anti masons o
New York, Pennsylvania, or Vermont, viii
desert Mr.. Clay, to support Mr.. Writ, bu
should they, they will fall short of a plural
ty in each of those States. The nomination
and acceptance of Mr.. Writ, may do harm
but can do no good-its only effect must be
tie further the cause of Jacksonism, anC
bring notification and disappointment or
Mr.. Writ whom we consider hghminded
intelligent, honorable man. Mr.. Writ, we
have ever considered friend of Mr.. Clay
and he is now a member of the Clay conven
ton which is to sit at Baltimore, in De-
cember. Once more we say, that there i;
nothing Objectionable to masons in Mr.
Wirt's anti-masonry. We prefer Mr.. Clay
to Mr.:Wirt, believing him better q1alifet
for the Presidency, than Mr.. Writ, or any
other man in the country, and shall supper
him accordingly.