The Massachusetts spy, and Worcester County advertiser. [volume] ([Worcester, Mass.]) 1825-1831, 1831-10-05
ANTI MASONIC NATIONAL CoNVEN-

ford of New jersey, Jonathan sloan OF ONO
Thomas Elder of Ponnsy lyania, ana 'ohh pan,
ey OF Massachusetts, wee FfesiuehLsi anu
Benjamin F. Eiallctt of Providence, Edward
G. Barber of Vermont. j. c. Leavitt of Con
nccticut, and Caleb Emory OF New Hamp,
shire, Secretaries Representatives appeared
from New HAMPSHIRE Massachusetts, hnncc
Island, Connecticut, Vermont, New YORK rev
Jersey, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Delaware, ana
Maryland-tho two last States represented by
one delegate from each.
After the Convention was organized com
mittees were appointed to report on >" the true
! construction Of Masonic penalties. on Tue
proceedings which have been had Tor the discoV-
/ cry and punishment of the murderers OF NOR
/ gan, to report resolutions expressing inc sense
of the Convention on the objects OF the meet
ing-to prepare an address TO the people OF 'h%
| U. States-to supcrintend the publication OF
the proceedings of the Convention In adGitioh
to these committees was one or hhance' oh
Wednesday, the Convention proceeded to pal
! lot for candidates, and the vote was unanimous /
in favor of WILLIAM WRIT for President,
and AMOS ELLMAKER for Vice President.
At the meeting Of The Convention at -viIEstf3t +
o'clock, p NJ the following communication
) from Mr.. Writ was received \
i GENTLEMEN The unanimous resolution oil
the 90 Natonal Anti Masonic Conye ntion, assem-
bled at this place, nominating me as thelt cahul-
date for the Office of President of the United States
at the ensuing election, is IN honor very sidtet'l
to me, as proof of confidence from SO respectaoie
body, and quite as unexpected as 1t is grateinl'
My pursuits habits and inclinations, have remoV-
= ed me so far from the political excite menus ana
, contentious of the day, and l know so well' from
: close personal observation OF twelve years, no"
f little of attraction there is in the office OF Pres
J. dent of the United States to any man who values
his own peace, that it as far removed from my
wishes as my expec taons, that it would occur to
any portion Of my fellow citizens to present my
name to the consideration of my countrymcn for
that Office. Not only have never soug int 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 denonsrat-
ed by past experience, that no degree OF purity and
o intelligence that can be exerted in the discharge
t of its duties protect its possessor irommisrep-
o resentation and aspersion.
Give me leave TO add, gentlemen, that one Of the
" last quarters from which could have anticipated
is such an honor, is the Ant-Masonic ConWntion;
N because, adopting, (too hastily, am happy find)
=, the current rumors of the day. had supposed that
~ the very principle of your union was of
- indiscrimnate prescription against all" PERSONS
. throughout the United States, who had eve borne
IL the name of Mason; that you would put innomi-
G. nation no person who had ever been Mason him
self, and who would not moreover pledge himself
to become party to such of indscrininate
determination, and WELD the appointing power of
the office under your dctation; who would lot, in
short, become the President of your party, instead
Oh DGlHB lle IIeSIueDt OF the OnteQ states L am
happy to ind that this is error; Tor should
C. have been grieved for my country to tie rise
y OF any party that should affect to seize upon the
H. reins OF government, and through the ageIcy of
Id an automaton President to direct its powers the
e. Vndictive purposes of party prescription per-
v secution; and should be grieved for myself, to
~ learn that there had been any thing in my life and
= character that could mark me out fit ilstru-
IF ment for the execution of such a purpose. 1 am
= relieved from both these apprehensons by Learning
- since your assembage here that you have 9TH
er object in view, than, in effect. to assert the
III premacy ofthe laws OF the land that you seek to
n disturb portion of the peaceable and virtuous
n citizens of country in the enjoyment OF those
e, social rights which secured to them by their
le constitution and laws but the contrary that the
g, principle wnch mas emiodiod YOU, one of self
O. defence, in the enoyments of those rights that
10 having become convinced by the disclosures made
under oath, by numerous and respectable witness
= sess, in the trials which have been agating the
~ State of New York, for several years and BY your
investigations consequent on those disclosures that
the Masonic Society has become tremendous po-
n itica engine with the power and the disposition to
OF set the laws of the land at defiance mark out and
s. sacrifice its victims at pleasure and with mpunity
and to silence all individual opposition by the mys
" ferrous terrors which it diuses throughout the
g. community, you have come to the determination
Is to root out this noxious institution if you can by
70 the use Of all the peaceabe, legal, and constu-
" tional means IN your power that the most effec-
, tive means OF this character which has presented
:, itself to you is by the exercise of your elective
~ franchise; that deeming every unfit for office
s. who. in accordance with the principles established
rs the trials in New York considers his masonic
oaths and obligations as superior to his obligations
ne to the constitution and the laws ofhs country YOU
g. will support no man for any office who holds that
C, principle or adhers to the society whose principle
d. tits; that you consider mans allegiance to his
n country his highest earthly obligation and that no
is fit to be trusted with one of the offices ofthe
- country, who will permit doubt to rest on the
fact of mis- allegiance. These understand to be
y your principles, and see nothing in them which
u does not commend them to every man whose mind
Of and heart sound; for there can be no question
IL among reasonable men. that in free government
W like ours, the constitution and laws are our only
sovereign, that the peace, order prosperity and
happiness of our people depend or the steady.
faithful and efectual administration of our laws;
that any secret society which, by the force of mys
rs ferrous oaths and obligations and by the extent of
n its combination, seeks to disturb the action
c. of those laws, TO set them at Defiance TO ride
ie over and control them, to usurp the govern
At ment, to hold the lives, peace and happi-
u ness OF society at their mercy and to estab-
:; lsh a reign Of terror over the initiated and
- unnitated, is political monster as fearful as the
Invisible Tribunal OF Germany, or the Inuuisition
Of Spain, and ought to be extIrpated without DELAY
d by the use of all the peaceabe means which the
70 constitution and laws Of our country furnish.
he am further sure that in country it is but ne
c. cessary to establish the fact of the existence of
III such society to insure its humiliation.
h But, gentlemen, although your resolution nsks
d. oil me no pledges or promises, yet the name and
style of the Convention from which il nroceeds
the Anti-lasonic Conreation, may be Considered
to both by yourselves and our fellow citizens at arpe
as necessarily involving by implication such pro
C, ses and pledges; and it is therefore proner that
a should be perfectly open and candid with Won that
h there may be no misapprehension between ms. and
that you may be able to diyembarrass Yourselves ut
once, by changing your nomination if you find that
II olution. '7 ~
You must understand, then, you are not alreadv
apprized of it, that in very early life, was myself
r initiated into the mysteries of Free Masonry /
/; have been told by Masons that my eyes were rev-
:, er opened, because never took the Masters de.
Fl gree but my curiosity never led me thus faraEd
y although soon discontinued INV attendance on
lodges, mot having entered one even from curios.
ity for more than thirty years. beevel it procecJ.
cd from no suspicion on my part that there YVES
any thing criminal in the Institution or any thing