Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1831-11-14

| Frcemasons in New York, dcliberating in tbc;,
| iooges ana elsewhere, the means of sun
pressing written disclosure oftheir secrets bv one
! OF their number-we have seen noticee of .,,ndor
| Gus character, simultaneously printed few DAVIS
oetore the SEIZURE and murder of Morgan, in cws-
PuPers u hundred miles apart, warning the public
agains the designs of the author of this disc osure
and especially directed to the masonic brotherhood
about the same time have seen masons set FIRE
TO building prepared by them with peculiar care
ior sudden combustion, because it was supposed
10 contain this disclosure in manusc ript-we have
seen them employ masonic printer, who was n
stranger and an alien, to go into the Office where
| II was printing with the offer to aid in that work
oy labor and money, for the sole purpose Of steal
ing the manuscript; we have afterwards seen them
idnap the writer of 1t, carry l.iue hoodwinked and
pound, with the greatest secrecy and caution
through great extent of popuous country to a
fort OF the United SUBSTANTIALLY and forcibly
imprlson him there-colect together i'm frequent
elaboration, Spen the of his final dsposition
|.comrnunicate while in this situation with sever
al members of u chapter of their body, then numer
ousy attended in the neighborhood and resolve u
unanimously, though with painful reluctance on the
part OF some, thGt their masonic obligation rcoured
thein 10 murder him; not for any offence apainst
the state, but for the sole cause of his attempting
to publish the secrets of the order which he had
lawful right to do and which considcrinu tbo;r
eharacter, he was bound to do, by every consider
alion OF private morality and fidelity to his country
On the night of the 10Th of September 1896 they
accordingly murdered him. To this fearful con
hasons sworn to assist each other, right or wrong
and to conceal each others murder and treason
after the murder, all the precauton possible was
taken foi concealng it; but this not being wholly
successsfu, and legal prosecutions being threaten
ed, the criminals frequently met and consulted to-
gether, for their mutual safety. The most infiucn
tia among them insisted, that il called by the legal
authorities of our country testify, they one and
all must swear they knew nothing of the matter
otherwise they would be foresworn to masonry and
might lose the life they would thus forfeit AS
witnesses, as magistrates, sheriffs as grand ju-
rors' as petit Jurors, as legislators, these
and others with whom they intimate, ,could
know nothing of it. In all their civil relations
they violated their oaths and the most sacred du
ties They flew TO each others assistance knowing
their criminaity. They gave each other no
ice OF the approaching danger of legal prosecu-
ton. They spirited away witnesses who they
feared, would disclose too much. They pcriured
themselves in court. They contumaciously refused
to answer questions decided to be legal They
declined to answer on the ground, that if they
should, they would criminate themselves in relation
to the murder. They prevented the judicial ascer-
talnment, and punishment of the fouest criminals.
They made common cause in behalf of these Grim
| mails, against the rights of the citizen and the
laws of the land. Thousands of them were ac
quainted with some of the steps of these crimes
against the state. Hundreds of them know the
leading maleactors.
A good citizen cannot look on with Indifference
and see a fellow freeman Kidnapped and murdered
lie cannot know that such crimes are successfully
protected, by extensive artful, and powerful
conspiracy, without being excited gainst it, The
sympathIes OF n patriot embrace his whole coun-
try. The poorest man, the most defenceless wo-
man, the weakest child in it, cannot be assailed
with unlawful violence, without quickeninp his
pulse, and stifening his sincws, with Indignation
His blood is up in every of high crime; and
1t keeps up against the aggressor till the law per-
forms its Office upon him. To the law he is will
ling to submit, because he knows it is the debe--
rate expression of the public will for the public
good, the great shield Snreat hv hands Of oil
over the rights of all
Individual rights are, separately considered, of
immeasurabIe and indefinable worth. They par
take of the infinitudc of moral existence and res
possibility. As contemplated by our government
single indvidual and one much s another, is
an august being, entitled to inviola5le reverence,
ana bearing upon HIM the badges of most males
tie origin, and the stamp of most transcendant des
tinations His safety, his liberty, his life, his i'm
provement, his happiness, it designs, at all times
and places, faithfully to protect by the application
OF all It's delegated means. The law is the bene-
fetal instrument of this protection, and should be
appreciated by every rejecting man as the sacred,
living, and most venerable expression of the ma
tonal mind and will. Break this, and the nation
has but one right left, which it peaceably en-
force, the right of suffrage.
The masonic institution is answerabe for the
crimes to which have referred. They Were
committed in obedience to its prescribed and spe-
chic oaths, and III fear of its penalties. The man
stealing and murder, were for other than a ma.
sonic offence. The whole array of it's frightfuI
crimes, out of court and IN court, were no other
than necessary means of carrying into effect the
Obligations 1t has deliberately and universally exac-
ted of its members. All who upheld the obliga-
tons, uphold the crimes. No adhering mason has
afforded the least willing assistance to the exposure
and punishment of them. No lodge or chapter
has called the criminals to account. Many of them
are known to the public. Chesebro, and SAWYER,
and Bruce, and Whitney, have been convicted of
the conspiracy to kidnap, and have beer condemn
ed and suffered infamous punishments; and the
very murderers are known with moral, though not
with strict Judicial, certainty. Not of these
men has been expelled. The grand lodge, or grand
chapter, of which they were members, has the pow
er of expulsion, but has declined to exercise it in
relation to them; ard such of them still living,
are,'in masonic estimation, worthy members of the
order.
But the fraternity have gone much farther to
Lodge gave 500 to one of its members then uu-
der public accusation for kidnapping Morgan, and
afterwards convicted of that offence; and the grand
chapter, by its vote, placed $1,000 at the control
OF another of its members, ostensibly for charitable
uses, of which part has been proved, lin court of
Justice, TO have been applied for the benefit ofother
kidnappers; and the trustee of the charity has
been called to an account by the grand chapter
for any part OF the sum, though in all other eases
such accountability is enforced by the chapter The
records of this last body apparently relating to this
transaction, have been produced ia court, and were
seen to be mutilated.
The fraternity have also employed and paid able
counsel TO defend the criminals.
sin THIS way, while the chief magistrate of the
State Of New York was, by proclamation, offering
money for the conviction of the offenders, the high
est Dasonic bodies Of that State Offering, and
in their associate capacity actually paying money,