Martinsburg gazette and public advertiser. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1826-1833, 1831-12-01
AyswEp.


tt1entlenen II hope you will excuse the
delay in acknowledging the receipt of your
letter Of the aud ut. which has arisen from
nv absence trom home and from various en-
gagements.
Waving the considerati ons that have no
knowledge OF the existence OF an anti mason
ic meeting in Hanover, Indiana, ether than
that which is derived from your letter, nor Of
your appointment as Committee TO CORES
pond with me, other than your statement, nor
the satisfaction Of a personal acquaintance
with you. will proceed at once TO reply 10
your letter. Its protested object is 10 ascer-
tain tny sentiments on the subject of mason.
ry and the reason assigned by you for this
inquiry is thus stated by yourselves: GAS
swe are again shortly to be called upon 20
choose a man 10 preside over the councils of
sour nation; as it will then be cur duty and
privilege to raise our humble but indcpead
cent voice in favor of him whom we rlay
deem most worthy of our suffrage; and as
'you now stand Candidate for high and inn
'portaut station, as your friends and fellow
scitizens, we would solicit from you a frank
'and candid statement OF your sentiments On
fthis subject"
do not know solitary provision in the
constitution Of The United States which coz
PpNs the sBGntGot dutlCsty W tUS HetjtF1f 10
vernment to interfere, one way or the other,
with either masonry or anti masonry. II
therefore president of the United States,
or any other functionary Of that government,
were to employ his official power to sustain
or TO abolish, or to advance the interests Of
masonry or ahti masonry, it would be an act
OF usurpaton or tyranny.
You have not called upon me for my OPT
MON upon any great practical measure fall.
ing within the scope of federal power; but
passing by every question OF vital interest,
within The sphere OF its operation, you de-
smand my sentiments upon subject with
which humbly conceive ii has nothing TO do,
and you place this demand on the ground OF
the influence which my sentiments might ex-
ert upon the exercise OF an undoubted and
important privilege which you possess as citi-
,zens of the United States.
A compliance Oh my part, with your de-
.rnand would amount to an implied admIssion
that individual sentiments, on the subject OF
masonry, formed a proper consideration in re-
gnlating the exercise Of the elective FRANCHISE
in respect to offices Of the federal govern
ment 1 can make no such admission.
cannot believe that whether | am hostile or
friendly to masonry or anti masonry, Is al all
material in the formation OF any judgment,
on the pa,t OF my fellow citLzons, concerning
my fitness for any office under The govern,
ment OF the United States. That elevated
oissce, 10 which you aliude, should, in nay O.
piEion, b. filed by one who is capable, an
swayed by sectarian feelings or passions, OF
administering its high duties ialpartiaIly to-
wards the whole peolae,of the United States,
however divided into religious, social. bene.
VIOLENT or literary associations.
Entertaining these views, have constant
" refused to make myself party to the I'M
happy contest raging, distant from Inc, in o
ther parts of the union, between masons and
anti Inasons Whilst these views remain un-
corrected mast adhere TO that determine
ton. IT, indeed, yeu gentlemen, val point TO
the provision 10 the federal constitution which
can tc iesitimately made to operate upon the
subject in question, | would not hesitate
promptly to comply with yoHr request In
The niesutime, m declining 1t, hope GA viii
consider tIse as not wanting III proper respect
70 Won or TO tiese whom yon represent hu'
q aching from conviction OF tic lnipfopn
eiy Of biending an alien iGlsTe'ilrut with
question, already sufficiently coEpish, and