Virginia free press & farmers' repository. [volume] (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1827-1832, 1831-10-06

sonry ana .f"fi- uosonry a. litter
subject tor farce than tragedy, and ha>
been .rievrd At seeing some of nv
friends Involved IN what appeared To
me such Wild and bitter aud unjust
persecution against 80 harmless an in
,ii'u,."n n Free Masonry. have
thought aud repeatedly said that I con
sidered Mssouryas having no more tn
do with poi.Iics than any one of the
c!ubs =" humurously c~lr.
bra'ed in Tie Spectator +; and that with
regard 10 the crime in Morgan's case.
I, WAS quite a. unjust to charge that on
Masonry as 1t would be TO charge the
private del'nquencies Of some profess.
ing christians on christianity Itself
Thus have thought. and thus I have
continually spokcn and written in my
private letters to several Of nv friends.
IL was not until the period of your
assembling here. that or the occasion
of friendly visit fiom one Of your
members. AMI my taking the liberty to
rally him on the excessive zeal which
had been excited on an occasion so in.
adequate, that hc placed before me
detail OF some Of the proceedings on
the trials OF the conspirators against
Morgan when, for the first time,
saw the Masonic oaths as established
by the testimony OF adhering and Sc
cediny Masons on the trials in New
York. l observed that in one Of them
called the Royal Arch the candidate
swears among other things that he will
assist companion Royal Arch Mason
III distress. and espou.e his cause so
tar As TO extricatc him from the same,
II IN his power, ,-kethcr he be right or
mronS. and that lie will conceal the
secrets OF 4 companion Ro, al Arch
Mason given IN charge as such, mar
der an" treason not egccp,cf; and in
other oatl.s, in still higher degrees, |
observe that the candidate binds him
self to avense the violated secrets of
the Lodge by the iniliction of death on
the offender. and TO avense the WI onys
OF brother TO the utmost extremity !;
and the whole mixed up with the mos ,
horrible imprecations and blasphemous
mockeries of the rights and tcnets Of
the Christian Religion.
In the details Of the trials in the
ease OF Morgan il became manifest
that these Saths are not considered by
those who impose aud take them as
mere IDLE and unmraning words: but
that they are viewed as solemn oblipa
tons which are To be practically en-.
forced. and which in the case of Nor
gan there Is too much reason TO believe
were Fdgicdiiy enforced. According
10 The reports OF the details of that
trial, rs given AZ some of your former
meetings. and given at greater length
at your meetings in this city. lat one
oi which. IN common with other ci,i
ze1s, vas present, those oaths are
understood literally, and literally en-
forced ; and, according to the exh;bi
bl'Ion OF the evidence made IN those
reports, the conspiracy against Morgan
was not, as has been commonly sun.
posed, the act Of few ignorant men.
alone; but ,cus engtnder5d in The Todr
rs heDtsc'ceS, enforced under their III.
ffci'on and supported al their expclse !;
the conspiracy embracing within il,
sweep, men of all degrees. men of the
learned professions, farmers and me
chanics /; with too much reason 10 he.
'Ie'e that the secret energy Of the MA
sonic spirit had entered and polluted
even The temples Of Justice; AID with
The moi demOustrativr pruof that IN,
persons who had enieredin info these TN
hallowcd oaths. considered ,hrir allie
glance 10 the lodges a of higher obli
CATION than their allegiance to tbej,
country. y this be masonry. rs accord
ins to the uncohtradicted evidence il
seems TO be, have no hesitation in
saying tina, ! consider it AZ war with
the fundamental principles of the so.
cIal compac'.as treason against snciety.
and a wicked compact against the laws
OF Gud and man, which ought 20 be
put down.
Bat. gentlemen, this was not, and
could not DC Masonry. a. understood
by Washington. The thing /. impossi
ole, The suspicion would be parri.
c'1e. nor can | believe that in the
quarter Of the Union with which am
best acquainted. intelligent men of
, sh and honorable character, il they
have been drawn in To take these shoe /
ing aud impious oaihs. can consider
them as paramount to their duties IN
Their God and their country. II is
true that after the practical exhibition
~ Masonry which we have had in
y. York. 40 man Of common prudence
can sleep over these discoveries. and
will take care in every case oil doubt
TO inquire. But both justice and pru.
1ence demand discrimination: for tie
powers q President ought not in INV
10 be prosiitGtcd to the rnrro,e
81 a blind and unjust prescription. in.
'olving innocence and honor viii, Gull,
md treason, and no man is worthy of
nomination 90 this high office in whose