Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 182?-183?, 1831-10-14

glance 10 their country, having teen heiore
my initiation, assured by gentleman in
whom had implicit confidence, that there
was nothing in The engagement which could
affect either my religion or politics (Which
considered as comprehendiug The whole
range OF my duties, civil and religious, and
as extending not TO the first degree only but
TO the whole Masonic order) and being fur
ther informed that many ofthe tnost illusiri-
Gus men OF Virginia, with Gen W ashington
al their head, belonged TO That order, and had
taken the degree ofMaster, did moi believe
That there could be any thing in the nstitu-
ton al war with their duties as patriots, men
and christians; nor is it possible for me To-
believe that they could have understood the
engagement as involving any such criminal
! obligations.
! have, thencelorward, continually regard
ed Masonry, as nothing more than social
and charitable club, designed for the promo
ton ofgood feeling among lie members and
for the pecuniary relief oil theft INDECENT
brethren.-l have, indeed, thought very lit
lie about il for thirty years Ii had dropped
from my mind so completely that do moi
believe | should have been able 70 gain ad-
mittance into'any lodge at all strict in their
examinations, where should have had TO
depend alone on my memory; and so little
consequence did attach to it, that whenever
Masonry has been introduced as a subject of
conversation have felt more disposed 10
smile than TO frown. Thinking thus of II
nothing has more surprised me than TO see IL
blown into consequence in the Northern and
Eastern States as political engine, and the
whole community excited against it as an
affair OF serious importanCc.-I had heard
indeed, the general rumor that Morgan had
been kidnapped and very probably murder
cd htyN foS- Al
but supposed il TO be the act of few ieno-
rant and ferocious desperadoes, moved by
their own impulse singly, without the sane
ton and knowledge of thcir lodges; & thus
thinking, have repeatedly and continually,
both In conversation and letters of friendship,
spoken of Masonry and dTti Masonry as a
hitter subject for farce than tragedy, s. have
been grieved at seeing some of my friends
involved in what appeared to me such wild
and bitter and unjust persecution against so
harr!ccs Oil institution as Free Masonry
have thought and repeatedly said that l
considered Masonry rs having no more TO
do with politics than any one of the numer-
Gus clubs so humorously celebrated in the
Spectator; and that with regard to the crime
In hlorgans case, 1t was quite as unjust 10
charge that on Masonry as it would be To
charge the private delinquencies of some
Thus have thought and thus have con-
tlnually spoken and written in my private
letters TO several of my friends 1t was not
until The period ofyour assembling here that
on the occasion of friendly visit from one
oil your members, and my taking the liberty
to rally him on the excessive zeal which had
been excited on an occasion so inadequate.
that he placed before me detail of some of
the proceedings on the trials of the conspi-
rators against Morgan: when, for the first
Time, saw the Masonic oaths as established
by the testimony both of adhering and sece-
ding MaSors on the trials in New York.
observed that in one of them (called the roy
al Arch) the candidate swears among other
things, that he will aid and assist a Compan-
ion Royal Arch Mason in distress, and es-
peHse his cause SO far as to eXtricate him from
The same, If IN his power, lchether he be right
or 1UrOng, and that he will conceal the Sc
cretS ola companion Royal Arch Mason Civ
en- him in charge as such, murder and tTea-
son not excepted and in other oaths, in still
bic her degrees, | also observe that the can
lidate binds himself to avange the violated
secrets of the Lodge by the inhiction of
death on the offender, and to .avenge the
wrongs OF a brother TO the utmost extremity;
and the whole mixed up with the most hor-
ribie imprecations and blasphemous mocke-
lies of the rites and tenets Of The Christian
Religion.
In the details of the trials in the case Of
Morgan it became manifest that thcse oaths
IRE not considered by those who impose and
axe them as mere idle and unmeaning
words !; but that they arc viewed as solemn
Obligations which are 10 he practically en-
orccd and which in the case of Morgan there
IS too much reason 10 believe were tragically
According to the reports OF The
details Of that trial, as given at some of your
ormer meetings, and given at greater length
1t your meetings in this city, Cat one of
which, IN common with other citizens, was
present, } those Oaths are understood literally,
md literally enforced and, according TO the
exhibition of the evidence made in those re-
ports, the conspiracy against Morgan was
not, as has been commonly supposed, the act
IF few ignorant men alone but was en-
rendered in the lodges themselves, enforced
under their direction, and supported at their
expense the conspiracy embracing, within
It's sweep, men ofall degrees, men of the
earned professions, farmers and mechanics;
with TOO much reason 10 believe that the so
cret energy 81 the Masonic spirit bad enter
I'd and polluted even the temples Of Justice;
md with the most demonstrative proof that
Inc persons who had entered into these UNI
IallOwed oaths, considered their allegiance
10 the lodges as Of higher obligation than
heir allegiance 20 the laws Ofthcr country.
Il this he Masonry, as according TO- this I'M
evidence it seems TO be, have
70 hesitation in saying, chat consider il at
var with The fundamental prinCities Of tbn