The Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1809-1841, 1831-12-06

To d letter from a Committee in
over, Indiana, inquiring of Mr.. Cla
sentiments relative to Masonry III
turned the following answer:
AsHLNAD, October 8, 1873
Gentlemen:
hope you will excuse the dels
acknowledging the-receipt Of your 4
OF the I'd ult. which has arisen froul
absence from home and from various
Waving the cons iations that 1 /
no knowledge of the existence of an
ti-Masonic meeting in Hanover, Indi
other than that which is derived
your letter, nor Of your appointment
Committee to correspond with me, @
than your statement, nor the satisiac
of personal acquaintance with you,
proceed at once to reply to your lette
Its professed object is. TO ascertain
sentiments on the subject of masonry
the reason assigned by you for this in
ry is thus stated by yourselves: "As
are again shortly to be called upon
choose man to preside over the CO
ellis of our nation; as it will then be
duty and privilege to raise our hum
but independent voice in favor Of
whom we may deem most worthy of
suffrage; and as you now stand car
date for high and important station
your friends and fellow--citizens,
would solicit from you a frank and 81
did statement of your sentiments on
subject"
I do not know solitary provision|
the Constitution of the United Std
which conveys the slightest authority
the General Government to interfere \
way or the other, with either MASONRY
Anti Masonry. Iftherefore Presid
| of the United States, or any other fu|
tionary of that Government, were to q
ploy his official power to sustain or To
bolish, or to advance the interests of N
sonry or Anti-Masonry, it would be
act Of usurpation or tyranny.
You have not called upon me for
opinion upon any great practical me
ure falling within the scope Of Fede
power; but passing by every question
vital interest, within the sphere Of its
Grafton, you demand my sentiments VI
a subject with which humbly concel
it has nothing to do, and you place I
demand on the ground Of the inhuer
which my sentiments might exert uE
the exercise Of an undoubted and imp
tant privilege which you possess as c
zens Of the United States.
A compliance, on my part, with "
demand would amount to an implied
mission, that individual sentiments,
the subject of Masonry, formed pro
consideration in regulating the exerc
of the elective franchise in respect to
fees of the Federal Government. II
make no such admission. / cannot
lieve that whether am hostile or frie
ly to Masonry or Anti Masorry, is at
material in the formation of any judgm
on the part ofmy fellow-citizens, ,conce
ing my fitness for any Office under
Government ofthe United States. T
elevated Office, to which you allu
should in my opinion, be filled by ,
who is capable, unswayed by sectar
feelings or passions, Of administering
high duties impartially towards the VIII
people ofthe United States, however d
ded into religious, ,social, ,bene VIOLENT or
erary associations.
Entertaining these views, / have c,
stantly refused to make myselfa party
the unhappy contest raging distant fr
me, in other parts Of the Union, betwe
Masons and Anti-masons. Whilst the
views remain uncorrected l must adht
to that determination.
II, indeed, you, gentlemen, will po
to the provision in. the Federal Cs
ssitution which can be legitimately ma
to operate upon the subject in questit
would not hesitate promptly to conn
with your request. In the meantime
declining II, Il hope you will consider me
not wanting. in proper respect to you or
those whom you represent, but as acti
from a conviction of the impropriety
blending an alien ingredient with a gu,
tion, already sufficiently complex, and
so from sense ofpersonal independent
am with great respect,
your obedicnt servant.
H. CLAY.
Messrs. JAMES A. WATSON,