Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1832-01-06
CONgNUNEcATFOES.


Ct
ter place in tLc;.. j. is ably written, ard takes
the most dspa ssouac ana satisfactory view ~ The
subject. that have seen J. WAS written in The
course OF private correspondence" and without tic
slightest idea of r,,'ctij"n. The voyrcarnn:lcnt
being good deal struck ,v;th lis n;clligeucc and
force, applied for AMI o. ,iurl savc %, the writer
to publish II; and rs il contained nothing which he
did not firmly believe 10 &c true, hc had no cbcc-
ton to give it the sanction orhis Tao reader
need moi be told that Mr.. Frederick NVi,u!e"cv is
a highly respectable member O! Congress from New
York.
W'sHvGrov, Dee. Is, 1881.
Dear Sir: The views Expressed in Your letter of
Free Masonry, such as most men of candid
minds wcu!d take, who reside distant from the
scene OF Masonic oatragcs, and among hyh-rnind-
ed individuals OF the fraternity, after pcrusal OF
the tragedy Of William Morgan, ard an cxamina.
ZION OF the obligations Which led to itstiil, INA
s'ne that such views erroneous in some essen
hal particulars. The outrage upou Morgan, locking
upon II as n s;mpc, isolated violation OF the
laws, however hcnous il may have been, is, as
such, ucdcScrvimg cf the g-Gtt Importance which,
has been given 10 il. Like other unjctoc:ci and
punished crimes, ii might he matter OF regret with
the towers of Justice that 1t should remain unpuu-
ishcd; but it would iuruisl. 10 occasion for any
general movement in tie puhlic Lody. Ii is not
such SIMPLY that il is viewed; bat it is inoc;! upon
us the window through which food OF light has
pecn let IN upon the principles of the Masonic So
ciety and the obligations which bird its members
together. 1t has hccn the means OF disclosing to
us the TACT, that worry numerous, powerful and in
Ders are scattered all ever il, found III every station
IN society, and who under the NEST solemn OBJ
legations to each other TO assist each other, in all
cases, whether "right wrong"-to keep each
others secrets in all cases. ''murdcr and treason
not cxcepted"-to sustain each others reputation
and prcicrncnt, and providing the punishment of
death for Il breach of such obligations.
These various obligatous according to their H.
ferdl import opposed to the first and plainest
duties which citizen to socic,y-thcy
fct will, lis oath as jrdgs juror, witness
they conflict with his oath Of Office in any office
which he may tic elected appointcd-thoy are,
in fine, Sc far regards the persons taking these
Oh'igatiuns terms, the paramount law, to which:
ali other duties and all other obligations must yield
Without further proof, we should, however, be slow
10 believe that these oSligItionS could have been
understood, according to their literal import. We
should charitab!y presume, that they were taken in
Fubserviancc to their more essential duties as cii-
zens and public officers and that their requirements
would practically extend only to cases warranted
by the laws and the public good. The Morgan
outrage, however, discloscs TO US the further and
startling fact that their obligations looked upon
by many of the members of the fraternity at least
as binding even TO the gerry letter and that literal
obedience is to be rendered 10 the Masonic oath,
even though it should involve the infracon Of t!,c
most cherished and necessary laws of the land
The klasonic oath taken by Morgan incurred the
penalty of death, if he should break it. He was
about TO reveal certain secrets which rendered him
liable TO that penalty. This was sooner known
than Free Nlasons laid their plans to nlct upon
bers of the fraternity, from different and distant
places met 10 consult about the means to be adept
eu. Members were engaged IN an attack upon the
office where the manuscript was printing, with
n view to destroy both manuscript and type
members were collected ut Batavia, at another
time, when the office fired-mcmbers were
engaged in the arrest of Morgan. and in trans
porting him from Batav via, around 10y Cananda
qua, one hundred and fifty miles, to Fort Niagara
Carriages and relays Of horses were furnished mpon
the road by the mystic brethren. Two or three
different consultations had about the nldnRcr
of disposng of him. He finally put to death
no adhering member of the fraternity, with but
single exception gave any assistance TO bring the
perpetrators TO justice. On the contrary they
threw evory obstacle in the way of investigation
They circulated false ruIuors, and poisoned the
public mind with unfounded SANDERS, and miscl
1T by groundless stories The escape of the Offend
crs was counivcd at. The Grand Chapter of New
ork, contributed money to aid in such escape, and
III the protection and support of the Offenders
Grand Jurors false to their oaths TO truly pre-
sont--Witnesses upon trial false to their
oaths, to truly tcstify-Iett Jurors were false to
their oaths, TO truly tTy-Witnesscs in some in
stances spurned the authority Of the Court, and
refused TO testify, and in other instances even to
be sworn. ShcriAs corrup!y returned partial
Grand Jurors. might extend this lit Of cnnrIni-
ties, bat il is unnecessary. II is sufficient TO saw
that of the whole black catalogue, all of them
were committed by Free Masons. The number
engaged in the original outrage, considerably;
and they were not harmless, ignorant, and ilIite-
rate men. They generally men, who we'll
understood the duties they owed TO Society-wlo
stood high i'll that Society, and who had the con.
hdcnce, respect, and esteem of the community in
which they lived ShcriiIs, Magistrates, Officers,
In the Army, and Militia; Members of the I.egis-
lature, and even Clurgymen, among the
number Of the offenders. They prompted TO
lhe commission of the outrage by motives of
prlvats malice or personal revenge, but solely by
conviction of duty. The obligations which they
had taken, Masons, required them Tins to break
the laws OF Society, according to their literal i'm
port; and they believed such obligations i'm
Pcraive uron them, according to the very letter.
ond they acted under such belief. The question:
then, apprclend, is, &c the oaths which are pu
bshed the obligations of Free Masonry, the
oaths which actually taken, by Free. Aiasons?
ant arc the same oaths il substance administered
all over the Union? As to the first branch Of the
question, aVprchond the fuuess Of proof can leave
us i'll doubt. More than three thousand persons
who have seeded from The Society, have averred
under the sanction Of their regulations that the dis
closures truc-thlt just such oatiis are taken
by Free Mdsons. Nearly hundred witnesses
and scTc of them adhering Masons, have proved
Che sane fact 1rifHesses, 1rHen uRder judicial
efGnHG!ion. Many others have proved the same
thing by af;Juviis extra judicialy taken. All
thvsc too, say thGt Masonry is uniform systcnI
iuGeed We know 0thcrtri#c t,t it is sos and besides
there is general system extending tie whole
Union, which must be uniform. There is d Great
Grand Chapter Of the u. >. IN cristenca--ail Of
,hc Masonic obligations substantially Ire sane
throughout the Union, and have doubt the : !
are throughout the world.
When your Virginia Free MasoDs say that their |
Free Masonry is not Ike New York Ma (
sorry. presume tGcy mcGu only tIig--that they, /
rs individuals, only understand that these ojira-
lions assumed III their view, and will he acc,! /
'iron bv them, in strict subscrycrce 10 tie laws or
lie land and TO the duties they Society; md (
hat IN 80 case arc the Masonic obligations 20
,,ft,