Wilmington expositor. (Wilmington, Del.) 1831-18??, 1832-03-23
DEE. rRIDAx, nHARcH Is. 1eaa

y uihS inquiry banning lnVeStlSatlon, ana defeat
ing the ordinary administration of Justice
is melancholy picture of folly and crime; bu
the sooner and more extensively tits known
the speeder and more effectual will be the re.
medy which the intelligence and public spirit
I OF free people will apply. Those events are
rapidly receding from our minds, and giving
place to others of greater novelty, but of infe-
rior importance; and of those which remain
many become confused and indistinct in oul
memories. The very difficulty which has beer
expcrieaced in collecting the facts now prcsen
ted.ais an admonition Of the duty of preserving
them in their original features. and before al
opportunity is afforded by the lapse Of time tc
ldefaee CT distort them.
1t is already too well known, that in Sep
ltember'- 1896, William Morgan was forcibly
carried from Canandaaua to Niagara Fort, q
distance of one hundred and twenty miles.
through a well settled country, and directly
through Eve populous villages. was confined in
that fort, and finally murdered Sol we'll had
the plan been digested, and so faithfully was it
executed. that not citizen along this extern
sive tract, was alarmed by any appearance OF
violence, and not q suspicion WIS awakened a.
Weakened along the whole route. Five chang
les of horses were made, and three different
carriages were employees; more than six per-
sons. be9ide5 the i'll fated Morgan. were to be
provided with food and refreshments punerous
drivers and agents to provide relays of horses
must have been employees; and yet not a sus-
picion of the dark deed which was transacting
was awakened along the whole route, This
fact speaks volumes respecting the capacity OF
AN organized body, like that of the masonic fra
ternity. to carry into effect any project, howev-
err iniquitous. and evenin the heart of our corn-
try. to immediate its victim, without interrupt
ron. 1t is a fearful fact, and furnishes key
at the very threshold. to explain many, other
wise. incredible and mysterious circumstances.
To accomplish such deed in such manner,
must have required perfection of organiza-
ton and Of discipline, and a command Of mean
that may challenge comparison with any sys-
TEN ever disclosed to the world. When we
recollect tina, this occurred in season of pro-
found pence and faneied security, and that it
seems to have required but the application of
the ordinary means of the society, we may look
back with amazeneRt at the peril VIC have pas
sed. and may look forward with some appre-
hension whether that peril be indeed entirely
passed,
:" The first intimation which the public re-
ceived, that crime hitherto uaheard of in our
country,--that of stealing a free citizen,--had
been committed, came from the publication of
of sundry ailidavits, which had been procured
by an active and patriotic individual, who had
gone from Batavia to Canandaigua to make in.
quires for Morgan. These alIidavits, which
were taken on the 23d of September, and pub
lished few days afterwards, aroused the pub
lie attention in that quarter:-meetings were
held in different villages. and committees OF
citizens appointed to inquire into the fate of a
citizen, who had been lawlessly torn from his
family and his country. Proclamations were
issued by the executive of New York, in the
month of October, enjoininS upon all officers
the duty Of experimenting the offenders, and of
fering rewards for their conviction, and for
authentic information of the place to which
Morgan had been conveyed. But to all inqui-
lies and efforts, difficulties and obstructrons OF
every kind were interposed. The press, SO
loud-mouthcd and so hasty on every similar
occasion Of public outrage. was either silent,
or sounded false notes with view to mislead
II is not the purpose of thisi e-
port to dwell on this part of the subject, but il
lis conceived that no opportunity should be ne
elected to bring to recollection the shameful
detection of the public press from its most sa-
cred and peculiar duty, and the numberless
falsehoods, which the newspapers OF every par
i ty invented and circulated, to battle and misdl
rect inquiry. At one time, the victim OF ma
sonic vengeance was selling his. Illustrations
\ of Masonry in Boston, and reaping harvest
from the speculation; at smother. he was in Yer
mont. employed in the same business; again
he was at Smyrna, in the costume of Turk
where Notwithstanding his dress. he had been
divorced by an acquaintance; and he had kind
, n sent messages to his anxious friends IN tins
. country. This course of wilful msrepresen-
tation and of equally deceptive silence, ,wher
, the press was bound to speak, was produced
: either BY masonic influences or by a dread o
masonic power. In either case, what strong
proof does it furnish of the tremendous Powe1
of "a society, which could thus subdue the who'll
, public press of the country! These, and
, thousand similar publications. did. for time
, serve to distract the public mind;-but the,
. never for moment diverted those high spirit
: ed men, who had undertaken the inquiry. iron
i pursuing their object with limited and insult