Wilmington expositor. (Wilmington, Del.) 1831-18??, 1832-02-24
No. az.

learned that majority of the Committed Mes
srs Hazard, Simmons, and Hailee) had assem-
ted to the views ofthe principal masons in Pro-
violence, that they should not be questioned
touching their secrets and ceremonies, provi-
ded they would disclose their oaths. The I'M
dersigned states this fact merely as reason for
his dissenting from the report of the majority
OF the committee, without intending to call their
motives into question in any way. On this,
point the undersigned begs leave to refer to
the testimony as he understood it at the time.
The first knowledge he had of any such stipu-
ton on the part of majority the Commit
tee. was received from the statement of VIM
Wilkinson, having replied to one of the inter-
lrogatories, that there nothing in the secrets
of masonr, which could affect any other per-
sons, the undersigned proposed the following
question. which at his urgent request was final
lly put by the Chairman.
| "When you enter and leave a Lodge. do you
make any sign or motion? If SO, to what does
lit allude?''
The object of this question was to show the
Icensrructon put upon the penalties, from the
fact that mason, on entering or leaving lodge
lis required TO make sign, which is expressly
designed to remind him of his penalty in that
degree. to have his throat cut, his body sever
led in two, his skull smote off &c. should he ev-
er violate his masonic oath.
The reply of Mr.. Wilkinson to the question,
was that he should not like to answer it. The
witness further added, addressing himself to
the Chairman, st relates to the parts of our &C.
Iremonies which your honor has said you should
not ask US about The Chairman here observe
ed, that he had expressed his opinion, that it
was improper to require masons to forfeit their
honor by disclosing their secrets and ceremo-
MES, which had nothing to do with any body
but themselves. He considered them bound in
honor not to disclose their ceremonies & signss
and he could not consider that any such ques-
ton could be put with any good object; and
on another occasion he gave his opinion that
this disposition to inquire into the secrets Of
masonry was nasty disposition.
| When another witness, VIM. Russell, was UNI
der examination, he was asked, whether the
manner, in which he swore, as Royal Arch
Mason, (that he would only communicate some
sign or word) was the same as was described
in the Royal Arch Oath, given in Allyn's Ritz
ual.
The object of this question appeared to be,
to show the identity between the Royal Arch
Oath, handed in by the masons as their oaths
here, in that degree, and the same oaths as dis
closed by masons in another state, (New York;
In this view the undersigned deems the ques-
ton important. The witness howevr, as did
several others, totally declined answering it,
although then under their civil oath, to tell the
whole truth, or to answer such questions as
should be put to them.
Il The Chairman of the Committee here remar-
ked, that if there were some, who choose to
come here and disgrace themselves by betray-
ling their honor, let them come and they should
Ibe, sworn. This remark seemed to the UNDER
signed, designed to deter all seeding or adhea
ring masons from disclosing any thing connec-
ted with masonry, but the oaths which the ma
sons had agreed to hand in, in writing; but
which omitted several clauses sworn to by 9TH
: er witnesses.
In the examination of VIM. Wilkinson above
n alluded to, it was requested by the undersigned
u that question should be put touching an OBJ
litigation in the Knight Templer's degree, called
the fifth libation.' This question, this witness
as did several others, wholly declined answer
! ing. The Chairman subsequently put this cues
ton to the witness.
!. 'Have you made up your mind that you will
NJ not answer any question relating to the form
"a initiation, or the ceremonies and secrets OF ma
T. snry?'
! The witness replied. Il have made up my
"a mind not to answer-I consider that to be a
r greed upon by the Committee The under
~ signed here ntimated to the Chairman, that h
% did not SO understand it, and he doubts not
q that the Chairman will assent entirely to thi
ID declaration, that he (the undersigned) neve
entered into any understanding that masoni
er witnesses were to be protected from answerin
e. any questions touching their secrets, or inst
$. tuition, which might be put to them. The Chain
n man has so stated the fact, in the presence (
60 MIR. Council, one of the Committee. "a
g. The reasons assigned by the Chairman fo
s. thus protecting masonic witness, from flu
disclosure, were stated by him to be. that ii
be Committee had no idle curiosity to pry into tn
of secrets ofthe Gentlemen. Theyhave sworn th'
esItheir secrets relate to themselves and donot II
edIterEre with the rights Of others, and VI
so ought to be satisfied. He said that the obje
in seemed to be. to make the witnesses contradi
edlthenseIyes and to draw cut something che