Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1832-12-06
ANTI.MASONRY.

mercial Advertiser, who has recently
published them. They are copied into
the Boston Patriot, and the edaor Of that
paper in reference 70 them says:--
= awe copy in to-day'.. paper, from the
New-Yofk Commercial Advertiser, thc
two first of a series Of four letters address
>. scd by the late President Adams 10 Mr.
Stone, one of the editors or That paper
Ii seems that Mr. Stopc haa addressed to
! Mr. Adams his Letters on Masonry,
work which we bear is an able and inter-
esiing one, but which we hnpp. never
to have seen, and the object of hlr Ad~
ans in the letters now pablishedj Is to
express his dissent from some Of the SEN
,imenfs advanced in that book. The n, b.
lica,ion Of the letters has been delayed
at the request of the author, that they
might not appear while the election was
pending. II we might consider this as
All it,iimation of the opinion ofMr Adams
that The subject of Masonry ought not To
have been connected with the question:
of the election, we should highly com
mend this forbearancc TO mingIe in the
discussion upon thc very eve Of the elec-
ton. In any other view however, il does
not strike us that the delay Of the publi-
cation was Of much importance. The
Antimasons had already organized :hem-
selves as political party, and had NOM
mated their candidate for the presidency.
Mr. Adams had done nothing, as far as
the public is informed, 10 dissnadc Them
from this course. The publication of
this discussion, on the merits of Masonry,
MS far ms VIC can Judge of it from the two
letters which have already appeared,
would have had MS little influence on the
election rs the publication Of Tire poem Of
Dermof McMorrogh. The Question Of
the merits or dcmerts Of the institution of
Free Masonry has in fact, according to
our view Of il, as little to do with tbe e.
lection of President Of the U. States,
or n Governor of Massac chusetts, as the
question Of the moral character Of the
hero of Mr. Adams tale, or that Of the
conGueror Of Ireland.
/ The subject of Masonic oaths without
doubt is an important question for discus
SION, for those whose business it IS to-
consider it, and it ought TO he discussed
in 4 manner and at n time suited to bring
about proper remedy for Tire evil COM
planned Of, whatever that may be. But
we deny that it is proper subject to be
mingled with the politics Of the country,
much less to be made the paramount
question in deciding the choice Of pre-
sident. The object of Mr. Adams's ar
gumcnt in these two letters, is to prove
that the oaths administered in comforting
the first degree Of masonry is vicious, anti
such as ought never to be administered
by man to main. This may be true end
still those who nave taken it not be dis
qualified from holding any political Of
fee. Yet such principle as this forms
the basis on which the Antimasonic party
is organized. 1t introduces into society
new ingredient of discord, by cstab-
fishing n qualification for public trusts,
entirely independent Of the fitness of in
dividuals for discharging those trusts
an arbitrary qnaIEcation, by which n
great number of persons, among whony
are included some Of the most estimablo
members ofsocfety, are fHevcr excluded
from n participation in those trusts, and
are denounced as unworthy Of public
confidence 1t is an association based
on principle of prescription Of the most
odious chaiactcr-a prescription for no
offence against social order or good mo-.
rails, but merely for having been MEM
bers of society which has been hither-
TO regarded all over the world as be-
ncvolent and patriotic institution. What
ever be the merits or dement's of Mason
ry, there has been no charge against the
purity of its objects and principles until
lately; and to this day there is not the
shadow Of any proof whichcan implicate
great body of its members. So far as
that portion Of the community with which
We are convcrsant is concerned, those
who belong to the Masonic fraternity,
though in no way distinguishes from the
rest of the community, belonging to ev-
cry class in society, and pursuing every
variety oc occupation, may safely chal-
lenge a comparison for moral worth and
purify of character, with any other asso-
citation taken like them from the various
classes of society. Surely the An,i-ma-
SONS of this Commonwealth would not
nave the prcsum.tion to come forward as
body, and put forth any claim on their
,wp part Of being more honest, moro in
elIigcnt, more incorruptbfc than tho
anne number Of Masons. How intoIera-
,le then vs. il, that set Of men should
ombinc under the designation Of Anti
nnsons, form themselves into a political
lub, with this for the leading principle
Il their association, that all persons who