Wilmington expositor. (Wilmington, Del.) 1831-18??, 1832-03-23

YoRK Pa. MARCH I'd, 1888
GENTLEA'EN;
,s..op,,ay,s ate CONVEX, ing the information that
H. sir ,ason,,c State Convention, held at Har-
s;sh,,ro On he 90, nd of last month, nominated
me a. one of The ele rtors OF President OF the u.
States: for which, mark OF conhdece, desire to
EXPRESS to that body through YOU as their COM
mittee, my grateful thankS'
You call upon me at TIE sa me ume, under inc
injunction of resolution ado Hed by tne on
ven,ion, to say whether viii woe tor imam
Writ of MARYLAND. as President anu an amos
Ellmaker of Pennsylvania, as Vice re a1
in the event of my being chosen an cleo .or'
When the Constitution was framed- the me
ory of this part of was, that the electors, when
chosen by the suffrages Of the people, were TO
be left free to vote for whomsoever they tho
best qualified to fill these high offices, without
reference to the opinions of the people at large;
but the practice has been otherwise. wren
Washington was FIRST chosen, his transcendent
and spotless worth, commanded the eager vote.
of the whole nation. There was no competi-
ton. Party spirit shrunk from his presence.
He was the common Father of the. People.
There was no occasion to say who was TO be vo-
ted for. The name was written upon every
heart. At every Presidential election since.
the electoral candidates. If no distinct pledge
has come from them, tho sometimes this has
been given, have voted according to tacit un-
Outstanding that has been as binding. The diff
ference is only in form, l do not object even
to a pledge, where there is good reason Tor IL
and in accetling to it on the present occasion,
must beg permission briefly to assign my reas-
ons.
fellow citizen in New York has been muir
dered by large and daring confederacy of free
xnasons for telling their secrets. The spirit that
led to this deed has proved itself able to res
cue the murderers from punishment; for ma
sonic witnesses would not testify against bro
ther lnasons. preferring tabe committed to Prl-
son for not answering,-nor would masonic Ju-
rymen convict them, although jurymen not ma
sons were satisfied of their guilt. This is e.
nough. 1t shows the Lodge to be too strong
for the law. Can there be greater reproach
TO the Republic? Intelligent and good men in
terpret innocently the oaths OF Freemasonry,
which in their literal import. are no less course
- than shocking. There rs no fear, harm WI
come of the institution thro' such men. But II
has been demonstrated that evil-minded men
or those of weak understandings, commit muir
der under color of these oaths. II they dothiF
they will, beyond dispute commit other bad ac-
tions, under the same misconceived obhgations
Some of these, society will never ind OUT, ow'
ing to the concealments when the oatns incur
cate. Hence it is plain. that masonryis pow
er which. through its bad Instruments works
against the rest of society, and works in thu
dark. Such an Institution is dangerous; it ough
not to be allowed to exist in well goyernet
country: and since its energy and wealth CIV
it an influence not to be eXtirpated but at tn
polls, hold this resort to be the first politico
duty of every citizen. am for suspending al
other political differences until we get rid OF II
The Institution makes claim to Irresponsible
ity for the conduct of its bad members. such a
is accorded to religion: but who is so far gon
in delusion,as to admit the claim? Its charities
in the abstract, might be bene6cent, & its drol
leries amusing; hut unfortunately they are mis-
ed up with the demon-spirit of its terrific oath
Tie the blood Nth the pound Of flesh. Wit
much cunning it affects to complain OF bein
prosecuted. What plea! after placing itse
In a position hostile to the rest of society. b
heing the cause of crime Of complicated ho1
ror. and continueing to this hour, to insult SC
ciety by retaining in fellowship criminals cor
yicted under the laws of the land, OF having ma
a share in this crime. 80
Entertaining these opinions # the surfra .gS
of the people should clothe me with the trust L
which your partially has put me IN nominatio