Wilmington expositor. (Wilmington, Del.) 1831-18??, 1832-01-06

land therefore TO pr pux down sstf4 ~
1t is said for all this, he is still a mason, and
that we have got mason for our candidate
1t may be SO. All governments have their ow n
laws. and so has the governments of masonry.
The latter can execute them too, which is more
than can be said of the governments of N. Y. at
present; for you must pardon me for SO speak
ing of your great state, with populatian all
ready nearly equally that of the province of
Holland, in the day of all its grandeur. The
British government held all our forefathers to
be British subjects long after the declaration of
independence, up indeed to the peace of 49,;
for we know that it was only then that our in
dependence was acknowledged by Britain
Mr.. Writ has got himself into this sort of di-
lemma. He has taken up arms against mason
Try, but what of that He is nothing but re-
bel. Some British jurists even hold, that all
the ante natl are good British subjects to this
day. Bv this doctrine our President Jackson
is one, and the venerable Carroll into the bar
ain. This British doctrine of perpetual al
sagiancee mainly drew us into a war on the
question OF impressment, in 1912. 1t was a
Sovereign right, a sovereign claim, that Britain
could not forego.
So masonry, like true sovereign, also sets
lup this sovereign claim. The government of
Iof the United States, uniettered bv feudai max
inns, we are taught to believe will allow expa-
|triation; but oucea mason always a mason, It
seems, unless they expel you for un,nasonic
conduct which, (be i rcmemhered) to be lea
Igued in with murdcrers. IS NOT, fop masons
convicted of this petty kind ofbusiness in Nor
gau's case, are still retained III tn Lodges
You cannot shake off your allegiance. You
cannot resign Of our ow cord. as | hayt
! come to earn latterly. VIII steyer decorous
and parliamenta rms you may lay your re-
siguation at the feet of this lord paramount
! This would be to leave you too much of the ex-
ercise of your own free agency, should you
happen to change your mind aftef having for
on, e iii your life put on the livery of the lodge;
and if you arraign it. o Il you arralgn it, for
an outrage tenfold worse ,han any single one
Britain ever commit, d against a., why what a
wretch YOU are; what apostate, what per-
jured traitor, what vile rebel, and | know
not now much in addition, that might be Gull
!. led from. the courtly vocabulary of masonic
vengeance. This is Mr.. Wirt's predicament
at the present iuncture. Such is the manner
in which the champions of this order, or theil
, bottle holders, insult the good sense of the
: community: such, some of the fruits of its wild
f and hideous oaths. They would excite moth,
. ing but the superlative, unmingled derisions
{ of all sensible men, were it not for the tragic
, consequences to which they lead. We may
. laugh at conclave of murmers, dressed up in
i. their antics; but we cannot laugh when we see
it bee me a deliberate assembly for the she'd
ding of human blood. 1t is then time to bS
reused to action.
On the point of masonic oaths, must beg
you to turn to Livy, 10th Book, section 38.-
Reading him few evenings ago, was much a.
unused with falling upon passage, the whole
OF which | could copy, but that il is too long,
1t is one in which he describes the linen legion
of the Samnts. From this legion those VINO
contend for the antiquity of masonry may, il
, they think fit, date its origin. 1t may at least
supply their antiquarian researches with some
J good hints. for although not making quite. such
stretch into backward time as the days OF
} king solomon, it leaps over John the Baptist.
The Samnites being at war with the Romans,
assembled their whole force at Aquilonia A
piece of ground in the middle Of thc camp was
enclosed with hurdles and boards, and cover
ed overhead with linen CLOTH the sides be
ing all OF an equal length Within this cnclo.
sure sacrifices were performed. according to
directions read out OF an old linen book.
When these were finished the general order
ed a'beadie to SUNNI n every one of those who
were most highly distinguished by their birth
or conduct,-Besides other solemnities CALI u
lated to impress the mind with religious awe,
there were alters erected, alb out which Law The
victims slain, and centurions stood around with
their sword drawn The soldier was led ur
! to the affairs, rather like victim that. per.
former in the ceremony, and was bound BY
; an oath not to divuige what he should see and
hear in that place. He was then compelled tc
Iswear in a dreadful kind of form, containing
IeXccrations on his family and raca "a h. III
Dot 80 to battle whithersoever the commanders
ffshoud lead; and, if either he himself fed from
t the field. or, i'll case he should see any other
flying. if he did not immedistv kill him. A,
/; first, some refusing to take the dreadful oath.
were Pul 10 death round the affairs, and Their
manglst mains lying among the carcasses oil
n the victims sErMeI 1.