The Massachusetts spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1831-1858, 1832-12-26
Won GUS rRDs
WEDNESDAY. DEC. GO. 1882.
CONGRESS

-, 49,; ~ ''"t hst oc APPENDED, OF such
articles as are essential TO the national indie
pendence in time of war" On Tuesday
wednesday, and Thursday, several bills were
introduced, relative TO roads and canals, and
on the latter day bill was passed for the re-
lief of the widows and orphans of the officers
and seamen lost in the u s. schooner Sylph.
In the House, Mr. Wcklife offered n reso-
tuition, proposing an amendment to the Consti-
tuition, providing tina, no Senator or Represen.
tatlve shall be eligible curing the term for
which he was elected, to any civil office under
the authority of the United States bill has
been reported TO continue for six wears LONGER
the annual appropriation Of $50OoOO for the
gradual increase of the Navy, and also author.
izing the construction Of three Steam Batter.
les. Mr. Adams offered resolution request.
ing the President to communicate to the House
copies of his Proclamaton and the Ordinance
adopted by the Convention of South Carolina
RHODE ISLAND. 1t is announced in the
Rhode Island American, that nm effort will be
made at the ensuing meeting Of the Legislature
Oh that State, to procure the ca lctnent of
law rendering penal tho administering of ma
sonic oaths and obligations. Were the masonic
lodges and chapters half as wise as their Grand
Master Solomon-;hcy would render the enact
ment OF any such law entirely unnecessary. II
is not likely that any man of common sense
will hereafter take upon himself any of these
oaths or obligations. To swear under terrible
penalty, to keep things secret which are as
pubic, and almost as widely diffused, as the
broad blaze OF the sun--and to pay six or seven
dollars step, for knowledge of things whic h
it was never worth shilling to know. and all
nf which can be purchased now in a ump far
half dollar, strikes us as being a particularly
stupid piece of business. Let the lodges keen
together as social and charitable societies. il
they please J; but let them abolish their oaths
and direct their Tylers 10 sheath their drawn
swords ". Y. Commercial .4drertiscr.
The above is written by an adhering Mason
of the highest grade, and shews the light in
which all intelligent masons view the subject
But why keep together at all +? There are
enough other means of promoting all social and
charitable objects, without having the members
of the Masonic fraternity continue to make
themselves the objects of political luminosity to
the Antl-Masons, and Of rdicule to all the resi-
OF the community, by their pertinacious adher-
ence TO an institution which four-fiiths of the
Masohs themselves pronounce utterly worth.
less. We believe that patriotism, respect for
public opinion, and gratitude to those who have
sustained the members against personal pro
scrptlon, all require the Abandonment of the
Charters and the dissolution of the LODGES
1t may now be done with honor, without lis
being said, that in so doing, the members have
succcumbed TO Masonic persecut;on for
they have been sustained by the people in re-
peated conflicts. But, the people, in sustaining
the members, have not intended to he under
STOOD as sustaining the institution. and we
should be very sorry to see any portion OF the
fraternity take such a course as would bring
the question to that issue. If thcy should.
however, they will find the people have as
little sympathy with Masonry as with Anti.
Masonry. and that they will engage in no
crusad for one or the other. Masons now
have good opportunity of giving to political
Anti Masonry its death blow. and we sincerely
hope they will avail themselves of it, and Tins.
nt once, crush the aims of those, who build on
II hopes of distinction and observation-disclosures
they could never entertain from any cause
based on political principle, and not on pro-
scrlption of one set of men for the advance
ment of their most Jealous opponents.
We are told, almost every day, by individual
Masons, that they concur, entirely, in the opn.
ions here expressed, and that the great body Of
the fraternity are in favor of abandoning The
institution, but are restrained by few who ore
unwilling to give it up. In such case we
should have no hesitation as to The course
proper to adopt lfa portion of the members
choose to continue the institution. on Them We
would leave tho care and the responsibility of
doing it, and would quietly Withdraw ourselves
from it, by causing our names TO be stricken
from the rolls of the members thus, witbon,
any remuneration of the principles of Masonry,
giving the world to understand our views of the
course most proper TO adop: under existing CIR
cumstances. These opinions are founded on
mature deberation, and, We believe, can he
successfully defended if necessary. We have
good reason to believe that great majority Of
the fraternity in New England concur in ,hcm.
and we hope, ere long, to see them give eff.
cheney to their opinions by their acts We had
intended giving our views on this subject. more
at large, but we cannot believe it necessary TO
occupy any more room in our columns with il
at the present time,