Wilmington expositor. (Wilmington, Del.) 1831-18??, 1832-03-02
wnnErnoroM, DEL FRIDAY, ndAnon ., issa

MARCH Q, 1890.
knows they are such, as may be communicated
safely and without danger of detection, in one
pace as well as in another.--by day or by night
lin Legislative Assembly, or a Court of
Iustice--to Senators OF Judges-Jurors, Wit
nesses. or Oficers--and that masonic obliga-
tons already stated, directly and imperativey
enioin upon all such, if they are masons, (and
if they are not. they could not comprehend
them not only to keep such communications
secret, but to answer such signs or summons.
The witnesses examined on this point, while
they admitted the truth If what is here stated,
uniformly denied all personal knowledge of
any such signs having ever been made in this
State, in courts or elsewhere, to obsruct or de-
feat, the impartial administration of justice; but
it referred 10 the Assembly TO determine, how
long or how far the purity of our Legislative
or judicial tribunals can be preserved, and our
luries and officers remain incorrupt, when we
have the knowledge, that they may be thus Sc
cretly and safely communicated with If they
happen to be masons-notwithstandi every
guard, by which they are surrounded by our
constitution and laws.
it mast also be evident, that though upright
men, Ngha are masuns, may not use this medium
Of secret communication for improper purpos
es, there is no secu it, against its being used,
and answered by masons, who may justify such
violation of their duties citizens by the plain
import of their masonic obligations.
| 1t would also seem to be apparent, that it
these artificial relations are practiced upon by
masons, only so far as to give preference to a
Imason, over one who is not mason, under
precisely the same circumstances, yet the eS-
tent of this combination, and the frequent &C.
lcasions, in which men who are not masons
Imay be brought in contact with it, without be-
ling aware that they are exposed to its intiu-
Ience must operate in society so as to give ad-
Ivantages to masons, over those who are not
such to an extent more or less dangerous to the
equal rights of citizens.
i 9. The first part of the ninth allegation, is
literally proved by the oaths admitted as evil
,ldence. from the Committee of the Grand
Lodge, which say in express terms, that one
mason is bonnd to apprise another of all APP
pro ,ching danger. SO far it shall come to his
knowledge, and to conceal all secrets of the
i Craft, and of each other. murder and Treason
elexcepted. The addition to this clause. "and
81 that left to my own option or election" was
/ fully proved by others testimony. The expires
5 sion Murder and Treason excepted, evident
lily comprise among the secrets to be con-
: lcealed. all offences or crimes, of every des'
+, Icription, less than Murder and Treason: and i
: was SO interpreted BY the Chairman of the
: Committee, in remark made by him to Mr.
n Wilkinson, of the witnesses before named.
d There was no evidence derived from mason
lin this State. that in the ROYAL Arch Oath, thi
u exception of Murder and Treason was no
IS made. The oath in this degree. handed by tn
/ Masonic Committee, contained no direct refer
n ence to keeping the secrets of a Companion
) ROYAL Arch Mason but all the masons ques
$; toned on that point, admitted they bound, a
u Royal Arch Masons, to keep each others sc
u crets; but in what form, or to what extent, o
te with what qualif, atoms, they would not, c
u did not distinctly state.
'r The answers to this question by masoni
e witnesses, were invariably aevasive and unsa
tsfactory. The only seeding Royal Maso
erl who testified on this point stated that he ha
ID received the oath in r. Island, to keep the Sc
o, crets of a Royal Arch Mason, and that n
e. qualification was given, defining what the st
re crets were; but that the phrase "Murder an
ir Treason not excepted" was not used.
n The deposition Of Pliny Merritk, Esq.
ly Worcester, Mass. who took the ROYAL Arc
BY oath in that State--and of Jarvis F Hanks,
ey New York, who received it in the latter Stat
d. were before the Committee. and they testified
as that murder and treason not excepted was az
s. ministered to them, to the best of their reco
no lection.
1y The above three witnesses also testified. th'
lie a hoint of this oath, as recei' ed by them, wa
O. to assist companion SO far as to extricat
err them out of any difficulty; the two last named
I'd stating that they received it with the expression
r. sswhether he be right or wrong" hut this obi
he cation was uniformly denied by the masons
this state, who testified before the COMMITTEE
ar so far as is within the knowledge of the unde
lie signed.
ID 10. The tenth allegation, relative to the e,
n, tent of masonry and the dependencies of i
IS, subordinate, upon the higher branches, thougl
as out the United States, more especially in Il
es degrees above the three first, was fully prove'
a. and has been stated in the foregoing part
- this communication. The undersigned cam
he arrive at any other conclusion, from the fac
Sc proved, in relation to the nature and organiz