State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1831-1836, 1836-04-12
LETTERS TO MIR. IlALLETT.
No. Z.
FEBRUARY, 1886.

Buren, is an Anti, mason of seven years
standing. This important fact has been
brought 10 igM by a certain message, and
other acts and doings, of his, while Cover
nor of the State of New York, in the year
1920, which you express great astonish-
ment have been 50 long concealed from
the view o. the world. As every profess
cd discovcrer challenges Investigation, |
propose to subject your discovery to that
test. For this purpose, | turn to Governor
Van Buren's message to the Legislature
of New York, of the 9Th of January, 1920,
to which you refer, where ! find the fol-
lowing:
After announcing the transmission of
report of Mr. Mosely, tic Especial attorney
to make certain inquiries and perform GER
tain duties in relation to the abduction of
William Morgan" the Governor says:
"Of his fate we have, rs yet, no posi-
tue evidence but it is certain that the
laws of the State have been violated III his
person, if not the highest crime committed.
That an act so alarming in its character;
50 destructive Of the peace of society and
the safety of its members, should have
made deep impression on the public
mind ought not to surprise us. Ii would
have been an unfavorabe indication of
the state Of our public, morals, and our
respect for the laws, had it been otherwise.
We have accordingly~ witnessed an excite
ment upon the subject of great interest and
extent among portion of our citizens,
greatly, and Justly, distinguished for their
piety, industry, and intelligence. u tcomd
not be extraordinary If attempts should be
made 10 peruert this honest indignation Of
the people to SELFISH and SINISTER purposes.
But the character Of those tcho REALLY FEEL
WHAT THEY PROFESS upon THIS subject,
affords the best security that the success Of
SUCH UNWORTHY SCHEMES cannot be great,
or Of long duration"
cit is the duty of all those TO whom the
people have delegated the sacred trust OF
executing the laws, to see that no constitu-
tional means are left unemployed that may
contribute to eXonerate the innocent and
satisfy the requirements of the law, by
bringing down Judgment and punishment
upon the heads of the guilty Whatever
portion of these duties devolves upon me
shall be discharged wit, diligence and
fidelity. 1t will be for Sou to consider
whether, to that end, any further legislation
is necessary
This is all there is in the message touch
ing this subject. And this is the basis on
which YOU have reared the structure of MIR
Van Burcn's anti-masonry. And what arc
the facts? great outrage had been com
mitted upon one of the citizens of the
State of New York, which demanded spc-
cial efforts 10 bring the perpetrators to
Justice, and which induced the legislature
to authorize the appointment BY the Coy
ernor of special counsel to aid in the ne
cessary legal Investigations. Under this
law special counsel had been appointed,
-, inn
into office, made to him report, which he
transmitted to the legislature with his an
nua message. In doing this he took the
occasion to say of the excitement which
the outrage had produced, that it would
have been matter of surprise if it had not
existed; that its absence "would have been
an unfavorable indication Of the state of
public morals, and respect for the laws"
and that the excited were "among those
who were greatly and justly distinguished
for their piety, industry, and intelligence"
Now sir, where is tho anti-masonry OF
all this? Was it not precisely what was
said, every day, in every quarter, as well
by the opponents as tho friends of the
cause OF anti-masonry? Was it not a
standing remark of its bitterest rcviers,
that the Indignation of the citizens of Yves
tern New York at the outrage upon Nor
gan, was nm honest and patriotic indigna-
ton? And was not this very admission
made for the purpose of giving greater
effect to the thrllsts ut those who, looking
beyond the mere Mdnappers and murdererS,
to the institution Of FreemaSonry, charged
that with the preparation of the offences
which had excited the honest indignation
of the pious and intelligent people of the
West? What was, and what is, anti-mG-
sonry? Was it, or is it, mere Indignation
at the preparation of the crimes of kid
mapping and murder? Was it not rather
opposition to an institution which had, in
the opinion Of anti-masons, sanctioned,
and in fact produced, the commission Of
these crimes? And where was Mr. Van
Buren's opposition to that institution? Is
there so much as an intimatlon of it in the
message before us? Might not the bitter
est enemy of anti-masonry have said all
that he said; and that, too, for the very
purpose common in those days. Of eXhib-
iting the advocates of political dnti-mdSOnry
in an unfavorable contrast with the honest
people who were indignant at the commits
sion of the crimes of kidnapping and muir
der? Indeed, is not this, after all, the use
which Governor Van Buren, himself really
makes of the merited compliment to which
I have adverted? What else does he mean
by the insinuation of "attempts to pervert
this honest indignation of the people to
selfish and sinister purposes;"--what else
by the "secury" az ainst the "success OF
such mworhy SCHEMES" which he profess
es to find in ''the character of those who
realty feel what they profess upon this sub
iect3"
That this was an insidious thrust al
political ant-masonry, must he apparent to
the commonest observer, and especially to
those who, in the memorable struggle OF
that and several following years, to sustain
it, were often compelled to meet attacks
pointed by the same aluson to the homes
Indignation "realiy" felt by the people o.