State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1831-1836, 1836-02-16


were not to be duped by the ll-contrived
stratagcm. Not a vote did Mr. Van Buren,
receive at the hands of the intelligent and
steadlast Antimasons of Pennsylvania, nor
does it appear that his name was called in
question. Harrison and Granger were nom
mated by majority of the Convention, af-
ter the most mature deliberation and dis
cussion.
Repulsed in his attempt to force MIR Van
Buren, upon Pennsylvania, Mr. Halett next
resolved to rally the drilled troops of his
own camp, and rear aloft the Van Buren,
flag in old Federal Massachusetts, and if
the Antimasons of no other State would
answer to his roll-call to 'monopolze' the
'glory of serving under such chief Ac-
cordingly meeting was called at the State
House in Boston Oh the Goth Of last month,
and the result is before us in the doings of
a convention purporting to be antimasonic,
in which Martin Van Buren, is formally
recommended to the support of the Anti
iIluoObt Hblll dS AuIbINldlS lOl lllC lGSi-
! dcncy-and, as a matter of course, the Van
Buren, flag now floats majestically at the
masthead of the Boston Advocate!
Although this open espousa of the cause
of Mr. Van Buren, by Mr. Hallett and others
in Massachusetts was expected, we confess
that we were not prepared to witness an
attempt, from any quarter, to palm Martin
Van Buren, upon the antimasonc party as
asupporter Of their principles. Yet so it is.
Now for the first time we are told with an
air Of apparent gravity, that Mr. Van Buren,
long since breathed the spirit of antimason-
ny, and we are referred to "the firm and
manly o6icin acts Of Mr. Fan Buren,, Whae
Governor of Ntto York in 1899, The TN e that
tried mems souls, an the great conflict, then
just begun, bet,ceen the supremacy Of The lato
and the despOtiSm Of Jreemasony"! And
then it is formally
"ReSo!ued, That in the pledge Mr. Van Blu
rem then gave, in the same solemn, official
form thatno constitutional means shouLd be
lef unemptoyed,hat migM contribute to bring
DOM judgment and punishment on the heads
Of the guilty. and that ,ohaterer portion Of
those duties deUolred on him, should be dis
charged ,ch diligence and fdehty-as well
as in his practical redemption of that pledge,
in almost his last official act as Governor,
by again calling the attention of the Legis-
lature 10 the subject and appointing TO the
Office ofSpecial Commissioner, at the soil
citation of Antimasons of the West, that
eminent antimason and jurst, JOHN c.
SPENcER,-we recognize ample assurance
that, as President of the United States,
MARTIN VAN buren, will be as Just to the
principles of antimasonry, and as prompt
and energetic in asserting the supremacy Of
law over all secret or open combinations
against equal rights, as he was during the
period he held the Office of Governor of
New York, when masonry deGed a tcCrld IN
arms"
Verify, here is an anomaly in the history
Of the Antimasonic party. Is there any
wonder to equal this, since the startling
discoveries in the Moon? Is it not matter
alike of regret and establishment, that such
high claims TO antimasonic support were
never before revealed? Strange, that the
earth should have so long revolved in per-
petual darkness to our unsearching eyes,
while a star of such spendor was cleaning
in the political horizon!
But seriously let us tear away the thin
| gauze, in which this newborn son of Anti
masonry has been carefully wrapt, and
laid before the world. The language I'M
puted to Mr. Van Buren,, it is granted, was
a part of his gubernatorial message in 40.
A recurrence to the history of that period,
will serve to show how much credit the
! passage reflects upon It's author, as an anti
mason. Under the administration of Gov.
Van Buren's predecessor, Mr. Birdseye was
commissioned to conduct the proceedings
against the consprators in the tragedy of
Morgan. Previously to the assembling Of
the Legislature in 1899, he made report to
the Executive. The reference of the Gov.
to the subject matter of the report was in
itself mere business transaction. Nor is
his condemnation of the public outrage ex-
pressed in language more decided than that
employed in Il resolution of the Grand
Chapter itself lie neither charges musons
nor masonry with sperpetaton. He says
nothing about either. He deals ont mere
non-commttal abstraction, which any grand
king of the craft might have done without
at all duplicating the order or modifying
! its members rs actors in the outrage.
The only remaining item of evidence on
which Mr. Van Buren's antimasonrv rests