State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1831-1836, 1836-01-12
VOL. ". NO. ID.
TO TIE PEOPLE OF THE UNITED
STATES


Nine years have elapsed, since free
citizen of these States, was torn from his
family, and from the circle of his neighbors
and friends, in obedience to the mandates,
and by the hands of the master spirits of
Freemasonry he was borne by day and
by night, more than one hundred miles,
through populous section of the State OF
New-YoriI TO the Canadian frontier, where
he was immured in national fortress, un-
der the charge of National officers, mem
bers of the masonic lodges; and there be-
ing deprived of counsel and friends, and de-
prived of the benefit oftrial by jury, he was
condemned secretly by the laws of lreema-
sorry; and having been, in his last mo-
ments, refused the consultations ola Bible,
to smooth his pathway to eternity, he was
inhumanly sunk at a midnight hour, in the
deep waters Of the River Niagara. Public
indignation at the time, instead of being
poured upon the masonic lodges. for machl-
mating and warming into life this most ne.
farious crime against the laws of Heaven
and OF mankind, was, through the great
power and influence, the extensive combi-
nation and close alliance among the free
masons, most wantonly turned from the
known kidnappers, against the honest citi-
Zens, who had tire humanity to search for
. their lost neighbor; public indignation was
; for long time, strangely turned from the
contemplation of the murderous act, to
frown on the patriotic men, who sought TO
expose the crime, and to bring the Offend
crs to trial /: and the public press was 10y
masonic influence so far turned from the
proper object of its high rebuke, that, while
it disregarded or justified the lawless con-
duct ofthe masonic lodges, it almost every
where vilified and abused the honorable
men who sought to bring the heinous
criminals to the bar of public of opinion.
The men who contrary to law, had robbed
the community of a freeman, were excused,
while those who would make them answer,
according to law, for depriving wife of
= her husband, and children of their father,
were violently censured, and condemned.
To sustain themselves under the attacks
of this wide spread and secret combination
against the laws of the land, and against
their own fair reputation, the people, in
. the region first aggrieved were forced to
combine together, and unexpectedly to try
hestrength OF a virtuous yeomamy in con
fiict with power whose vain boast had
been so often repeated, Us TO have become
generally believed, "that it had witllstood
the shock Of tyrants; il had survived the
fhli Of empires, and the rnin of cities and
nations; and il would survive the wreck of
time" How it called to its aid the rebuke
of the wise, whom it had misinformed, and
the sheer Of the simple, whom it had de-
ceivcd; and the reproach of the deluded,
whom it had in secret forsworn! How it
mngnifed its great ones, and invoked the
Shades of the honored dead, whom, i'll their
green youth, it had cheated with a taper
light and tile help of bandage, into the
vile mysteries of the temple of King Solo
mon How it disposed the noble band OF
Antimasons, and denied them the common
privileges. of the press, and the freedom Of
speech and of peaceably meeliug in pub
nc to treat of the bearing Of the lodges and
their acts on public affairs How it denied
the right TO utter, or to publish, their senti-
,neuts against ireemasonry how it inter-
rupted and broke up their meetings, forbade
them the use of public halls, and public
newspapers, and forced them to silence I'M
der this masonic oppression, or to establish
Antimasonic newspapers for themselves
alone
The struggle which then commenced be-
tween the freemcn of western New York
and the secret combination of Freemasons
soon extended to the neighboring states. -
BY eschewing the party politics of the day
and aiming only ut the overthrow of the
- lodges, Antimasonry prevailed over all op
position in the western part ofN. York, anC
has obtained signal triuInphs in Vermont
Massachusetts, R.Island, Connecticut, Ohio
and PENNSYLVANIA. In four of these State
Antimasonic Governors have been chosen
Vermont, Rhode Island Massachusetts ant
Pennsylvania and laws have been arcad.
enacted against Freemasonry in Massachu
sets, Rhode Island, Vermont and Connect
icnt. By becoming entangled in the will
schemes of selfish politicians, scheme
planned under the garb of friendship wit
n view 10 its destruction, Antimasonry la
suffered painful loss in New York. En-
couraged, however, by success i'll the Il
bove named States, and by unwavcrin
confidence in the righteousness of thei
cause, antimasons propose once more
appear inethe field, for their principles, i
. the generous contest for President of III
United States, believing that whoever ma
win, the vrtuous ind the brave alone dc
ferye the Crown of victory.
The Supreme Ruler of the Universe Ina
:. deprived them of the opportunity of agai
preterring the honored name OF WM.WR
for their leader but, in return they lav
the SAVIOR Of his irreproachable life, h
lofty intellect, and his pure and unsule
fame; together with the firm purpose
rally for their principles OH some ne
candidate. OF the candidates whom IL
people choose to honor, Antimasons max
no war with any, save the sworn depel
dants ofthe masonic lodges; and they see
alliance with none, who repudiate the
principles or dsapprove of their object
In any manner uphold the baIefui soci
ty which, in the violent abduction and mu
J der Of freeman, for the lawful pubicatit