Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1837-08-21


you will recollect, were simply these that
opposition to masonry did not constilute ba-
sis broad enough Tor the foundation Of poiiii-
cal party that among the opponents OF ma
sonny, were TO be found men Of every political
faith, entertaining every variety of political o.
pnion, 10 be found in our community. The
political antlmasous We're told that among their
ranks were TO be found The advocates and OPP
ponents, indiscrimlnately mingled, OF every
leading measure Of the NATIONAL administration.
The force ofhis argument was felt and apprc-
ciated by every honest untmason. According.
ly in your succeeding State Conventions, reso-
luions were introduced and adopted, which
we've said 10 be expressive Of your political prin-
cipiss, and which were wholly National Re-
publican in their character. Ii is true, these
resolutions were not suffered 10 pass unanim-
ously but your voice was not heard among
the dlssenters. For the most part, YOU main
tanned u disni6cd silence on this subject al
though your friend Barber, Of the Middlebury
Free Press, unless my memory be very trcach-
erous indeed, was himself the author and id
vocate Of several Of those very resolutions.
Nor were you entirely silent. In 1881, you
was, for The first time, elected a representative
from Randolph, which Office you continued to
hold for four successive years. have, myself,
when on casual visit at Montpelier, during
and manly tones Of Martin Flint, giving no
tice that a mC citing of the '.4htimasonic Wigs
would be holden at such time and place.
The meetings Of the antmasonic ,ohigs you
constantly attended, and there was then no diff
fcuty in recognizing you as their leader. The
argument was employed by you and your
friends, thousand times, that the party, call
ing themselves Wigs, could notu have no OBJ.
lection 10 connecting themselves with the anti
masons, unless their attachment to masonry
was an objection, as you had now adopted all
the political principles of the wings in FULL
Nor was this manoeuvre Of yours entirely nm
successful. The Wing party became almost
completely dsbanded and you, sir, became an
object of the especial hatred and contempt OF
the friends Of Gen Jackson's Administrations
No man in the state was ever more thoroughly
despised by the self styled democrats of the
present day, than was your own honorable sell
al this period.
1t may not be a.niss to offer few observa-
tons in relation to the almost forgotten topic
ofmascaTy. have no wish TO bring this sub
iect again TO lieht as bone of conteniion.-
The institution, in this state, at least, has fall
EN- into disrepuie, and have no wish TO utter
a single word in its favor. l am ignorant Of
its mysteries, and have no wish to be cnight-
encd. That Jour riiur;s have been instruIncn-
tai in bringing the institution Into disrepute,
cannot be denied; and that, in doing this, you
haze rendered the state some Valuable service,
l am not at all disposed to deny. But man
may do very good deed. from very unworthy
motives. marty may be produced from os-
trnta'ion, Independence may degenerate into
obstlnacy. ana irugalIty INTO aVarlce. The
question, III lhis case 10 d. o'e!deu Is, wheth-
or opposition 70 masonry was IN iact, your
motive, IN your clectoneerlnS campaigns from
lo2I IN 1856
Cn'll 1880, you were proiessedly iIiendy TO
the political principles OF the Wings. This
was, In iac', your poll'icai character, or else
you were comple,ely destitute oil Poiii'ca!
character al al. he iai'cr may, alter all, be
not very lar from me tru'h. he state Goa
yehtlon OF 1886 nominated VIM. IL. Harrison
Tor President, ana francs Granger Tor Wee
President. Unexpectedly TO many Of your
friends, you avowed your preference Tor Mr.
Van Buren,, ana detained, IN no gentle tones,
AGAINST the principles and policy oil The wings.
The Convention, however, saw ut TO take Their
own course, ana zen. Harrison became, IN
TACT, the candidate oil The anlmasonlc party IN
Vermont.
But there was also Congressional election
10 ioRe place, "a 1881 lion; Horace ErertH
had long ana taithiuiiy served MS constituents,
as Representative from the thlId District
gu, SIR, had voteo lor MN at MS hrst eiec-
ton. But he had refused to bow the knee to
your image, and you had determined to eject
him from his office. What was The astonish'
ment OF all your consderate friends, when
they saw the announcement OF your name, as
u candidate Tor Representative to Congress -
iorbear 10 remark upon your efforts TO pro-
cure nomination for yourself at the koyal'on
Convention and also upon the slngularlly of
the Van Buren, candidate .ar eleclor OF Prcsi-
dent and Vice President, assisting IN the nom
inaiion OF Harrison candidate Tor Represent
upveto Congress! We were told, oyer and
over again, that yon were Harrison man-