Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1844-08-16

abrdge the freedom of the press but in to
destroy Twice did James G. BrneY have his printing
press and Office broken up at Cincinnati. Twice did
Lovejoy have his press thrown into the Mississippi and
at the third attempt he was shot down while defending
his property Now is there not enough in all this to con-
vince you is time meet this giant power in the way
and you met the power of masonry, viz. in the
exercise of the elective franchise.
Again twas charged that usurped the Offices
ofthe nation. 1t was reported to the convention that the
principal object of the institution Of feemasonry in the
United States for many years had been the acquisition o.
political power; and that two thirds Of the Offices of honor,
profit or trust, were held by masons.
Ifthis true as it supposed TO be, here was
great cause of alarm And is there as much, yea,
more need of concern when larger portion political
power is usurped by the enemies of free institutions. Is
there not much danger to be appehended to the ber
ties ofthe people when four ihs of the Offices of the
ton held by class ftyrants and despots, who claim
and exercise the right to metamorphose man into
tce of merchandise, there when Two thirds of the
offices held by those whose greatest skill consisted
in converting men into fools! Just take view of our u
nted States the present time and what
class you find in power STAKEHOLDER at the head,
all his cabinet Shareholders but one, majority of the
chief Judges and four of five of all foreign minis
tiers and chief officers of the army and navy And 10
your own argument as applied to masonry" If
Slavery be thus fortified behind the political patron
age and power of the government where is it to
be sought and attacked by those who desire to de-
stroy its baneful influence on morality and religion
and its usurpaon of the rights and privileges of
the people? Is it to be sought where alone it is to
be found--in its entertainments. Anti-savery is
therefore POLITICAL"
In regard to the means to be used to destroy the
institution Of freemasonry, find in the address to
the people, that same Instrument rec commended for
the purpose that the Liberty Party have seized
upon to accomplish the destruction of American
slavery. But will let the address speak for itself
L" In the first address of Mr. Jefferson as president
ofthe United States he denomnates the right of
election by the people mild and safe corrective
of abuses, which are Topped by the sword of revo-
luton, where peaceabIe remedies are unprovidcd.'
This is the only adequate corrective of freemason-
fy-(slaveryI- prolific source of the worst
abuses. And to this we must resort
"Ihere is no Improperly in resortng to the cleo
tive franchise to correct the evils of freemasonry-
Slavery 1t lnvades no mans rights. 1t gives
no man reason to complain. 1t is no more disrep-
utable than it is to resort to a legislature, or a
court of law for the correction of an evil they were
Instituted to redress. If freemasonry, (slavery,)
ought to be abolished it should certainly be so a.
polished as to prevent its restoration. No means
| OF doing this can be conceived so competent as
those furnished by the ballot boxes These means
are commended to our adoption by the most urgent
consderatlOns-by their mildness, their safety
their sutficlency and the tested insutficency of all
others. They are the means provided by the
most venerated of our political fathers. Who
snail dsparaSe them? Whoever is opposed to
treemasonry, (sIaveryO and really desires its ex-
tlnctlon, must use them or confess himself slave
or tyrant 70 eXtnguish it by violence, would be
tyranny, If it were possible. To cxtnguish it by
the expression of honest convictions against it,
would not be tyranny, but it cannot be accomplish
cd, unless majority unite in such expressions;
and whether they do or not, cannot be ascertained
without general vote. And, in truth, none who
are not opposed to using every othermeans against
1t, are opposed to using our elective rights against
it; and those who are opposed to using our elect
i've rights against it, uniformly use their elective
rights in its favor" Now, where are the men
who considered all this correct in theory and sound
in practice? Where the 10, 900 antimasons OF
1880, or the 90 900 Of 1884, who contended with
so much zeal for the overthrow of immoral and
anti-chrstian societies in this State, who contend
cd for the freedom of the press, for equal political
rights and privileges, for just and impartial ad.
mnlstraton of the laws? Many of them, in al
probability, are striving to elevate to the highest
office of this nation man in favor of extending
and perpetuating the viest system of iniquity and
oppression the sun ever shone upon, and also op-
posed to the suppression of the African slave trade
Others are contending for the election of a masor
of high standing, equally guilty as the other can
didate of making merchandise of his fellow beings
"a duelist, gambler a man of unbrded lcen
tiousness; sabbath breaker, profane swearer
Truly it does seem though men changed some
times.
But let us enquire, where are the delegates VIII
attended this national convention, and then too
such high stand for moral principle and tn
rights of the people? Where do we find the dele
gates from this State'
: Where do we find VIM. Sade, and Gen. Film
and AIvah Sabn! Do we find them, by their pc