Iowa territorial gazette and advertiser. [volume] (Burlington, Iowa Territory [Iowa]) 1840-1846, 1844-01-20
hi,y with his cd boyhood Of anlimasonry
At near 10.

ASHLAND, Oct. 9, 1881.
GENTLEMEN: hope you will excuse
the delay in acknowledging the rrceip,
Of your letter Of the "a uli., which has
arisen from my absence fresa home, and
from various engagements.
Waving the consideration that have
no knowledge Of the ex s'nece ofan anti.
masonic meeting in Hanover. Indiana.
other than that which ID derived ftbih
your letter, nor Of your appointment q Z
committee TO correspond with me, other
than your statements, nor the satisfac.
,'on Of o personal acquaintance with you,
! Will proceed At once 10 reply to your
letter. Its professcd object ID 10 nsce,.
tain my sentiments on the subject Of ma
sonry; and tho reason assigned by yud
tor this inquiry is thus stated w your.
selves AS we are again shortly to 10
called upon 10 choose man to preside
over the councils Of our nation; a. il will
then De our duty and our privilege to
raise our humble but ndependea, voice
IN favor Of our suffrage, and az You now
stand candidate for high and impor
tant station, as your friends and your
iellow-citizens we would solicit fom Won
q frank and candid statement Of your sen.
lIments on this subject"
! do not know q solitary provision in
the Constitution Of the United STATES
which conveys the slightest AUTHORITY 10
inc General Government, to Interfere.
one way or the other, with either mason.
~ or anti>masonsy. IL therefore; q
President Of the Oiii;cd S,s:es, or snv
other functionary of that Gov.rnmeni.
were % er;ploy hts oticias power 10 sue.
AN, Of to abolish, d 10 advance tht
interests If masonry or anti ris~nry, i,
would be al, act Of usrrpu,ion o. tyranny.
You havS not called Upon mo for ny
opinion upon any great practical, meas.
urs falling within my Scoops u Fuderst
powcrs' bu, passing by every auea.i,;n Of
vital interest within the sphere of i,s On.
eratlons, yeu demand my sentiments upcu
subject with whick hu,ntly conceive,
!. has nothing to Do; and you place ,hii
demand on the ground Of the Influence
which my sentiments might exert anon
tue exercise Of an undoubied aud jmsur.
tant privilege which you possess s5teis;.
Ecns VI The United States.
4 compliance On my part with voof
demand wsu.d amount to an implied q.
mission that individual seiitit,euts Oh tn ;
subject Of masoory formed . proper eoe- |
sideration 10 regulating The cxrrcixs cfi
tho elective franchise 10 respect to olysc.s
Of the Federal Government. | can mssa
40 :. ss suca admission " c.nqoi eel'sss skst
SONY or ant',masoory is at al, matefsaii
in the formation Of any Judgment, on lh1
part 0! ny fellow c,tiz.ns, concerning my
fitness for any Office under the Govern.
ment of the United States. That eleva. /
Ted Office to which you a,ludc should in /
my opinion, be filled by one who is capa. !
bic, unswayed by scctarian feelings or
passions, of administering its high duties
towards the whole people Of
the United States, however divided into /
religious, social. BENEVOLENT, or literary
Entertaining these views, have con
stantly refused to make myself y party
to the unhappy contest raging, distant
from me-, in o'her parts ot tho Union,
between masons and anii,nasons. Whilst
these views remain uncorrec,ed,t must
adhere to that determination. Il, Indeed.
you, gentlemen. will point 10 the provis
ion in the Federal Constitution which
can BE- legi;imateIy made to operate upon
the subject in question, would no,
hesitate promptly 10 comply with your
request. In the mean time, ia declining
il, hope you will consider me rs not
wantina in proper respect TO you, or to
those whom you represent, bul ~ acting
from conviction OF the improperly Of
blending an alien ingredient with cues.
tica already sufficiently comp :, and al.
50 from sense OF personal indspen
denc.. ! am with gr.a, respect, your
obedient servant,
H CLAY
Msssrs. James :. Watson, Noble But
Ter, James II. Thompson.