Southport telegraph. [volume] (Southport, W.T. [i.e. Kenosha, Wis.]) 1840-1850, 1847-01-06
For the Telegraph.

Va vic SteSiaPH.
Mr.. EDrToR:--I perceive that certain
brief paragraphs are frequently travelling
the rounds Of the newspapers, calculated
10 conciliate the good opinion of the rea.
der towards certain secret combinations OF
| Orders ihat,as we deem, unfortunately ex-
tending themselves in our country. Tho
purpor, OF one Of these paragraphs which
noticed lately was tina, the Odd Fellows
have distributed 10 the needy during the
year just past, $l96,347 Now for one if
| am called upon 10 form an opinion Of
these orders or Of their acts want the
means Of forming an intelligent opinion
And presume the community would gen.
orally desire the same. |, may be that any
call for further light may be deemed i'm.
pertinent, especially as it is known that the
distinctive glory of.'the order" and car.
| dinal virtue with the members is "secrecy."
For one have very little desire 10 pry in
to the secrets Of any order whatever but !
own am little curious TO know why such
things as they call their aims might not be
incladed within the mystic circle of their
holy secrecy. They m ght in that case
adduce high authority. tor one sdeear'nae"s
or ,nvf. ..s.sey at least. And therefore
one may well marvel that they prefer soun-
ding ',the trumpet through the land when
they 90 their aims. | will not however.
complain Of this so that they give US full
report. They have bestowed $l96,347.-
Well how much has it cost TO raise and
disburse this amount? And what has been
the extent and character Of the rant 10
which this relief has been applied? 1.-THE
persons relieved were really in want Of the
comforts Of life; if they had moi previous.
" purchased this rel.e'; if the circumstan~
ces forbid those who relieved them 10 ex-
pect any recompense from their behefici
aries; if the collecting and dlsburslng o.
this amount Gid not cost more than ~ or
30 DER cent of the whole sun collected the
Transaction may be considered charitable
But Of the collecting and distributing OF
this sun cost some 500 or 400 per cent;h
i, was bestowed only upon regular puf'
chasers and was contributed. as purchase
money or premiums of insurance beheh'S'
and the receivers of these benefactions ~'eto
oanorallv well to do so in The world ana
o,nbcrs Of them we're actually rich
Wbv Ina, would quite alter The case.
Now Mr.. EditorI am one of those VINO
are weak enough or jealous enough or what
ever sny may please 10 cal! IL 10 oe'''''
that when the whole story is told the pa'o'
graph in question might read us 'o'io"S
The wire workers and magnaies oil ~.
oCO. F. have during The year jus' pasSc'
distracted nearly 0,ooo, from VIC
poekets of the membership, ard to keep a..
,,,e, hare returned nearly one quarter Oh
The money 10 the orig inal con''ou'erS' o'
slowing especial attention upon s0cn case
as would be likely to attract gehsfai o''.
va,ion and dupe the multitude 10 s'o''''
| the order
If ,b,s is nc, the true version let any
Odd Fellow or any one else show to the
contrary. Whether this be eorseo' rep
reseu,a,ion or no, the fact that thousands
of intelligent men believe 1t shows ''a' VIC
may icsIly irs!st hat these orders give ~
either more knowledge Of the affairs or
,ess We want the means Of an Inielllseh
iudgmen, or we do not want to 30 ,'''e.
10 form an opinion at all. For We 90 n0'
care to be imposed upon by representa-
lions VII CHI however true to the letter a's
as 70 their main design and imrress:on''o-
tally Else. INN
Southport Dec. 24'h, ls4j.