The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1853-08-29

- 49, WA SvsAsy, y $50 ~'~S~SS - ~
II anti-nasonry.
The original cause Of the existence 81 anti
masonry, ii ia well known. was the a. <uction Of
William Morgan. OF Batavia Ge' Aeaee county.
md his supposed murder, for : disclosing the &C.
,rets Of Free Masonry. IT, a affair took place
n September. 1926; but - first political action
of the anti-masons wa ut the town elections in
Genesee and Monroe Counties in the spring of
1877. At the State election in the fall of the
same year, the snti-masons carried Genesee,
Monroe, Livip gston Orleans, and Niagara
counties, In Face of both the other parties. In
march, 1879. the first general anti masonic con-
vfas held at LIE Roy, in Genesee county,
~ wnH; h delegates were present from twelve of
Inc Western counties. They recommended the
cay ling of State convention at Utica, in Au-
q dst following, and appointed as a general CEN
trail committee, Samuel Works, Henry Ely,
Frederick F. Bachus, Frederick Whittlesey, and
Tburlow Weed, who were continued by subse-
queDt conventions, and with the addition of
Bates Cook and Timothy Fitch, held the station
as long as anti-masonry had o separate exist
ence as party in this State.
At the general election in November, 1923,
the anti-masons supported John Quincy Adams
for President, as Gen. Jackson was Mason.
Several of the western counties were represent
ed in the Assembly by anti-masons, among the
most prominent Of whom were Willard Fillmore,
Philo G. Fuller, and Robert G. Nicholas. The
anti.masonic candidates for Governor and Lieu
tenant Governor received over thirty-three
thousand votes. In 1929, the antimasons elect
ed twenty-seven members to the Assembly, and
polled about 67 900 votes In 1880 they united
partially with the Adams men, or national re-
pubiicans in the support Of Granger and Ste
vens for Governor and Lieutenant Governor;
but the coalition was defeated by the Jackson
party, who also succeeded in electing their can
didates over the same opponents in 1882. Here,
probably should properly terminate the history
OF political anti-masonry in this State, as after
the election in 1882. the distinctive name Of
the party was in great degree merged
in the union or coalition Of parties, which
united party became soon to be designated as
the wing party. Mr.. Seward was the first gu
bernatorial candidate Of the wings in 1884.
when he was defeated by Governor Marcy.
against whom however, he was successful on q
second nomination in 1888. Jesse Buel was
the unsuccessful candidate of the wings for
Governor in 1886.
Besides President of the United States, in
the person ofMr. Fillmore the anti-masons have
given two Governors to this State, in William
II. Seward and the late John Young, also a
Lieutenant Governor, in George W. Patterson
and large number of members of Congress,
State officers and State Senators The influence
OF antimasonry upon other political parties has
been marked, and probably will not soon be
efaced. 1t is doubtless one of the main secret
causes which prevented the election of Mr. Clay
to the presidency. The anti-masonic leaders
refused to support him for the nomination at
Harrisburg, for the election of 1910, aud his
defeat at the election of 1914 may be attributed
to the numbers of anti-masons who then voted
the abolition ticket in this State
1t is difficult to fix the exact time when the
GOODNESS commenced between the respective
riends of Governor Seward and Mr. Fillmore
We should Fay that it was at the presidential
election OF 1874, when it was understood that
Mr.. Fillmore would be placed on the ticket with
Mr.. Clay, as the candidate for Vice President.
That nomination, it will be recollected, was
given to Mr.. Frelinghuysen although Mr.
Fillmore received the votes of nearly all the
delegates from this State in the National Wing
Convention We then understood that Cover
nor Seward was Indifferent on the subject; but
some of the New York wings charged the de-
feat Of Fillmore, as a candidate to the in
trigues of Weed and others with whom he usu.
ally cooperated. AT the State Wing Conven-
ton, in 1874 Fillmore was nominated for Gov
ernor, and care was taken to exclude from the
electoral ticket the peculiar friends of Cover
nor Seward.
1t will be remembered also that at the whic
State convention in 1916. when John Young
was nominated for Governor, the result was
effected by the influence and exertions of Sew
ard and Weed, against those wings who were OPP
posed to union with the anti-renters Mr.. Fill
more's name was used on that occasion, as q
candidate against Mr. Young but it was not
understood that he was displeased with the no.
nination OF Young which was then generally
expected to secure the votes of the ant-renters.
without which the success Of the wings was i'm
practicable.
The discussions in the whig party, which in
creased after the election of Mr.. Fillmore to the
Vice Presidency, and his subsequent elevation
by the death Of Gen. Taylor, are well known,
as are their effects on the last Presidential
election 1t remains to be seen whether the
feud will be SO violent and extensive as to
cause in combination with other circumstances.
the dissolution OF the remains of the whig
party.
ANOTHER PLATFORM MANIFESTO Of THE |
YorSG MEN's DEMOCRATIC UNION CLUB.-We |
have received the address of the Young Mems |
Democratic Club, defining their position. 1t |
was adoptod AuOust Goth and at tho 40 mo t;n,o