Daily American organ. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1856, 1855-04-16

and taking comprehensive view Of the whole
matter in It's new aspect as enlightened before il
is Of opinion that the appsliant Is cleared Of the
turpit,lde imputed to him ia all the charges, and
therefore doth decide, thai Vsspasian Ellis, The APP
pellant be restored 10 the benefits and privileges Of
Masonry, leaving it to Manchester Lodge No H.
to admit or exclude the brother, as a member
thereof, as to 1t shall seem it"
In addition TO this elaborate opinion and de-
cision, framed in the peculiar and emphatic
language Of Mr.. Forbes, adopted by the com
mission, and signed by the chairman and sec
rotary thereof the commission also gave y us
the following voluntary certificate, which will
be found in the record:
ave further certify, that the appellant appears
TO have been at more than ordinary pains, in
having his case acted upon--coming from a dis
lance of about one thousand miles to attend TO
this investigation, and with view TO 1t, absent
ing himself from his home, for upwards OF four
molths, and that in the phols course Of his pro
ceedings, as IL appeared to ia, ne discovered the
utmost frankness and correctness in conducting
the investigation; Awaiting himself Of no SHIFT or
erosion; afording to those urging the charges
against him every latitude Of inquiry and Of tes
timony, u.iis on his part all soas welt plim6ed
ind truly squared"
This certificate also bears the signature Of
the chairman and secretary Of the commission,
and forms a part Of the record.
These proceedings were had in February
1923, new more than thirty years ago, and
thus was this whole matter then decided, upon
its merits, by an able and intelligent commits
sion, after full debate and elaboration, and the
record thereof is now before us, certified by
John Dove, as ID. D.. Grand Master Of the 9th
Masonic district Of Virginia, and by VIM. II.
Fitzwhylsonn, as Grand Secretary of the Grand
Lodge. The certificates of authorization, and
the signatures respectively of Messrs. John Dove
and VIM. H. Fitzwhylsonn, to the record be-
fore us, are in their own proper hand writing,
and will be exhibited to any gentleman who
may desire to see the record. The original
papers are in the archives Of the Grand Lodge
at Richmond Since that date, no proceeding
has been had in the matter, affecting the merits
Of the controversy.
Upon the termination of these proceedings,
we settled on the Eastern Shore Of Virginia,
where in 1882, our professional success had SO
far excited the envy Of some of our neighbors,
that they whispered into the ears Of the peo-
pie, that there were "Reminiscences" in our
history, which if brought to public knowledge,
would deprive us of its confidence.
We met these whisperings by an exhibition
of the record to most of the prominent men on
the Eastern Shore, and yet from that time
1882 to January, 1885, we were continually
annoyed by unfriendly and unjust insinuations,
and we therefore determined to put an end to
them, by public discussion of the whole mat
ter. We accordingly announced ourself can
didate to represent the counties of Accomack,
Northampton, York, Elizabeth City, Warwick,
and the City of Williamsburg, in the State
Senate, and had the announcement published
in the Richmond and Norfolk papers. We
knew, Of course, that this step would bring on
a crisis--that the insinuations would assume
the shape of definite charges, which we could
meet and refute, and we hoped, put an end to,
for all time to come This was our main pur-
pose in the announcement, and as we had an
ticipated and wished, tho "reminiscences" to
which the Enquirer has referred, assumed the
shape we desired.
| A bold and determined assault was nnde
upon us, by distinguished gentleman Of Ac-
comack, now deceased, and we repealed it as
we thought the occasion demanded. The per-
sonal difficulty growing out of the affair was
finally submitted to the arbitrament of General
Bayly and Joseph Segar, Esq, whose report
and decision covers some five or six pages, and
from which (for the presently we make only
the following brief extracts, to wit:
upon the whole, II seems to us, that yespasan
Ellis, Esq, stands acquitted Of the charges, and we
are Of the opinion that they should no longer be
used to depress his standing and character, and to
wound the peace Of his family &c.
"In addition TO the evidence exhibited before
the Grand Commission, we have before US the
written opinions Of several Masons who stand high
for their intellectual and moral qualities that these
charges ought not longer TO affect the moral stand
ing OF Vespasian Ellis, ESQ, and among these are
several who seem TO have been privy to the whole
circumstances Of the case"
| The adjustment of the matter by the gentle.
men above mentioned was ratified by ourseli
and our antagonist; he Withdrew the charges
and we pursued the canvass, meeting and re-
| hoNinB luo Cnhb WucIcNcr iuaucJ anu III
fact eourting an inrestigation Of them at
every point where we could learn that they
had been mentioned.
Nineteen years have now elapsed since the
people Of that Senatorial district rendered a
verdict in our favor, upon the issues made, and
under the circumstances mentioned. Wewere
opposed by two distinguished and able gentle
men, one Of whom entertained precisely our
own political opinions, and had honorably
served the district during the preceding term,
and we beat them both, about three hundred
votes in the district Any reasonable man
would very naturally conclude that, when a
vermont yankee" (as the Enquirer politely
styles us,) oppressed by such charges, and
laboring also, under the prejudice which at
tachcd to the circumstance, that he drew his
his first breath in New England, could obtain
such a verdict from such a jury, must have
presented tolcrably fair vindication Of his
character