Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1860-10-04
FREE MASONRY.
Is il opposed TO the Supremacy of the La "
and the Allegiance due TO the Country.

Is il opposed 10 the Supremacy of the La "
and the Allegiance due 10 the Country.
We would call the attention of our Free Mason
fellowcitizens to the following letter from EDWARD
EvERETT. We find it in the 44th volume of NILE s
Register. page 1892, and extract it therefrom. Here
it's
Mr.. EDWARD EvEEETT.-The subjoned letter was
written in to inquiries proposed by the anti
Masonic committee of Middlesex county Mass
through their Secretary, Herman Atwell, Esq, and
is interpreted identifying the political interest of
the writer with the cause of anti-masonry:
'CHARLEsTowN, Mass. June 20, 1888.
''MY DEAR SIR: l have your favor OF the 9th in
slant, addressed to me, behalf of the antiMasonc
committee of the county of Middlesex in which
you request an expression of my views and opin-
ions relative to the institution of free masonry and
the tendency of secret societies generally.
my public engagements. as you are probably
aware are of such nature, to make it impossi-
BILE for me to attempt 4 detailed exposition OF my
views on this subject during the present week. Nor
is this, perhaps, necessary. notice in your letter
that you quote two sentences from the letter
of Mr.. Writ of the 18th of September 1881, as
tanning the principles of the large and respectable
portion my fellOw-citizens and constituents on
whose behalf you address me. In the correctness
of those principles fully concur. The supremacy
of the ldloS is the fundamental principle of ciua society
The allegiance due to the country is the highest Human
ceiUe the institution Of free naaSonary TO be at Dar nth
both these principles.
with respect to this institution, came to the
conclusion, and expressed it repeatedly in public
several years before the present controversy arose.
that its precautions to antiquity uere lntOt7ded Ii is
probably the growth of the last century and half
Ithas frequently been admitted to me by respects
BILE members of the society that it is useless; and
that as such it had better be abolished. Its only
avOwed objects charity and knowledge-can be
better promoted by public associations. If it be
useless, must be lcOrSe than useless because it
casiOns waste of all the time attention and money
Necessary to keep up its organization. The titu.
lar and ceremonial parts of it, displayed before
the public, appear to strangely at variance with
good taste, particularly in a republican community
But the great objections to such institutions lie
much deeper. All secret societies are dangerous in
proportion to the extent of their organization and
the number of their members. A secret society so
widely ditfused and connected as this, puts vast
power, capable of the most dangerous abuse, into
hands irresponsible to the public The secret cere-
monies and rites they have been disclosed appear
to me, on many grounds, highly Objectionable; and
the Oaths and obligations open to the most
weighty exceptions, on the score of religion, morals
and good sense. l am aware that some of these
oaths must have been taken by many great aud
good men. This does not alter their character; and,
cannot believe that they could have stood day
before the face of public sentiment had they been
openly administered and received it is not the least
whose rites and ceremonies must be substantially
unknown beforehand, great and good haze been
surprised into giving it seeming sanction.
The force of these objections is UNNECESSARILY
increased by the fact, that within few years the
has been actually made the instrument of
the greatest (the greatest because irreparabe) evil
which be inflicted on society, the destruction Of
the life Of a citizen, followed up by systematic and |
successful attempts to screen the murderers in de-
anCe of the most vigorous efforts, on the part of
the tribunals, to bring them to justice.
1T is unnecessary to say that speak of the ten
lency of the institution, evnced in cases that |
have occurred, and consequently may occur again, |
and not Of necessary effect in all cases. When |
reflect that Warren and Washington, among the |
dead and Marshall among the living, and numbers !
Of piOus, Virtuous and honorable men, in the COM
munity around US (some of whom | have the hap
Diness to count among my personal frlends)
members of the institution, | cordially adopt the
ientimcn: of Mr. Writ in reference to the same
point, thar, both justice and prudence demand dis
and that it would be "an unjust pro
Cription TO involve innocence with guilt and trea-
SON.
Such are my views on this subject, very hastily
expressed, which, in compliance with your request,
you have my permission to make public. | am
aware, from some little experience, that this may
Expose me to Obloquy, which would rather avoid.
But if man cannot safely venture on the express
ion of sentiments like the foregoing, it is idle to
,Oast of the liberty of speech and the press. am,
lear sir, respectfully and faithfully yours,
EDWARD EVERETT