Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1868-04-14
u.s. TENNESSEE TUESDAY EVENING, APRIL IA, 1868 NO &


State having been elected upon the then
tremendous issue of the day-adopted
almost unanimously the resolution, and
number Of we'll known Masons we're
summoned to attend the high court"
then in session at Harrisburg, to give
evidence in matters pertaining TO the
Masonic order
"A thorough investigation was TO be
held in the premises, and the secrets OF
the brotherhood laid bare to the world.
The "devil," the "goat" and the grid
iron" were to be shown up in all their
hideousness; the fearful and horrible
rites aud ceremonies we're to be brought
forth and exposed to the light Of day,
and the black monster, Masonry, was to
receive its death blow then and there.
Thad. Stevens was the St. George who
was to annhilate the dragon. On the
day appointed for the commencement OF
the proceedings, which were to consum-
ale the above, every member-and, as
we have said, majority of the House
were anti Masons in his seat,
anxious for, yet dreading the uplifting
curtain that was to reveal the hitherto
veiled horrors that darkened the cere'
monials of the Masonic brotherhood.
The House was packed with Masons and
anti. Masons, and among the former was
a well known Mason, master of lodge
in the State, who had been summoned to
Harrisburg in relation to the matter then
about to be investigated in all its details,
and him Thad., as grand inquisitor, pro-
posed to examine first
When all was in readiness the self
constituted champion of the anti .Masons
commenced his interrogations thus:
Are you a Mason2' 81 am, sir"
"Do you belong to lodge in this State 2
AZ do, sir" "What position do you
hold in the lodge r" "The position Of
Master" "What are the initial pro-
ceedings consequent upon the meeting
of a lodgef' "The lodge is opened with
prayer" Well, go on, and state what
follows" |" / am waiting for your ques-
tions" Well, what are the ceremonies
incident to the admission of member z
He is bslloted for, and if no votes be
cast against him is admitted a member
of the order" "What then 2 Please
state the subsequent proceedings. What
follows nextY
"Mr. Stevens" said the witness, with
mischievous twinkle in his eye, "if, on
the = of -, l8-, you had been found
worthy, you would have become a mem
ber of the - Lodge, in -, and would
have been initiated in all the secrets and
mysteries connected with the order, and
would have possessed knowledge that,
except he become member, no man
ever will possess" The witness sat
down. Stevens was thrown completely
back upon his launches by this unex-
pected thunderbolt coming from a Sc
rene sky, and, parslyzed by the effects
of the blow, stupe6ed with astonishment,
he ignominiously wilted. The fact was,
he had been some years previously pro-
posed for membership in one of the
lodges of the State of Pennsylvania, but
was "black balled," which little cir
cumstance he supposed forgotten. The
reminder hurled at him at this particu.
lar juncture, knocked him completely off
his pins. There was q universal buzz
of satisfaction among the large num-
ber of Masons in the house as the point
blank shot of the brother went so true to
its aim, and amid the commotion conse-
quent from the mark being so squarely
hit, the further examination of Masonic
witnesses was postponed until the next
day. 1t is needless to say this was the
end of the matter. The whole thing, as
far as legislative interference was con-
cerned, was very wisely dropped.