Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1872-06-14
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SO.vTC SOCIRTI..

In the chair. A report of the years opera
tons was given, from which IL appears tina
over two hundred members had subscrib
cd to the constitution, and the society is il
flourishing condition. Officers for the en-
suing year were then elected those of th
last year being continued in office. Tn
following resolutions were then offered a
expressing the views of the meeting. ant
and were read over, discussed and actec
on article by article. The first, second
third, sixth, seventh and eighth articles
were adopted, and the fourth and fifth wer,
rejected.
| RESOLUTIONS.
Resolved, l. That we regard secret asso
and fraud; foreign and un-American IN
their origin; narrow, selfish, and unrepub
lican in their tendencies; not created by
the people nor operated for the benefit Of
all, but are in their very nature exclusive
oligarchical, and as irresponsible as they
are secret, standing in the way of those re-
forms which have become the leading DO
| litical necessity of the day.
ii. That the recent action at Cincinnati
inasmuch as opposition to secret societies
was not adopted as the principal article OF
the platform for without this measure of
reform all others must prove Intellectual.
III. That seizing upon the interests of
the community as secret societies do. for
their own advantage, claiming to bestow
particular benefits upon their members in
in -
standing, in politics, it is reasonable to pre-
sumo that they would not scruple to seize
upon our me-honored institutions of law
and justice-the jury and the bench-for
similar partial, selfish and corrupt pur-
poses and it is the right and duty of ey-
cry citizen of the republic TO see that these
institutions are kept pure and unpery erted,
as instruments for securing Justice to all
instead of providing immunities for a few.
~. (Not adopted.) That in order to Sc
cure equal rights and privileges before the
law to all, not in mere political pretence
only but also in fact and as means of de-
stroying the illegitimate power of secret
rings, secret caucuses, and secret associa-
tons of all kinds, we are in favor of maxi
ing it an individual right, and imposing it
as an obligation, by law, that every voter
shall originate, write, seal, and cast his own
ballot in the box.
V. mot adopted) That as the operation
of our laws of taxation has become de-
ranged, owing party TO an exemption by
federal authority of a vast amount of per-
sonal property from taxation, and partly to
other causes, and is hence very unequal,
unjust and demoralizing, enabling some
Generally the rich and powerfully TO escape
paying their proper amount of taxes, while
others are compelled thereby to bear addi-
uonal burdens, thus acting as premium
upon seltshness, cunning, fraud, conceal
ment and all those vices which are foster
ed by the Lodge, in opposition to honest
fair dealing, openness, frankness, patriotic
dev otion TO equal laws, etc., we recon-
mend to the people of the State a revision
of our tax laws, and to examine the ques-
ton whether the confinement of taxation
to real estate alone would not be more
equable and just, less demoraizing TO the
community, and more conducive to a care
full and economical administration of the
government.
VI. That in case the antimasonic party
should omit, on any occasion, to nominate
state, county, or town officers, we wi seek
to avoid voting for such nominees as NAV
appear 10 have been prescribed for us by
the so called Grand Lodge of Vermont. at
its usual June meetings, or under its infiu-
ence; and as possible choice of evils. we
will cast our vote, if we vote at all, for that
candidate who, as we are enabled to Judge
is not an adhering member of any secret
society.
VII. That with respect to the ensuing
presidential election, we receive with par
ticular satisfaction the nomination to the
Vice Presidency of Henry Wilson of Mass
achusetts, the man who, at a Time when
Masonry seemed 10 have become the Inain-
spring of the republican party, was willing
to present our first petition to Congress a.
gainst that Dissertation of republican legls-
lation which chartered Masonic Hall As
ISOLATION at the seat of our federal govern
ment but with respect TO the nomination
OF Gen. Grant for the Presidency, we can
have but little confidence in the principles
of man who, while opposing one secret
society, viz, the Ku-klux, a. the South, is
lending especial favor to another secret So
ciety-Masonry-at the North.
VIII. That the officers of this society be
requested to get up and circulate printed
copies OF petition to the Legislature of the
State for law to render members of secret
associations incompetent to sit on iuries.
on the challenge of either party in the case
TO be tried.
A committee on nominations being du-
ly appointed then retired, and finally made
the following report: That the committee
do not recommend the nomination of conn
ty officers at this meeting, but that the Of
hcers of the society be empowered. at their
discretion, to call mass meeting of tho
county Tor this purpose at some later peri
cd In the season ! which report was adopt-
ed as the sense of the meeting.
The committee was composed of Nessrs
Muzzy of Jamaica, Ward of Newfane. la.
zelle OF Dover, Harris ofTownshend, Weld
OF Brattleboro, and Wellman of Brookline
DIR. Joel Holton of Jamaica proposed thai
the constitution of the society should he
altered, changing its annual meeting day
from Saturday TO some other day. in order
to meet the views of the Seventh Dav Ran.
lists of the county, which proposal NAV he
regarded as sufficient notice To act iinon
the said provision of the constitution nj
the next annual meeting. II was then re-
solved by the meeting that copies of these
proceeuihgs should be furnished to the peo-
pie OF the county for publication. The
meeting then adjourned sine die.
The venerable first vice president of the
accociation, Hon. Austin Birchard. now
eighty years Of age, veteran leader in the
antimasonic campaign of 1881, was present
on the stand, and though too deaf To hear
readily, yet not blind to the wants of the
times, contributed largely to give the meet
Ing some of the needed inspiration of the
Vermont of former days.
The petition alluded to In these proceed
ings will be prepared and circulated at an
early day. Give us a long roll of names
and let the friends Of freedom be on the
alert.
ROYAL G. WooD, Secretary.