Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-07-24
THE THIRD PARTIES.
Political Eruptions That Mark the
History of the States.
A NATIONAL WAR ON MASONRY
Story Of the AbOlitionists and the Know
Nothing Departure
THROWING VOTES TO THE WINDS
WRITTEN FOR THE DISPATCH,

OAiS VI tAC AnOSb lulCEcsllUE ueNelOpmeQts
of American politics is the -sLird party. >
For nearly 40 years after the adoption of the
Constitution the American people got along
very comfortably with only two political
parties, and during the brief period known
as the ''era of good feeling" without any
parties at all. Everybody belonged to the
same party.
That state of affairs, however, was of short
duration. Men would differ as to their
views of the Constitution, and because OF
these differences speedily divided again into
two political parties. In 1928 the jackson
men dropped the word Republican from
their party designation and came out fat
footed as Democrats, and the Adams men
took the name National Republican. 1t
was under this name that Henry Clay ran
for the Presidency in 1882. In 1886 the
name of Wings was assumed, and in 1910
that party swept the country. Since then
there have always been two principal par
ties in the country and generally one or two
others, these latter being classed in the COM
mon category of third parties
History of the Anti-Masonic Party.
The first political third party that this
country ever knew was the anti-Masonic.
II grew out of the disappearance of William
Morgan from his home at Batavia, n. Y,
in September, 1926. He was Virginian
by birth and had serred\in the War of 1872
He was a member of the order of Free
masons, and at the time of his disappear
ance was known to be engaged on book
exposing the secrets of the Masonic order
Without going into the history of that cele-
berated case, it will be sufficient for the
purposes of this article to state that this oc-
currence led TO an intense and widespread
feeling against the Masons who were held
responsible as body for Morgan's disap-
pearance. 1t was charged that they had
abducted him and then drowned him in
Lake Ontario.
This charge was strenuously denied by
the Masonic body, and there is but little
doubt that that body, as a whole, was inno-
cent in the matter Certain Masons were
arrested and brought into court charged
with the abduction of Morgan and pleaded
guilty. Morgan himself was never seen
again, though it was to the interest of the
NIasons to produce him, and his production
would have allaved the excitement and e4-
ssperation of the on-Masonic mind. In
the beginning there was no politics in the
ing man and to punish his assailants, were
it found that he had been foully dealt with.
Cost "a Tenth of New York's Vote,
The movement grew in spite of all the at
tempts of the Masons to arrest it, and at the
elections of the next year after Morgan's
disappearance the anti-Masons carried four
counties In Western New York. A consid-
cradle number of Masons had seeded from
the order, and they were strenuous in
pressing for political action as the only
way in which the order could be success
fully opposed. In 1928 the anti-Masonic
element held a State Convention and put a
ticket for Governor in the field. 1t received
than tenth of the total vote cast in
he ensuing election, and left
winner, inj minority of
JIM the popular Vote.
Two wears nueftshapAAsational Republicans
and anti-Masons fused on the State ticket,
but were defeated by more than Is, 600 ma
iority. This result was brought about by the
National Republicans in the Eastern coun-
ties of the State who still held to Masonry,
going over TO the Democratic party, where
they stayed.
Bv this time the anti-NIasonic movement
had spread far beyond the limits of New
York, and in September 1880, national
convention of anti-Masons was held in
Philadelphia. 1t was the first national po-
litical convention ever held in the United
States as far as the records show. The only
busines SIS it transacted was to call national
anti-Masonic convention to meet in Balti-
more during the next year.
PennsyIvania's An;i-Masonic Governor.
This convention met in September, 1881,
most of the free States being represented,
and put in the field Presidential ticket
the nominee being for President, William
Writ, OF Maryland, and Tor Vice President
Amos Ellmaker, of Pennsylvania This
ticket carried one State and received
seven electoral votes. This State
was Vermont 1t remained under
anti-Masonic control for a number
OF years, but there, as elsewhere, the party
faded out aud was absorbed by the Wings.
In PENNSYLVANIA an anti-Masonic Governor
JOSEPH Rittner, was elected in 1885. In
February the opposition to Jackson, who was
then in the midst of his fight against the
United States Bank, took the name of
Whig. Instantly the anti-Masonic party
in New York disbanded and Joined in with
the new organization, a course which b was
speedily initiated in the other States. Ma
sonry was at that time practically dead in
Western New York, Vermont and In other
States and sections. That it is again flour
ishing in those regions is a tribute to the
good sense of the American people, as we'll
Masons as non-Masons, and TO the solid
worth and real benefits OF the once pro-
scribed and hunted order ITSELF
Amoug the distinguished names anti
Masonry contributed to the countrr-and
this was perhaps its greatest and only per-
manent benefits-are Francis Granger
Harrison's Postmaster General; John c.
Spencer, Tyler's Secretary of War and of
the Treasury; Millard Fillmore, Vice Presi-
dent and President, and William II. Sew
ard, Governor, Senator and Secretary of
State. These in public life, and in private
station Thurlow Weed, the renowned iourn-
alist, who, disdaining office, vet with
genius for politics and diplomacy, became
the power behind the throne of more than
one State and national administration.
Origin of the Abolition Movement.
Opposition to slavery in this country
first took political form in 1859 when, in
the bleak November, little band of the
faithful met at the little town Of WARSAW
suggestive name-in the great State of New
York, took the name OF Liberty party,
adopted an abolition platform. and nomi-
mated for President James g. Blrney, and
for Vice President Francis LIE Movne of
Pennsylvania These leaders of q forlorp
hope received some seven thousand votes
throughout the United States When the
campaign of 1874 opened it found the
Abolitionist already with a ticket in the
field, Birney for President again, with
Thomas Morris, of Ohio, for Vice Presi-
dent. This was the yea- that the two-thirds
rule had operated to defeat Van Buren for
the Presidential nomination in the Demo-