The National tribune., 1909-02-25

this power syas exercised was in 1889,
| when Grand Master ]. II. Small made
Admiral Sehleyfa Mason at slght. Whlie
| this, for reasons existing at the time.
was approved by the great majority OF
the brotherhood in she District OF Co
iumbia, yet sthere were crltlcisnis from
| many that the emergency did not re-
quire SUCH extra ordinary action. The
| exercise of his prerogatiye by the Grano
Master of Ohio will in like manner De
subject to consideration and crlticisnl
by the brethren of his own jurisdiction
as well as outside of it.
Public Men as Masons.
The history of Masonry at the be-
ginning of the country has never been
thoroly studied and collated, and there
are many current stories as to the faith
ers of the country being Masons which
have not been thoroly examined and
confirmed or disproved 1t is generally
said that all of the Generals of the
Revolutionary Army and most of the
other prominent officers were Masons,
except Benedict Arnold. How true this
is has not been satisfactorily settled,
except that Tened!ct Arnold was a Ma
son. Undoubtedly a great part of the
men prominent in our early history be-
longed to the fraternity. since it was
intended to gather in men of light and
leading in every community and by
mutual association aid in Whatever
tended to the benefit of the country.
Masonic Presidents.
Even the history of the brethren who
were raised to the exalted station of
President of the United States has not
been studied with the care that the
subject deserved, and there is much
doubt and uncertainty as to whether
several of the Presidents were or were
not Masons. Everyone knows that Gen.
George Washington was an earnest Ma
son, and took much pride in his men,
bership. Sacred and carefully guarded
in fireproof vaults at Fredericksburg,
Va, are the records of the Lodge insti-
tuted there and into which George
Washington was admitted, passed to
Fellow Craft and raised to the degree
of Master Mason. A quaint old record
book contains these important entries,
with the receipts Of the fees Of two
pounds for each degree, all written out
in that beautiful and imperishable black
ink upon the yellowing paper. With
this record are also some of the. Jewels
used by Washington when Master of
the Lodge. These relics are properly
regarded as priceless, and the Lodge
at Fredericksburg has refused offers
of very large sums for them.
. The next President, John Adams, was
openly opposed to Masonry, as was mis-
son, John Quincy.
His successor, Thomas Jefferson, had
views as to the Diety bordering on
Atheism. and for this reason was not
acceptable as Mason.
There is some obscurity as to whether
Madison and Monroe were Masons.
= Andrew Jackson was an enthusiastic
Mason and Grand Master of the Lodge
of Tennessee. This was made occa-
sion of by the Anti-Mason Party in
New York to oppose him.
There is also an uncertainty as to
Van Buren, was a Mason or
not, but the probability seems to in
cline that he was.
William Henry Harrison was not a
Mason, and received the nomination in
stead of Clay on that basis. Henry
Clay was an earnest and prominent
Mason.
John Tyler is believed to have been
a Mason.
James K. Polk was a Mason.
1t is not known whether Gen. Zach
airy Taylor was Mason or not. The
are that he was.
Millard Fillmore began political life
as an Anti-Mason, but 1t is said that he
afterward joined a Lodge.
Franklin Pierce was probably a Ma
son and also James Buchanan.
1t is thought that President Lincoln
was not a Mason. s.t-
Andrew johnson was an ardent Ma
son, and at the laying of the corner
stone of the old Masonic Temple he
refused to ride In a~carriage. but
on foot with the brethren.
Gen. u S. Grant took the first TWO
degrees while in California, but never
was raised
R. 3. Hayes is believed to have been
4 Mason.
James A. Garfield was devoted Ma
son, and belonged to Pentalpha Lodge
In this city and Columbia Commandery.
Chester A. Arthur was a Mason.