The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1931-10-09
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to make presidential nominations until 1924
skiing Caucus" as it was now called continued
to be regarded with more and more disfavor.
In 1924, William H Crawford of Georgia was
the caucus nominee of the Republican party but
the rank and file of the party refused to &C.
cept him, and he came out third in the list OF
candidates in the election. So king Caucus
dethroned and Democratic America was
ready for new and more representative meth
cd of choosing its candidates for President.
This was, furnished by the Anti-Masonic party
which was brought into being by the following
events:
In 1924 a certain William Morgan settled in
Batavia, N. Y. He had been Mason but be-
coming dissatisfied with the fraternity, he pub
lished book which purported to reveal the Sc
crets of the order. In 1926 Morgan disappeared
and the rumor was started that he had been
abducted and murdered by the Masons. There
was no proof that they had anything to do with
his disappearance but the incident capital
lied upon by enemies Of the order and through
New York, New England and Pennsylvania
spread the suspicion that the order, whose men,
bership was mainly from the Weather classes,
was a secret political society well fra
ternal order whose influence swayed juries and
legislatures. SO America had first class men
ace" to get excited over and the politicians were
quick to seize upon it to promote their own
ambitions. The result was the formation of the
Antl-MaSOmc party at natlOnal convention
held in Philadelphia in September. 1880, at
tended by 90 delegates from 10 states. There it
was decided to hold national nominating
vention the next year.
OF this party Prof. William O. Lynch in his
book "Fifty Years of Party Warfare, 17S9-1S37,"
published recently by the Bobbs Merrill COM
pany, writes: "The Anti-Masonc strength was
greatest in the East. The movement made lit
tie Roadway in the West, save Ohio, and was
AL ~1o r@af
New York and Pennsylvania the number Of
Anti-Masons was great The strongest leaders
appeared in these commonwealths. Among the
political leaders who had some prominence in
the Anti-Nasonic party were William II. Sew
ard, Thurlow Weed Willard Fillmore, Albert Fl.
Tracy, Francis Granger, John Crary and Fred
erick Whittlesey of New York; Thaddeus Stew
ems and Richard Rush of Pennsylvania; Edward
Everett and John Quincy Adams Of Massachu-
setts Other leaders who looked with favor on
the party were William Writ, John Marshall,
John C. Calhoun, John Mclean and Daniel
Webster"
Andrew Jackson, who was then President,
was Mason and seemed certain Of reelection
unless some strong combination could be formed
against him. So effort made to induce
Henry Clay to lead the new party, or at least
to unite the Anti-Masons with the wing Of the
National Republican party, of which he was
the leader under his banner. The only trou-
BILE with this effort was that Clay himself was
q Mason and although he not an enthusi-
astic member Of the order the efforts to get
him to renounce it failed
In September, 1881, Clay wrote letter in re-
ply to a committee of Anti-Masons in Indiana
who had asked him for his sentiments Mason
ry which may possibly have vitality affected
his political fortunes and kept him from real
izing his fondest ambition of going to the White
House. In this letter Clay said that should he
give his views on Masonry it would imply that
individual sentiments on the subject formed
proper consideration in regard to voting for
persons to fill federal offices. He declared that
Americans should vote for President without
regard to religious, social, benevolent or liter
airy associations. Further than that he made
statement which was criticism of Anti-Mason-
nv when he said eff indeed you gentlemen,
will point to a l. DIVISION in the Federal Consti-
tuition which can legitimately be made to op-
crate upon the subject in question, would not
hesitate to comply with your request"
This was a definite rundown for the Anti
Masons and years later Thurlow Weed declared
that, if Clay had not written this letter. the
Anti Masons would have Joined the National
Republicans and would have defeated Jackson.
Such combination, he declared, would have
given Clay New York, Pennsylvania, Vermont,
Georgia, North Carolina and Louisiana in adj
dition to the states that he did carry, enough
to have insured him a safe majority in the
electoral votes