Herald of the times. [volume], June 08, 1831, Image 1

About Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846

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HERALD OF
VOI. 2. NO.IO.
PUBLISIHHED WEEKLY.
JAMES ATKINSON,
IFUBLISHIER AND PROPRILTOR
Orrice, corner of Thameestreet and Sher
man’s wharf, a few doors south of the Brick
Market, [r_ 7~ Entrance first door down the whait'
From the Providence Journal of May 21st
MR, RUSIES LETTER,
We this day publish the letter of the Hon, Ric -
ann Ruswu to the Anti Masonic Committee of
Correspondence for York county. Mr. Rush is a
distinguished individual, and we deem it a daty to
give his views i his own language, on the subject
of masonry, 10 our readers. His letter is a very
able one, full of passion and declumation, and is
caleulated to add greatly to the exeitement against
sasons and wasonry, Many of the ohjections
urged by the distinguished writer against the na
sonie iustitution may, with equal propricty be
brought against most of the valuable institutions of
the country. ‘T'be Eenute of the United States,
the House of Representatives, our grand juries, &
all our political, not to say religious institutions,’
are obnoxious to the same objections. We allude
to the subject of seeresy. Masonry is in its natare
sccret, and therefore it is condemmed by Mr. Rush.
The secrets of masonry extend ne®further than the
recognion of its members. "The acts of a Lodge
can, at any time, by legal process, he ascertained
by its records, Lvery thing done in a Lodge room
is a matter of record. T'he books of our Lodges
are open, at all tinies, to inépection. Tt is a great
ristake, that the objects of masonry are envelop
ed in secresy. ‘The great objeet is charity, The
House of Representatives and the Senate of the
United States have hoth their secret sessions; all
the instructions to public winisters are seeret;
Grand Jurors are sworn to preserve inviolubly the
secrets communicited to them hy the government
or by their fcllows. ‘There are secrets belonging
to every society, to every family, to every indi
vidual, and therefore it is bardly fair to condemn a
Lodge because it has secrets, ‘
In the view of Mr. Rush the atrocity of the Mor
gan murder, with the subscquent circumstances,
are suflicient to condemn masonry. Tuking it for
granted, which is by no means proved, that Mor
gan was murdered by masons, in consequence of
his disclosures, we ask any christian or candid
man if that fact should, of itself, blast with infamy
the whole institution? In every ecommunity bigots
may be found possessing zeal without knowledge,
and it would have been a glorious trait in the sub
lime character of our holy religion, had ench en
thusiasts never been found enrolled under the
christian banner. Look at the martyrs that have
sullered persecation, even unto death, from a mis
taken zeal in the cause of religion. Not one, but
hundreds of instances may be adduced; yet, who,
in his senses, censures christianity, in consequence
of the fury and madness of a few of its votaries?
Morgan may have been murdered by masons (we
have no doubt of this fact, and have frequently
expressed that opinion:) but that ought not to con-|
demn the whole institution. {
We are told by Mr. Rush that masons and
Lodzes stepped forward in vindication of those
who were accused of the murder. If they did so,
it was because they believed them innocent of the
charge. Masons knew full well that there is noth
ing in masonry that could impel men to commit
so flagrant an outrage on the rights of a citizen in
violation of the law, human and divine. Who
will censure a mason for defending a mason ac
cused of so atrocious and detestable an oflence,’
when he believes the accused imnocent. Suppose
a political friend, Mr. Rush, for instance, should
bo accused of intrigue and corruption, and we
should sincerely believe him innocent, ought we
to be censured for defending him, until his guiit
was proved? Thus far have masons gone
we hope no farther. ‘T'oo much care in passing
judgment, in cases of great excitement, cannot
be exercised; and Mr., Rush, with all his talents,
learning and experience, must admit that it is dan
gerous for the public press to condemn an accused
individual, whom a jury of his country could not
on their oaths, find guilty. !
The most serious part of the letter of Mr. Rush,
is bis unqualified condemnation of the public
press. As infamous as he considers the murder
ers of Morgan, and the masons generally, he is
nevertheless disposed to attach greater infamy, if
possible, to the free press of the country. Tle
ghould have known before he made the accusation,
that at the first mysterious disappearance of Mor
gw, the fuctof his abduction was generally de
nied. The opinion then was, that his disappear
ance was but a finesse to add to the sale of his
book. At that time, an anti masonic parly was
organized, anti masonic papers were established,
to investigate the fact, to expose the transaction,
and, if possible, to bring to light the nefurious ac
tors in the bloody diama. An excitement was soon
got up, but all the teansactions remained a myg
tery. \Was that the time for the public press to
cowe forward in opposition to masoury? 11 Mr.
Rush was himself then convinced that Morgan
had been abdueted and muardered, why did he not
then send forth his eloquent voico as he has now?
Why did he wait until the 4th of May, 1531, be
fore he gave a public expression of Lis opinion?
And having owitted his duty so long, how can he,
in conscience, censure the press for doing exactly
as he did up to the 4th of May? o our opinion
the press conducted with pradence and diseretion,
and the charge made by Mr. Rush is illiberal and
unjuet. 'The State of New-York immediately in-
stituted an inquiry, which ternnated in numer
ous prosecution, and convictions. Pending those
prosecutions, ought the press, with its almost nn
linited influence, to have volunteered to inerease
the exeitement! Certainly not. Fhe press i this
‘vmmlr.\' i 5 free. generally speaking, from masonic
or aunti masonic excitement. ‘The anti masons
:lmve bought over several of the old established
papers, and estublished some new ones, for the
"purpose of continuing the excitement, and putting
down masoury. Look atthe arti masonic paper
inthis town. Nota year bas elupsed since it
| espoused the cause of anti masonry, When we
“are convineed that masonry murdered Morgan,
‘we shall freely open our columns aguinst the insti
:lulion. without any promise or assurance of uddit
ional patronage. Until then,we shal! not be driven
from masonry to anti masonry, by the illiberal a
buse of so great a man as Mr. Rush, or by the
denunciations of the whole anti masonic party.
All we ask is to be convineed that the principles
of masonry mmrdered Morgan, and that masonry
s dangerous to the rights and liberties of our coun
try, and from that moment we shall oppose it with
‘lhu zeal of men determined to go ahead in a good
Ccause,
‘ Mr. Rush has doubiless his motives for expres
sing at this time his unqualified disapprobation of
masonry. We are on the eve of an important
national election. T'he anti masonic party claim
‘a President of the United Ntstes, and a Vice Pres
ident, fiom their own number. This shows that
j:m!i masonry is, in its operation, political. In the
approaching contest itis not improbable that Mr.,
Rush himself may be presented as a candidate for
the Presidency, in opposition to his political fiiend,
Hesky Cuav. A fundamental principle of anti
Cmasonry is, that all masons must be removed
from oflice, as is manilest by the conduct of that
party whenever it hus had the aseendency, and to
this party has Mr. R. attached himself not,howev
er, without first denouncing the press and its con
ductors. If he will but look at the character and
reputation of those he has so unceremoniously de
‘nounced, and draw a comparisou between them
Jand his new fiiends, he will have but little cause
to be proud of his exchange. All, with scarcely
‘an exception, of the reputable old, substantial
presses in the country sthose who have at all times,
and under all circamstances, supported the nation
‘al character and reputation; those that have de
fended the cause of morals and religion, are de
‘nounced by Mr. Rush, as being n the most crim
il manner under the power of masonic jufluence.
' What others, in their judgment, have considered
fuir, honest, prudent and upright, he considerers
F wicked and eriminal. 3
' The press has viewed, with alarm, the feverish
‘excitement created by anti masgnic exaggeration,
(it has analyzed the miotives of the leaders of the
party, and with great diseretion has refused to ap
'ply the brand of discord to inflammable materials;
z'llmt nearly, of themselves, produce spontancous
:combustiun. Mr. Rush has thrown the lighted
‘match among the combustibles, and will be ans
‘werable for the consequences. It should be the
‘lprovincc of every good man to allay the prevail
ing excitement; to compare the character and
~conduct of the two parties, and if' the public good
requires that masonry should fall, to protect ma
sons in their civil and religions rights, and prevent
“their being immolated on an altar more unhallow
;ed than the accursed cells of the inquisition.
I'lom the York (Penn.) Republican
Yorx, April 26th, 1831,
lon. R. Rush,
Dear Siv,—The undersigned, acting
as the Anti Masonic Comnnttee of Cor
respondence for York county, beg leave
to address yon. They, in general with
the party to which they belong, view the
present, as a period of great nnportance
in the history of this country. A large
body of the freemen of these United
States, deem the lostitution of Free-ma
sonry dangerous to our political and mor
al welfare, and have united themselves
i a determination to put it down, In
this attempt, they have been vigorously
and systematically opposed by another
portion; who are attached toit, and it has
thus become a matter of vast i portance,
for those who entertain the opinions
which we proless, to know, who are for,
and who against us. Therefore, as it
has on the one hand, been stated in a
public newspaper that you are a member
of the Tostitution, which has again by
others been denied; we, together with
many other of our fellow citizens, will
feel thankful to you, for such information
upon the subject as you may think proper
to communicate; and likewise your views
with respect to the question between
Masonry and its opponents. Addressing
yvou as we do, in the character of a pub
lic body, it is of course our desive that
the reply should be publie also.
With sentimentsof high respect and es
teem,
We remain your ob’t seiv’ts
Wittiam Mluvais, ‘
Jonxy Kavervrr, |
Hooan M'Doxsven, |
Tuowas C. Hhavnny,
Anti-Masonic Committee of Correspondence for
York County.
Yonx, (Penn.) May Ith, 1651,
Gentlemen: 1 have reecived the eom-
munication of the 26th Apnl, which asa
‘(.'mmmltcc ol Correspondence o Anu-
“LIBERTY and UNION, NOW AND FOREVER, ONE AND INSEPARABLE 1 wrssten
NEWPORT, R. 1. WEDNESDAY MORNING, JUNK 8, 1831,
Huasons for this eounty | you have done
me the honor to address to me, on the
general subject of Masonry, and Anti-
Jmasonry, and making some inquities of
(me inrelation to it I donot kuow, that
the views which I entertain upon cither
topic, can bhe of more importance, than
those of any other individual, who may
ilm\'(: taken the trouble to inform himself
on the passing events of the day, and to
;r«-flm‘t upon them, But as you are
pleased to mvite an expreszion of those
;\icw.\. I will not withhold them, When
a citizen may have adopted, on sutlicient
‘deliberation, opintons npon any pubhe
question, they seem of vight, to helong
Ito whomsoever may think them worth
‘asking for. My opinions having been
!nmdu up neither hastily nor very recent
ly on those which your letter cmbraces,
1 willingly proceed, without occupying
time by any further introduction, to pre
fsvm them to you, with the grounds on
‘which they are founded.
' I sce objections to seeret sacieties, be
‘eause, pursuing objects not knowa to the
publie, through means not known to the
publie, they act under diminished respon
'sibilities to the public. Ithe objects be
‘good, why not state them; if bad, they
cought to be known, Our legislative halls
lurc all open, and our courts; o all the
Lacts of our people, that may come to afl
iff‘ct the interests of the body political, or
social. Not a bridge company, not a
turnpike company, no bank; seaveely an
(association of any kind, for whatever
'purpose existing, whether for the ad
cvancement of charity, or learning, or re- !
Hdigion, or any of the common business of
hite, and whether incorporated by the
Jaws or not, but renders its statementsto
‘the publie, either voluntarily, or by com
‘mand of the laws, If the latter do not |
positively enjoin publicity, a competent
share of information regarding the ob-
Jects ol any such associations, is rarely
jor ever withheld, on proper inquiry being
made, Societies then profoundly seeret
by the first element of their constitution,
iwlnm-\'ur their ostensible ends, cannot be
|too closely watched, in a country whose
primary principles ol political and social
‘actiong are all in the face of day. The
|my.-<tvry should appear to have good
‘cause, and be free from all suspicion of .
abuse, Isuch socicties guard their se-
Lerets by strong penaltics, if they have |
fnuml)crs and antiquity on their sides; if |
their out-posts are but links of'a chain
!stn-t(:hing from nation to nation; if the
'sense of athil:ated attachment and wnion
‘among them is perecived to be exeeed
dngly energetic and - zealous; it their
‘whole scheme of dizeipline, improved ¢
throughout ages, has become in a degree
imposing, even ternilying, their opera
tions will naturally have the more scope,
and should be watched with the more |
lcare. Free Masonry 1s such a socicty,
‘Great and good men have belonged toat, |
I know; and do helong to ity at this mo- ¢
ment; yet, recent disclosures inthe Uni- ¢
ilml States, have, I think, shown the dan- 1
ger of which the society may become the
parent, through the agency of bad men, ¢
COF all governments existing, ours is the
one which would be most justified in i
'watching, with constant and scrupulous
‘care, the conduct of socicties profoundly
!sm:rvt. Most, or all other governments,
‘admit the prineiple of secrecy, & them
|selves practice ity at least to some ex- ¢
’lvnt. Ours, never. Allits operations are,
sooner or later, laid betore the grand, o= ¢
:ri;_'in:ll', constituent hml_y——t‘h(: |n:uplu; the ¢
only fountain, with us; of all influence «
and sovercignty and power, These are |
| obvious principles of our system. Free !
|Mu.~'unry puts Lorth an exception to them, |
1t is henee, the night and duty of the peo
:I'l"v to exercise striet censorship overa Vv
body, which moves inan element <o con- !
trary to their own, They ave the high- |
I(-r, and entitled to the undigputed con- ¥
’trul. It 1s as much a general trath i 0
morals as in government, that 1t is vice, 0
not virtue, which needs a veil, | €
In saying that recent dis¢losures have v
shown the dangers of masonry in the U- @
nited States, let us see il I am not right, d
I desire to be guided by facts, and look ©
at them rigorously. Your enquiries are |
broad, and should be met broadly. But ¢
facts shall be my basis, and I wish to deal
with them practically, as I have veally v
beheld them, Youapply to me, as citi- @
!m'ns, taking an actual part in the aflairs b
around. L am to answee you in that ea- ¢
pacity, as a member ol the same commu- =
nity. I
The public all know, that certain trials 1t
have been held from time to time an the @
state of New York, for the discovery of ¥
the authors of the abduction and murder s
of William Morgan. Against thisman’s 1
hiberty and life, an extensive and formid- W
able conspiracy had been lmd, which «
ended o the destruction of both, e
was a native of Virginia, and had re- |
moved into New York, It wag there, it #
scems, that he commtted a ceitain of= &
fence, not agaims=t the laws of hig countryv, ¢
but the Code of Masonry namely that of 1t
revealing ite seerets; and this is the of= @
fence for which he was made to sutier ¢
death, The conspirator neither laid a
gainst him, nor pretended any other.— a
The case is therclore purely masonic in p
e (’l'i“_.“ill and "'l'.’!lilli”i'lll. There 1=
nothing extruncons to cmbarrass the
J1‘1.'.."11-(fll'. or lead away the thoughis,
W ll('l! I remink that the public all
know of the tiials, | mean that they have
I!mnl of them, g nevally s for I do not be
|l'_"" that one person in fifty knows any
thing more about them, | have {ollowed
up ie account of them, as fur as | have
had the means: and expecially those that
have taken place at Lockport, within the
last few months, 1 have done so in no
prejudiced wpivty, but with an carnest de
sive to underitd the whole case rightly,
They appearto me to uulold one of the
most extraordnary cidents that hos ey
er ll'mlslvir('(l. Al the circumstances
considered, | laow not where we shall
seelk for its ('nllllvrl‘.;u[, It s scen irom
these trnals, thatthe laws of the lind can
not be exccutedupon the authors of an
andacious and Voody conspiracy, al
though its entiretheatre was in one of
the most populow parts of the Union,
although attempts have been made to
enforce them inall practicable ways for
a period now excwding four yru;s, al
though the goverment of the State of
New-Yaork has aidel, by its immediate
countenance and diection, the publie
prosceution, besides Inving issued com
missions of special nvestization; and,
whatis mere astonizhing than all,although
the conspirators, wih their aiders and
abettors, are, in all pobability, known to’
more than one hunded persons belong
ing to the wasonic Sody it notto a larger
number, That they are cortainly kuown
to a great many masons, il to fewer than
one hundred, s plaing from lights that
must bring cowiction home to every dis
passionate and ound mind, -
Such s the rase as it meets us on the
threshold, Ttsstantling, Under a goy
crument of laws, and in a scason of tran
quthty, it muy be pronounced an anow
aly. It seews a scandal upon the trial
by jury, uponthe public exunmination of
witnesses, won our forms ol present
ment and indetment, upon the power of
commitment or not answering legal ques
tions; upon al the modes heretotore the
boast of our udicature, for getting at the
truth; all of vhich have been so carnest
ly, solemnly yet fruitlessly rosoited to,
Amidst th din of arms we are told, in
deed, thathe laws become silent; but!
that theyshould so totally lose thewr au
thority, at a period of” prolound peace
and gvf:rul vgod order, as they have
done @ this occasion, must arise from
some etraordinary and partentous cause,
The vitory ol erime s the opprobrium
of the aw, and should call forth a spiit
of detmmined inquiry into the cause, 1
It Jas been swd that the human bo-"
gom isnot strong enough to hold the se
cret a foul murder. So heavily does
it pres that the stoutest heart gives way
seckig reliet in the gush of its sin,—
Hithato, also,in proportion as the knowl
edge ¢ the tact ol murder has been shar
ed by arge numbers of people,y hasbeen
the case, tle promptitude, we may add,
the cenainty of detection. Bat i Mor
gan’s case, we behold the frightful re
serve, It sands, i this respecty alone
in the recoils of criminal jurisprudence,
The law boks of ancicnt and modern
times, mightsately be mvoked for a pre
cedent, e diliculty ol keeping the
sceret of amurder, operated as some
saleguard ocr mmocent hife, Tt served in
some degrecto deter the murderer him
sclty, by malng him shonk from the fear
of his own thoughts, atterwaurds; and to
obstruct hisicll plans, from the hike fear,
keeping awy accomphees. Asby stripes
the flesh isnado to quiver, so the whips
and stings ¢ remorse, lacerate the heait,
They are mternal exccutioners, trom
whiose tortve the gulty cannot escape.
But here ve behold this salcguard of
lite put to scorn; one scated an the
very consdence ol man, and which
nothing bu the most baletul potions, ;ul-'
mnisteredas it by infernals; could ever
cxtirpate Fvery sober ninded eitizen
will be mxious to arnive at the golution
ol this prenomenon, I oa train of evi
dence alogether arresistible mits diveet
or circunstantial appheationy foree upon
his minl the beliet that its entire and
complicited horroris clearly traceable
o the ontederated and unholy contri
vances of bad men, who are masons,
all his aght feelings as a citizen must
he shocted. He mnst stand confound
ey at seceing human hite and hiberty so
potted withy by a power the more tre
nendousm ats victory over the laws, as
t ndes in darkness. Good ien who
ire masas, will tuen from such conducet
with abharence, Candid men ot the
wocicty, o hearing the relation of i,
may be disposed to ask themsclves,
whether all the benelits of masomiy,
ileged or real, can be a counterpoise
or the poils which may thus spring
rom aty twough deluded or depraved
enlotsy vho gain admittance to s
anctuary, and who effcetually silence
compunctien under amguit o, by Hying
o the nusinderstood or perverted ties
ind obhizimions of the eratt, Ha pow
o shoudad from the dayv, has heen
ound of eficacy suflicient, to mterpose
1 fatal obstuction to the great eause of
wblic justice where guilt has becn =0
THE TIMES.
< wgoravated, are we to suppose that the
s oschiets ends here s that it is a single,
annsulated instance 7 It is impossible.
I He s weak and eredulous who believes
>t dn the vast and active character
- and business of masony, in its elose
~and diversiicd connexions with sm:iuly‘
| at large, whose paths it besets every-|
©where, whose movements from behind
L its own o sereen it can watch and o))
dow upat pleasure, it must happen that
vt strcams of justice will often be mim-'
- edy on occazsions dess conspicnous, by
- the samie power, A danger then exists,
- under the highest moral and even judie-!
- al demonstrationy which ought to rivet
v deep attention, and awaken general
Caliem, Nat only has the goverment
ol the state of New Yok lent its ef
forts in wid of the ordinary proeess of
faw, for deteeting the eulputs in thas
andacious conspiracy, The govern-
Cment of Upper Canada has stepped for-)
ward in co-operation; for it is a charae
teristic of the conspiracy, that there!
was strong suspicions of ats cwbracing
depraved menibers of the fratermty o
that foreign jurisdiction; o extensive
were believed, and on rational grounds,
to have been the hideous woikings of
Cits mahignant sympathies, But all has
been in vain, kxecutive messages,
exceutive acts and proclamations; with’
the offer of exceutive rewands, hike -
Cdictments and Jury trials under special
courts anud judges, (for these too were,
added) have all fallen to the ground,—
The law i «till paralyzed by a hidden
agent, that continues to prove stronger
than the combined force of Its machin
ery and ats ministers; the Lodge of this
cagent has Lecome its sepulchre, There
it lies, a spectacle for freemen, to look
al, |
' In the whole compass of affairs to
which govermment 15 subservient, there
135 nothing of such trapscendent mapor
tance, as the tathiul and cfifective ad
ministiation of justice between wman and
man, by the body politie agamst public
delinguents, It sof daily, unceasing,
cmergeney, It blends itzeitwith all the
wants, duties, and necessities; with all
the hopes and all the dangeors, that be
long to the political and social cou
dition of the world, It comes perpetual
ly home to the immediate business and
hosom of mankind, the remark so often
repeated from Bacon, but whieh™on this
subject has ats application in exact truth,’
Hume deseribesay as the sole end wnd
atm of all govermment; aud, certanly,
i such an adimimstration of justice be |
wanting, it is not going too far to assert, |
that the functions of government have
“stopped in o point that s vital, 1t }VUJ'I
have laws without the power to give
them etivet, we are in the condition of a |
people having none: which brings socie-|
ty to a pause, The levy of ship money,
was among the causes that produced
the decapitation of Chardes 1, and a
change in the English Dynasty. The |
tax ol three pence a pound on tea, help-|
ed to bring in our own revolution-
How small such actz in themselves;
vety in union with a quick and well un- |
derstood spirit ot pubhe liberty, how'
vast their consequences throughout
nattons, and the postenty of nutions, 1.1
fear not to say, that neither ol them
were caleulated to press so destructively o
upon the great faubie of society, as .
the faet betore us, of a secret combina- |
fion in the heart of the republic;, bLemg |
able to keep the Taws at bay m this case )
of the Murderers of Morgan; so long to)
trample upony =o long to trinmph over |
them. ‘The apathy prevailing woder |
the batiled cfforts to |i|u|N: and full_v to |
punizh so great an enonmity, 13, to mm_(l, i
mexplicable, among a people watehful
of their ights, and who would ever be |
ready, it might have been supposed, to
embody the whole power ol Society,
wherever any one of its members,
however humble, was scen to ke so
ruthlessly struek down. laterposition
should have Leen the more immediate
and decided, as the blow was so bold
and ternble; asit was given amdst con- 1
comitants so unusual, and wdicative of 1
£o supreme, so insolent; a contempt for |
the laws. It ever an event arose i the 1
annals of any people, that should have
made the whole body of the pubhe, s
identical with the authority of the mag- i
istrate, by a burst of indignation and a
concert of efforts, it was this, No t
other 1“.,.“,,5: .-\.-|~)1-t lwpt |u-rmnm'm- {
ly alive the spirit of public liberty, up- s
l.u‘hl the supremacy and glaunluu-. ol n
the laws. 'They both die as certainly’ r
under torpor, as if crushed by open 1
despotism. It 15 one of the ways, 1 v
which free states begin to lose thewr ¢
liberties. It is a deadly opiate, ditfusing p
itsell’ through the political system, a |/r
gainst the stitlations ot which, ”“’; A
patriot heart <hionld e ronsed by every «
con<ideration that can aninate At to atse n
hiohest duties, When the magistrates oy
:n'a‘- coen with the ensigns ol authonty s
powerless i their hands, an appeal is 1
made to the mextinguishable ellegiance |
ond generous devation which should Y
bl every citizen to the common, ¢
weal, The love of publie frecdom must g
be shown m the wviolable maintenance ' |
WHOLE NO, 62.
grTe—— o —— L ——— . ——————————————
| ofindividual rights, We are degener
oo Repoblicans, we are no Republi
| cans, otberwize Morgan’s case is no
| common one. It is of great aud inspir
g nagoitude. Looked at by itself,
itmay be called detached, or litlo, by
’ those who little know how to thiok, or
| are deiermined not to think. But pro-
Lperly weighed by its principles as well
| aw facts, it is momentous and appalling.
tis no caso for County Courts, It 1s
} for the Nation, That 18 its proper tn-
Cbuwnl. Those who will lift wp their
miuds to an enlarged and just concep
tion of'ity instead of keeping down to =«
csuperficial und imperfect one, will sce i
under a connexion indissoluble, with «
St of public principles with whicl
arc interwoven the interests, the safety
and the durable glory of the nation,—
Lot the law, that sheet anchor of soeie
-Iy, come to miss its grapple upon publie
felons, banded in league together by a
principlo that exalts their crimes into
~achievements of merit, and every thing
i 5 exposed to wreek and dissolution,
The daring and profligate nature of the
eonspiracy against the liberty and life
of this citizen; the ineflexible and ma
lignant vigor of purpose with which,
step by step, it was pursued to consum
mation; the cool, the systematie, the
inveterate depravity of all the actors in
i, have no pacallel in the previous his
tory of our country, scarcely in that o
any country. I challenge the Spanis’
Inquisiion to exceed it. 1 boldly i
vite & scarch into the archives of tha
engine ol a ferocious despotism, which
tor four centuries in Kurope erushed it
unbappy vietim with a vengeance s,
diabohical, under color of vindicatips
the holy charch, to produce a case that
goes beyond at, Morgan’s immolation
was i spint, almost in form an Huto o
Fe. Holy Mausonry, found its vindien
tors to. The similitude is close and
shocking. 1t should burn the check o
every Amenican, who contemplates it.—
The don clamps that were probabi.
prepared for the feet and hands of Mo
gan, aptly compare with the chains i
which the vietim of the inquisition w:
habited, when uvabling on the vere
o eternity: whilst the pictures of de -
vouring dogs aund serpents that wer -
hung round his neck, completely pre
figure the horrid gang of murdering:
couspiritors who plunged their hands in
the blood of Morgan,
This case, thus far, is entirely out of
the track of all cvents in a free or we!l
governed community, It befits the
grim despotism of dark and super
stitious ages and countries, But |an
nmow to present an aspect of it, still moie
extraordinary, still - more alarming.—
How to present it, 1 am at a loss,
secms a delusion, I would throw it off
as a phantom if 1 could; but I cann
and 1 sk i my feclings as an Ameri
can citizen, under the mortified and
abashed consciousness ot its truth.—
Perhaps T ought to pause ere 1 advanc.
further. That which 1 am about t.
touch, 15 on all sides encompassed wiil
bazaids, A saving energy it has, in
deed, forits fricnd, and knows how and
when to exert ity but it can make it
Llasts howl about the ears of all, who,
with unsanctitied steps, approagh its pre
cinets: blasts as from “Boreas and
Furns, and Caorus, and Argestes,
loud.” 10 1 followed the counsels of
prudence, | should bend the knece in
reverence and retreat betore it. But, |
will proceed. At your cally 1 have ta
ken what 1 believe to be the cnuse of
public order, and of truth, in hand, and
that cause must be my shicld, A say
ing that we had when I was at school,
cowes into my mind. 1 scareely know
how 1o quote ity and must hope “for you
pardon il 1 do. It was not fial justicia,
rual colwiny but, TELL THE TRUTH,
THot6u THE DEVIL BE BEFORE YOU,~
Let it be heard,
thitherto, when a murder, especially
one attended by any startling or unusual
ciccustances, has been committed by
unseen hands, ina country where ex
isted a free press, that great instrument
has never falled to raise, and to keep
up the alanm. 1t has done more, far
more, than wiits, and deposiions, and
scarch-warrants; more than the whole
roll of shentlis;, and constables, and
deputies, with the posse commitatus in
thewr wake, to drag the perpetrators
from their cover. By its universal and
spontancous activity, operating like a
moral kue and ery; it helps to point a
right public vigilance and suspicion. It
inisters use fully to publie indignation,
making it strong and stirring. It puts
every thing in motion, itsell homl@ngvlhe
pursuit. It sharpens scrutiny, reinvigo
rates flagging exertion, smites like -
ward fire upon the fears and pantings
of the skulking felon, and throws out sig -
nals of all kinds a thousand times more
valuable, when s mighty trumpet is
sonnded i a good cause, than any that
masonry ever planted upon its mysterious
Lodges. Need | instance the case of
White, at Salem? Need | mention that
of Thurtell; in England, a few years a
go, when the unceasing elangor of their
press reverberated even o our own