The National Republican And Cincinnati Daily Mercantile Advertiser

CINCINNATI:
Saturday, February 23.

ANTI-MASONRY REVIVED

Who dares say that Antimasonry is dead?
Who dares believe that she is not living, moving;
flourishing, going forth 'conquering and to conquer?' If such an obstinate, incredulous being
lives, let him read the Ohio Register AND
Antimasonic Review,' of Feb. 19, and if he
then presumes to entertain such a flagrant her-
esy, we shall give him up as the most incorrigi-
ble of skeptics. A few days ago, we asked, in
the sincerity and simplicity of our heart-'what
had become of Antimasonry?' The Register
has kindly undertaken to enlighten us on this
important matter; and we here beg leave to ten-
der him our most cordial acknowledgments, for
thus relieving us of a load of anxiety, that had
become exceedingly oppressive. That Antima-
sonry is really alive and well, we now no longer
doubt; we have a certificate of the fact from one
whom it would be treasonable to doubt. Nor
must the Register disbelieve us, when we assure
him that we are almost as much rejoiced as he,
to find the object of his tender solicitude so per-
fectly resuscitated, as to be capable of a second
appearance on the political stage. In these dull,
'piping times of peace,' with no more exciting
subjects for the newspaper world, than Nullifi-
cation and its twin brother Disunion, it is really
refreshing, thus unexpectedly, to find, awake
and active, a good old bustling political enemy
that the rest of the world, had almost ceased to
remember. A rencontre, like this, is exceedingly
pleasant, and if the editor of the Register is re-
joiced 'to meet brother Boaz once more on the
tented field,' we can assure him that the feeling
is reciprocated most heartily.

Before proceeding further with our congrat-
ulations upon this somewhat miraculous appa-
rition of Antimasonry, we feel it incumbent up-
on us to disclaim all pretensions to the honor of
being the 'organ of masonry in Ohio.' We have
our own reasons for not entertaining a very ex-
alted opinion of the character of the Antima-
sonic party; but as for Masonry, it must stand
or fall upon its own merits we claim not to be
its champion. There have been men who op-
posed, and, probably, yet oppose, the institution
of Masonry, influenced by motives as pure as
ever governed the human heart; and such men,
however erring, are entitled to respect. Over
the infatuated enmity of such, every liberal
minded man will throw the mantle of charity,
and lament, not hate, that honest perversity of
reason which creates a foe where else there
should have been a friend. Against the single
minded, unsuspecting members of the Antima-
sonic party, we entertain not a single feeling of
unkindness. No one will more readily accord to
them the full liberty of thinking and speaking
as they please of Masonry, than we. To them,
and to all, the institution of Masonry is a legiti-
mate subject of investigation, and Heaven for-
bid that it or any other subject, in this country,
should ever become too sacred to be investiga-
ted. Whether the opposition to Masonry has
been the result of erroneous impressions, or
founded on just and sufficient grounds of com?
plaint, is a question which we will not pretend
to solve. It is sufficient to admit, that such an
opposition has existed and still exists, and that,
however viewed by others, it has, in a majority
of instances, been induced by a blameless, al-
though mistaken, sense of moral rectitude. But
with these admissions we have said as much in
favor of Antimasonry, as could be required of us
by the most scrupulous and fastidious regard for
justice.

Call Antimasonry what you will-a just indig-
ation against secret wickedness, or an amiable
infatuation-as an organized political party, it
has presented but few claims to our respect
However pure it was, in its origin, the moment
it adopted a political character, it became the
mere degraded instrument of demagogues; bro-
ken down politicians who had nothing to recom-
mend them but their utter destitution of princi-
ple, and the utter recklessness of their ambition.
One day they would be found waging indiscrin-
inate war against all their cotemporaries--the
next, they might be seen in the political market
offering their party for sale to the highest bidder
In Ohio their perfect disregard for consis-
tency, provoked their own destruction, by dis-
gusting and banishing from their ranks every
honest and honorable member of the party. A.
vowedly, the irreconcilable enemies of Masonry
and Masons, they entered into stipulations with
another party to assist in the election of a high
and distinguished Mason to the first office in the
government. To the managers of the party,
the destruction of Masonry was evidently a mat-
ter of indifference, except so far as their own per-
sonal avarice or ambition was concerned. They
were mercenaries, who fought for pay, regard-
less of the party or principles with which they
enlisted. The editor of the Register, essays to
defend himself and his compeers from the charge
of inconsistency, by attributing the evolution,
last fall, by which Antimasonry became associ-
ated with the Clay party, to an 'honest attempt
to turn the weapons of their enemies against
themselves,' and then childishly laments that
this honest piece of political roguery was frus.
trated by the superior cunning of their allies!

But we cannot pursue this subject farther
now. The editor of the Register has given what
he conceives to be a splendid view of the present
situation and prospects of his party, in this and
other states. He is too well acquainted with the
true state of his party for us to suppose him la-
boring under delusion: we shall not, therefore,
argue with him upon a theme so preposterous,
but merely set down his boasts of the strength
and integrity of his party to one of those "honest
attempts," at political deception, at which he ac.
knowledges himself such an accomplished adept.