The New Hampshire Gazette

Suppression of Masonic Lodges in Russia

The Hamburg papers contain the rescript of the Emperor Alexander, interdicting freemason lodges and other secret societies, to which allusion has already been made in the continental papers. The paraphernalia of the mason lodges have been in consequence, sold or distributed among the members: and the different servants of the Government have announced the renunciation of all connexion with the abomination, by subscribing certain prescribed declarations. It would appear however, that a purification had previously taken place, for the removal of persons in the employment of Government are mentioned. Freemason lodges have always existed in this country without exciting any apprehension; and any one who should endeavor to cause them to be suspected, would only be laughed at. We do not by this mean to say, that freemason lodges may not in certain conjunctures, be occasionally used for purposes foreign to masonry; that in revolutionary periods they may not have been made the scene of machinations and conspiracies; but the same machination and conspiracies would have equally taken place if there had been no mason lodges for where the disposition to conspire exists, the means of assembling can never be a matter of much difficulty. He is a bad physician who prescribes for the symptoms and not for the disease.

-Morn Chron.