Alexandria Advertiser And Commercial Intelligencer

FROM THE N. Y. EVENING POST.

A full exposition of the Clintonian faction and the Society of the COLUMBIAN ILLUMINATI, &c.
By John Wood.

CONCLUDED.

The most inflamed zealots of the Romish Church fell short of this pious society in eagerness for persecution on one hand, and for proselytism on the other. They have spared neither expense nor pains to circulate books of Infidelity and Jacobinism, and to their zeal the public is indebted for all the edifications communicated by the Temple of Reason, under the guidance of Driscoll, the apostatized popish priest. The first difficulty, the want of money, was surmounted by Mr. Cheetham himself, who in the impetuosity of his zeal, is said not only to have become security for the types, but in a fit of generous indiscretion to have betrayed his real character and principles to some of his subscribers. Wood, who knows the man, says, "In place of the vulgar stupidity which unveils the projects of Denniston's brain, Cheetham possesses all the cunning of an artful prostitute that under a placid countenance masks deep designs, and plotting vengeance;" yet, in this cause so ardent was this same Cheetham for the public good, or did his bowels yearn with compassion for the blindness of mankind that he became blind himself, and enclosed Driscoll's hand bills in every one of his papers intended for his Deistical customers, but unfortunately the carrier, not being so deeply versed in modern philosophy as to know a true infidel from a Christian by the sound of his name or the front of his house, distributed the papers indiscriminately. The Christian subscribers were surprised and displeased, and the mischief it is supposed was not quite healed by a very humble apology. When Driscoll began to succeed, our precious society wanted to finger some of the profits; but it was soon found that remonstrance, intreaty, argument, nay Billingsgate, had no effect upon the flinty nerves of the old blooded infidel, who, with all the sang froid of an old pedlar, and the sagacity of a Jesuit resisted their solicitations, retained the pence, and left them all to grumble among themselves, exclaiming with Falstaff, "A plague upon it when rogues can't be true to each other." So, packing up his press & types he moved to Philadelphia, and taking post under Duane, endeavored by making fresh proselytes, to repair the injury he had done the society. He was not unsuccessful; a subordinate society was soon established under his auspices in that city, and another at Baltimore, but both under constitutional patents from the mother society here.

They now began to aspire to an extension of their principles. They feared that none but those who had been already converted from Christianity would read their Temple of Reason. To steal a march with it upon believers would, they conceived, be a meritorious fraud, and they had recourse to the following, a curious and clever expedient for the purpose--Having laid their plan, a committee was appointed, who waited on Mr. Donald Frazer, a pious Christian teacher, who had justly gained some credit by answering Paine's Age of Reason, and him they prevailed upon to take up the defence of Christianity and set up a paper called the Temple of Truth. This, they judged, would occasion both to be read, and they had vanity enough to think that they should make quick work of the arguments of Mr. Frazer. However, their pious and benevolent plan was frustrated by one of Mr. Frazer's friends, who having some hints of the intentions of the Illuminati, communicated the information to him.

Mr. Wood states the number of the society to be very considerable. The number of members in the list of the Deistical society of New-York, which I have amounts to ninety five: I would give their names, but this would serve no purpose, and only expose their families, perhaps, to misery: every one of them however, is in politics a Clintonian, and several of them have been promoted to offices by the Clinton interest. Their love for Mr. De Witt Clinton, proceeds in a great measure from an idea that he is a deist; whether he is or not, it is impossible for me to decide; it is enough that they think so and on that supposition they will almost hazard their lives in his behalf. One thing however, is certain,
that Mr. Clinton has afforded his patronage to several who were avowed deists, and he has even been the means of displacing Christians to make room for deists. The present agent for the Temple of Reason, in New-York, is well known to be indebted to Mr. Clinton for the lucrative situation in the mercantile line, which he at present enjoys. One of the members of the Legislature of that State who was hoisted in by the Clinton interest, is an avowed supporter and hearer of the priest Palmer, and for aught I know, also a member of the highest grade among the Illuminati; for there were several, Mr. Baron tells me, who belonged to the highest grade, that never met in the general convention.

"The oath taken by the directors in the highest grade, was nearly the same with the oath administered to the minerval among the Illuminati, when he became an Illuminatus minor, and must, without doubt, have been copied from it. It was reported to me in these words--

I, a member of the Deistical Society, protest before you, the worthy President of our order, that I acknowledge my natural weakness and inability; and that I, with all my possessions, rank, honors and titles which I hold in political society, am at bottom only a man; I can enjoy these things only through my fellow men, and through them also I may lose them. The approbation and consideration of my fellow men are indispensably necessary, and I must try to maintain them by all my talents. These I will never use to the prejudice of universal good, but will oppose with all my might, the enemies of the human race, and of political society. I will embrace every opportunity of serving mankind, by improving my understanding and my affections, and by imparting all important knowledge, as the good and statutes of this order require of me. I bind myself to perpetual silence, and unshaken loyalty and submission to the order, in the person of our President, here making a faithful and complete surrender of my private judgment, my own will and every narrow minded employment of my power and influence. I pledge myself to account the good of the order as my own, and am ready to serve it with my fortune, my honor and my blood. Should I through omission, neglect, passion or wickedness, behave contrary to the good of the order, I subject myself to what reproof or punishment our President shall enjoin. The friends and enemies of the order shall be my friends and enemies; and with respect to both, I will conduct myself as directed by the order, and am ready in every lawful way to devote myself to its increase and promotion, and therein to employ all my ability. All this I promise and protest, without secret reservation, according to the intention of the society, which require from me this engagement: This I do as I am, and as I hope to continue a man of honor."

"I have now related the origin and progress of Illuminatism in this country. It arose, the reader will perceive, upon the ruins of the democratic society: it first exhibited itself in the form of a philosophical club; then assumed the more metaphysical appellation of the Deistical Society; divided itself into different grades and orders, after the example of the institution of Weishaupt, and separate constitutions and separate oaths, appropriate to the several grades. They had also pass words, which I forgot to state. Mr. Baron says, the pass word in the general convention, was truth. After the example of the German Illuminati, they also established publications for the express purpose of disseminating their principles; they sent copies of these publications to Paine at Paris, and to the President of the United States. By means of a corresponding committee, similar societies were established in the different cities of America. Their principles in politics correspond with their ideas of religion, viz. the rankest Jacobinism, with the vilest deism. They all attached themselves to the interest of Mr. De Witt Clinton, judging, probably, by a knowledge of his cousin Denniston, that he would be favorable to their cause, and Mr. Clinton, in return appears not to be ungrateful. He has been the means of displacing several worthy Christians to make way for them; and he bestows in bountiful measure, all his patronage to support their political paper, the American Citizen. Nothing can prove more distinctly the mutual affection and sympathy which exist between Mr. Clinton and the Columbian Illuminati, than these acts of kindness. The link which connects the infidels of New York with the Clinton family, must now be obvious, and the ardent zeal which is displayed to promote the greatness of that family. The Columbian Illuminati are not to be despised, although there are no principal characters among them. They are to be dreaded, and every good Christian ought to use his exertions to crush their endeavors. In the words of Robinson, "their torch, though of the grossest materials, darts with a horrid glare into every corner, rousing hundreds of filthy vermin, and directing their flight to the rotten carrion, where they can best deposit their poison and their eggs, in the breasts, to wit, of the sensual and profligate, there to enter and burst forth in a new and filthy progeny."

It may not be improper to add a few words as to the evidence on which this pamphlet is framed--1st. It comes not out anonymously, with vaunting challenges to prosecute, and a promise that the facts can be proved in a court of law, if necessary, but it appears under the real name of one who thus not only exposes himself to the pains and penalties of a prosecution, if what he publishes is libellous, but to a degree of infamy which must inevitably drive him from the means of getting his bread. 2d. After mentioning that the number of the members actually in his possession amounts to ninety five, he gives the names of the persons from whom he received his information: George Baron and William Carver are the two witnesses he produces, and he describes a third so as he may be easily recognized, a young Quaker, a Physician, but whose name at his own request is concealed. 3d. In addition to their testimony, and in support of it, he gives us important written evidence, the constitution of the Society. 4th. He adds a well connected chain of circumstances which carry on the face of them such marks of correctness as we think must satisfy the understanding no less than the express declaration of witnesses, and which if not true will afford those concerned a better opportunity to detect the misrepresentation, and defend themselves.

And here it may be pertinent to make one or two remarks on this last species of testimony. This is certainly a case where positive and direct proof could hardly be expected. The nature of the combination itself, carried on in the most mysterious secrecy, almost excludes the idea of positive proof. And when to this we add the oath that every member takes at his admission, that "so swearing all mental reservation, he will never reveal, by hint, word, writing or in any manner whatever, even to his most trusted friend any thing which should be said to him," it would be no wonder if the circumstantial proof had been even less satisfactory than it is. It must be remembered that we are much indebted for the evidence now laid before the public to George Baron's having contrived in a manner related in the pamphlet to elude taking the oath. On the whole, we think this concurrence of circumstances, supported as they are by direct evidence, & especially, if they remain, as they yet do, entirely uncontradicted, must completely satisfy the understanding of every reader, both of the existence of this infidel society, of its pernicious designs, and of its destructive effects upon the minds and morals of this community.

This is no place, we are well aware, to introduce religious topics for discussion, it will not be expected, it would be improper and out of place to attempt it; but it is our duty, and God forbid that through false shame we should shrink from it, it is our duty to bear open, and public, and loud, and continued testimony against all those institutions which corrupting political, moral, and religious principles, have a baneful effect on the society in which we live. Borrowing the elegant and pathetic language of the all but inspired Mackenzie, to his readers--

"I will now stand forth armed at all points, to repel the attacks which infidels may make on the great principles, of our belief; but let one suggestion suffice, exclusive of all internal evidence or extrinsic proof of revelation. He that would undermine those foundations upon which the fabric of our future happiness reared, seeks to beat down that column, which supports the stability of humanity--let him then think a moment, and his heart will arrest the cruelty of his purpose--would he pluck its little treasure from the bosom of poverty?--Would he wrest its crutch from the hand of age, and remove from the eye of affliction the only solace of its woe?-- The way we tread is rugged at best; we tread it, however lightened by the prospect of that better country to which we trust it will lead; tell us not that it will lead in the gulph of eternal dissolution, or break off from some wild which fancy may fill up as she pleases, but reason is unable to delineate, quench not the beam, which, amidst the night of this evil world, has cheered the despondency of ill-requited worth, and illuminated the darkness of suffering virtue."

Now let me make a direct appeal to the religious, the pious, the moral, the lover of decency, the friend of social order, the well wisher to human happiness, if after having been made fully acquainted with the existence and conduct of the society which forms the subject of this review, he can, in his conscience, continue to give them or those connected with them any further encouragement and support. If he can--but it is not to be believed that he can.