Rhode Island American And Gazette

RHODE-ISLAND
AMERICAN.

SATURDAY, JULY 21, 1832.

It has pleased the Almighty again to crown the efforts of the antimasons of Rhode Island with another and still more splendid victory. Thrice has masonry buckled on her armour in the political contest, and thrice has the "heavenly maid" been beaten through its very seams!

We rejoice in the victory. We congratulate the freemen; and we give humble and hearty thanks to God, that amid the darkness of the present hour, amid the thousand dangers and difficulties to which our beloved country is now exposed, that our little State is not yet left in the hands of that institution which hesitates not to take life to satisfy its peculiar notions of justice.

But amidst our joy we cannot but mourn the impending fate of the once honored and respected national republican party. That party is now in the agonizing embrace of an anaconda, from which we fear it can never be extricated. It now writhes under its tortures. It is indeed almost gasping for existence; and let the monster that now has it within its folds, hug it but a little closer, and it is gone forever.

That party we helped to form, to organize, and to uphold. It was once our pride and our delight. It was adorned with much intellectual power, it contained in its ranks men who might have been the brightest ornaments to their country. But in a wicked and unhappy hour it suffered itself to be led astray, and we fear to its own destruction. Masonry has all but blasted its hopes in Rhode Island. But one more battle and it is gone forever! We have often warned it of its danger. We have more than twice or thrice informed them that the masons would sooner abandon even them, than give up their institution, and they will yet find our predictions verified. They are already verified in Vermont. The Clay masons abandoned the national republican party in New York at their last congressional election; nay, even supported Jackson members for Congress rather than have antimasons. And so would the masons do in this State to-morrow, rather than give up their institution. And but for the letter of the Grand Lodge in April, 1831, they would then have abandoned Mr. Arnold. But that letter satisfied them that Governor Arnold was far, 'very far from being an antimason,' and as such was entitled to the support of masons! What the masons threatened to do in 1831, they would do to-morrow, should Gov. Arnold and the national republican party not bow to them and uphold them; and it is this partnership that will make bankrupts of the whole firm.

But we will not indulge in frightful forebodings. We feel too much real joy on the recent victory of antimasonry, to let such apprehensions enter our minds. We hope the national republican party will see its errors, and endeavor to correct them. Again we invite them to throw masonry "to the dogs" and come in companies, not by dozens as they have done. Come over we entreat you, one and all, and the supremacy of the laws shall again be established; the temple of the living God shall no more be profaned by the horrid oaths of masonry, and the blood of poor William Morgan shall go no longer unavenged.

Let us not be misunderstood, we charge not the blood of this victim upon masons as individuals, but we do charge it upon the masonic institution, upon masonic oaths and obligations. We have a right so to charge it, for so it has been admitted by masons of the highest standing in New York. We rank among masons many good friends—we acknowledge their worth and virtue, and we would to God we could still continue to rank them as friends, but not as adhering masons. We beseech them one and all to give up their institution. For until then "there is no peace saith my God to the wicked."