ry. That party succeeded in the second, third, fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth senatorial districts, and in the first, where Gen. Robert Bogardus, a Clintonian, was elected, his success was undoubtedly owing to his being known to be an ardent Jackson man.

In the assembly, the democrats elected about two to

one.

The senators elected this year were:

From the First District, Robert Bogardus,

Second do., Benjamin Woodward,
/ Third do., John McCarty,

Fourth do., Duncan McMartin, jun.,
Fifth do., Charles Dayan, and

Sixth

Truman Enos,

do., Thomas G. Waterman,

Seventh do.,

William M. Oliver, and

Victory Birdseye,

Eighth do., Charles H. Carroll.

Mr. Young, the late speaker, was not re-elected to the

assembly from Saratoga.

CHAPTER XXXIII.

FROM JANUARY 1, 1827, TO JANUARY 1, 1828.

In the succeeding autumn an event occurred, singular in its character, and which, in its consequences, produced a great effect, not only upon society in general, but on the political parties in the state of New-York, and in several other of the American states.

The society of free masons had existed for a long period of time in the world. Indeed, many persons claim that what are called the secrets or mysteries of masonry, existed long before the Christian era; some asserting that the substantial parts of masonry were in use among associations of the ancient Egyptians; and that most of the useful arts and sciences invented by that wonderful people, were the result of the efforts and labors of those associations. These traditions, which were carefully preserved by the modern masons, are no doubt principally founded on fiction, but it is nevertheless very probable that the society of free masons, which has in some form existed for several centuries, (in all likelihood since the crusades) was instituted in imitation of those secret societies so common among the Greeks and Romans and other ancient Pagan nations.

At this time masonic societies existed in most of the civilized nations on the globe, and branches of them were found among nations who could hardly be said to be civilized. In New-York, and in fact in America, masonry may be said to have been in its most palmy state. I hazard little in asserting that a majority of persons holding official stations in the state, were masons. Legislative, judicial and executive officers, from presidents and gov

ernors to deputy marshals and constables; from judges of the supreme court to justices of the peace; and from the grave and reverend senator to the town meeting orator, were, I religiously believe, a majority of them free masons, solemnly pledged to perform the obligations and keep the secrets of masonry. It is scarcely necessary for me to mention that every mason, by a voluntary oath, promised not to reveal the secrets of the order, under a no less penalty than forfeiture of his life.

William Morgan, a royal arch free mason, and a printer by trade, said to be a native of Virginia, had taken up his residence in the village of Batavia, in the county of Genesee. Not having been very successful in business, he, it would seem, with a view to pecuniary benefit, had determined to publish a pamphlet containing the secrets of masonry. His intention was discovered by some of his fellow masons, who communicated it to their brethren of the craft in that vicinity, and it soon became known, as appears by subsequent proceedings, to several of the lodges in western New-York.

On the 11th day of September, 1826, one Cheesebrough, master of a lodge of masons at Canandaigua, in the county of Ontario, procured from Jeffrey Chipman, a justice of the peace in Canandaigua, a warrant to arrest Morgan, on a charge of stealing a shirt and cravat; and Cheesebrough, with two or three other masons, proceeded with the warrant to Batavia, where they caused Morgan to be arrested, hurried him into a coach and transported him to Canandaigua, where they brought him before Justice Chipman, who forthwith discharged him, he being satisfied that Morgan was not guilty of the larceny complained of. He was then immediately arrested on a small debt due to one Aaron Ashley, and which Cheesebrough alleged had been assigned to him. The justice rendered judgment against Morgan for two dollars, on which, upon the oath of

Cheesebrough, he instantly issued execution, and Morgan was committed to close confinement in the jail at Canandaigua. During the night of the 12th of September, he was clandestinely taken from the jail by a number of masons, thrown into a covered carriage, gagged, and conveyed on the evening of the 14th, to the Canada side of the Niagara river; and thence taken back to the American side, and left confined in the magazine of Fort Niagara. He remained there until the 29th September, in charge of Col. King of Niagara county and one Elisha Adams, at which time he disappeared and has not since been heard of.

It is not my intention, nor would it be in accordance with the plan of this history, to enter further into the details of this inhuman outrage. I assume, as a historical truth, and I regret that I am compelled to do so, that William Morgan was, with a view of preventing the disclosure of the mysteries of masonry, murdered in cold blood, by men holding a respectable rank and standing in society.

The effect which this horrible transaction had on the politics of this state, and a sketch of the history of the political party which grew out of it, will be given in another place. [See Chapter 38.]

At present I will merely remark, that Gov. Clinton was, in 1826, high priest of the General Grand Chapter of the United States, which was the highest masonic station in the United States; and that this circumstance deprived him of many votes in the part of the state where Morgan had lived, and would have deprived him of many more, had it not been well known, that Judge Rochester was also a mason, though of inferior standing in the masonic order.*

*During the excitement which succeeded the outrage upon Morgan, Gov. Clinton was charged not only with having been privy to it but as Grand High Priest

The strong popular vote obtained by Mr. Rochester for governor, was claimed as evidence of his personal popularity; and as the term of service of Mr. Van Buren in the senate of the United States would expire on the 4th March, 1826, some of the Adams democrats began to hint, that Judge Rochester ought to be elected as the successor of Mr. Van Buren. One reason which induced these suggestions was, that all intelligent men by this time knew, that Mr. Van Buren had determined, at the approaching presidential election, to support Gen. Jackson. It was reasonable to suspect that Judge Rochester, as well from personal ambition as from feelings of resentment, would favor this project. I have said from feelings of resentment, because from the conduct of some of Mr., Van Buren's confidential friends in Albany, before the nomination for governor, and from the course pursued by Maj. Noah in the New-York Enquirer after that nomination, Mr. Rochester may have been suspicious that Mr. Van Buren and his confidential friends had not acted with good faith towards him during the late canvass. If Judge Rochester entertained those suspicions, (suspicions that, so far as they respect Mr. Van Buren and his friends at Albany, I have before expressed my convictions were wholly unfounded,) he was, I have no doubt, encouraged in them by his neigh

or Grand Master, with having commanded it to be committed or, which is the same thing, with having directed that the publication of Morgan's book should be sur pressed by any means and at "all hazards." Even after the sudden and lamented death of Mr. Clinton, some individuals were base and cruel enough to charge that his death was caused by the goadings of a guilty conscience.

COL. WILLIAM L. STONE, in his letters on anti-Masonry, addressed to John Quincy Adams, in letter 29th, p. 297, has proved beyond all question the entire falsity of these charges, and forever put at rest these foul slanders. [See also appendix to Col. Stone's letters, note G. and H. p. 4 and 5.]

These letters are written with Mr. Stone's usual ability, and contain a full, candid and impartial history of this extraordinary transaction and the tremendous excitement which followed it. The book has not had as extensive a circulation as it merits. Perhaps its strict impartiality may not have suited the taste of masons or anti-masons, and thus the very circumstances which gives value to the work has prevented its popularity.