Anti-Masonic Party

The Anti- Masonic Party, to German Anti -Masonic Party in the 19th century was a small party in the United States. She turned strongly against Freemasonry. But It was not a party with only a single program point, but they aspired to be a great party. It was founded in 1828 in Upstate New York, and was the first third party in American politics that tried to prevail in the traditional two-party system.

The case of Morgan

The party saw its rise after the mysterious disappearance of William Morgan in 1826, a Freemason of Batavia, who had become dissatisfied with his order and was planning to betray its secrets. He was the victim of several incidents, until he was finally taken in September and secretly taken to Fort Niagara, where he disappeared. Though his ultimate fate was never known at that time was generally assumed that he has fallen victim to a crime. This incident generated great excitement, and led to the belief that Freemasons could not possibly be good citizens.

Social circumstances

The opposition to Freemasonry was taken up by the churches as a kind of religious crusade, and was also a local policy issue in western New York, where the citizens decided in the spring of 1827 in many mass meetings to support no Mason in obtaining a public office. In New York this time were the National Republicans, also called " Adams men", a very weak organization. Refined political leaders therefore immediately set it to use the strong sentiment against Freemasonry to found a new big party to oppose the rising " Jacksonian Democracy." This made ​​even easier by them, as Jackson himself was a high-ranking Freemason, and frequently praised spoke about his order. In the elections of 1828, the new party fared unexpectedly well, and after a year she had the National Republicans in New York practically replaced. 1829 revealed the attitude of their leaders, as they, in addition to calling their opposition against Freemasonry, improvements inside and protective tariffs.

Rise and Fall

From New York, the Anti- Masonic Party spread to other medium-sized states and to New England, especially they strengthened it in Pennsylvania and Vermont. Already in 1827 it was planned a national organization as the leader of New York unsuccessfully attempted to Henry Clay, a Freemason to convince, to renounce the Order and to put on the top of the movement. 1831 William A. Palmer was elected governor of Vermont, again thanks to the prevailing anti -Masonic sentiment, and he held this post until 1835.

The party organized the first meeting for the nomination of a presidential candidate in the history of the United States. The U.S. presidential election of 1832 they nominated as a presidential candidate William Wirt, who was himself a Freemason at this time, and Amos Ellmaker as his vice - president. Host to gain 7.78 percent of all votes cast and the seven electors of Vermont succeeded.

The highest selectable office that has ever been won by a member of the party, was the governor of Pennsylvania, which held Joseph Ritner 1835-1838. This was the height of their success; however, the organization began in 1833 in New York to die, their members began gradually rejoin the National Republicans and other opponents of Jackson to establish the Whig party in the final analysis. In other states, the party survived a little longer, but until 1836, most members had defected to the Whigs. Your last act in national politics was to assist at a meeting in Philadelphia in November 1838, the candidacy of William H. Harrison for president and John Tyler for vice - president.

The cause of the growth of the anti -Masonic movement was more in the political and social conditions of that time, as in the kidnapping Morgans, which was rather the straw that broke the camel crowded. Under the name " Anti-Masonic " accumulated capable leader, with existing political conditions malcontents. The fact that host, they lined up for the presidency in 1832, was not merely been a Mason, but the Order even defended in a speech before the Assembly had, which then nominated him, lets imagine that the simple opposition to Masonry soon insignificant factor for the cohesion of the various elements was that made up the party.

Reference

This article uses text from the Encyclopædia Britannica of 1911, which is public domain.

• Historic Party (United States)
• Anti- Masonry