The Anti-Freemasons: America’s First Third-Party
The best way to understand present day problems is to look back on past indicators of disruption. Usually upon examination, the moment of change can easily be pinpointed. Entire shifts of historical events can be traced back to a single moments in time.
In the early 19th century, the country’s first third-party movement was born. Far from present-day political ideologies like those of the Independents or Libertarians, this third-party was created solely to hold politicians in check, to ensure their oaths were to the country and nothing else. The story is long and complex, drawn out over decades of time, and perhaps, is still being written.
It all started with the creation of the Freemasons. Though the inception of this group is shrouded in mystery, to the outsider it is believed to have evolved from the medieval stonemason guilds that built Europe's great cathedrals. To others, the origins can be traced to Hiram Abiff, the widow's son, who built King Solomon’s Temple. The Freemasons gained significant prominence in the early days of the United States. By the 18th century, Freemasonry had transformed into a secret society characterized by elaborate rituals, symbols, and a hierarchical structure. It attracted members from various backgrounds including politicians, businessmen, and intellectuals, which contributed to its reputation of exclusivity as well as mystery.
Many of the nation’s founding fathers, including George Washington and Benjamin Franklin, were members of the fraternity.
As the country expanded, so did the influence of the Freemasons. They established lodges throughout the United States in the name of philanthropy, and in today’s terminology “business networking,” and were known for their involvement in local politics and social affairs. To many outsiders, they were portrayed as a group of guys doing good for their communities, but this perception was not met without skepticism.
Freemasonry began as a group of men “devoted to fellowship, moral discipline, and mutual assistance.” (Brittanica.com) Though its members believe in a “Supreme Being” and is often misconstrued as a religious organization, it is not. In fact, many organized religions have criticized Freemasonry from the start, contending it goes directly against Biblical Scripture.
For example, Freemasons must take an oath to join the group, when the Bible says, “But I say unto you, Swear not at all; neither by heaven; for it is God's throne: Nor by the earth; for it is his footstool: neither by Jerusalem; for it is the city of the great King. Neither shalt thou swear by thy head, because thou canst not make one hair white or black. But let your communication be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay: for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil.” (Matthew 5:34-37)
Also, Freemasonry is dripping with secrecy when Jesus said, “I have spoken openly to the world. I have always taught in synagogues and in the temple, where all Jews come together. I have said nothing in secret.” (John 18:20)
In the country’s early days, as with all new beginnings, growing pains ensued. Our young nation was boldly standing on its own two feet after risking it all for independence; it was inevitable that it would be hit by opposition. This time, however, it was not in the form of a British army but rather a subtle infiltration. Our founding fathers were accustomed to the early lodges they knew well, and maybe this familiarity clouded their ability to see what may have been occurring. Or maybe some of them knew? With the creation of the “Illuminati” and given its long term mission according to its creator, it is not far-fetched to wonder if Freemasonry had been infiltrated by the Illuminati.
is there an illuminati?
The word “Illuminati” has been made to be a sort of pop culture buzz word, certainly not something to be taken seriously. Endless conspiracy theories surround the word but it’s important to note that it is not new. Many are quick to discredit historical evidence of what was accepted to be true. Did all those seeking to expose the group in the beginning spend years of their lives writing books with information they conjured up on their own, and put their lives in danger for a little fame? A little fortune?
With people like Jay Z holding his hands up in a pyramid shape on stage, the most well-known Illuminati symbol, the question becomes, why? Why do those symbols?
In a 2020 BBC interview, Viren Swami, a professor of social psychology at Anglia Ruskin University, stated, “There’s no one profile of a conspiracy theorist. There are different perspectives of why people believe in these theories, and they’re not necessarily mutually exclusive – so the simplest form of explanation is that people who believe in conspiracy theories are suffering from some sort of psychopathology.”
Apparently, recounting history is now considered psychopathology.
The Origins of the Illuminati
The Illuminati was created in 1776 in modern Germany (Bavaria) by Adam Weishaupt in a supposed effort to enlighten people, to end ignorance. At least on the surface, this concept sounded alright. But it didn’t get too far. By 1785, Bavaria banned the Illuminati, arrested its members, and found a plethora of incriminating evidence that showed they were conspiring against the government. All secret societies were banned as a result of the discovery, and anyone recognized as an Illuminati member or recruiter was to be killed.
Weishaupt escaped and fled to a safe place of Germany.
It has been established that the original Illuminati was around from 1776 to 1787, the same amount of time (and same years) as when the United States wrote the Declaration of Independence to when America originated the Constitution. It was in existence for only 11 years, or so they say. If it had ended in 1787, the rest of the story would not be necessary. But it didn’t end in 1787.
At some point in those 11 years, Weishaupt shared his plan for the Illuminati with a gentleman named John Robison, who Weishaupt thought he could trust. Instead, Robison wrote a book: Proofs of a Conspiracy, which was released in 1798. The book exposed all of Weishaupt’s plans which were outlined in six key principles:
1. Get rid of all governments.
2. Get rid of private property and inheritances.
3. Squash any patriotism.
4. Eliminate family life and marriage.
5. Institute public education.
6. Eliminate religion (Christianity).
To take over societies, wars and revolutions would be created so leaders could be replaced with agents of their liking. Every government was to be run by a single government, and indoctrination would be the catalyst to help achieve this goal.
Clearly if this list and plan were propagated into a barely formed country based on freedom and liberty, it would have had devastating effects instantly. Robison recognized the gravity of the situation and wanted to warn people of the plans Weishaupt had for the world. Because of the book, and because of other factors at the time, people were starting to surmise that the Illuminati had not been dissolved after all, but rather had slowly and secretly infiltrated already established Masonic Lodges.
At the time Proofs of a Conspiracy was released, George Washington received a letter from Reverend G. W. Snyder urging him to take a closer look into a potential infiltration of the Masonic Lodges by the Illuminati. Snyder encouraged Washington to read the book Robison had written. The Reverend was deeply worried about the clandestine group spreading into all the lodges and the effects it would have on the country. Washington wrote back and stated that he had not been in a lodge for many years, but that he was confident the Freemasons were not being infiltrated by the Illuminati.
Snyder then wrote to Washington again, insisting that he read the book. Washington wrote Synder back, this time stating, “It was not my intention to doubt that, the Doctrines of the Iluminati, and principles of Jacobinism had not spread in the United States. On the contrary, no one is more fully satisfied of this fact than I am.”
Washington was merely stating he did not think the Illuminati had infiltrated the Masonic Lodges, though in the previous letter, he stated he had not “been in one more than once or twice, within the last thirty years.” How could he discern whether the Illuminati had infiltrated the Freemasonry when he had not been in a lodge in 30 years? Regardless, Washington was at least aware of and admitted that the Illuminati had reached the United States’ shores.
Enter William Morgan.
Morgan was a former Mason who knew the inner workings of masonry. He announced his intention to publish a book revealing the secrets of the Freemasons titled “Illustrations of Masonry.” He entrusted his good friend David Miller, a newspaper publisher, to help him. Shortly after the announcement, on September 11, 1826, Morgan was arrested for theft and for nonpayment of a loan and ended up in jail in Canadaigua. Miller, the newspaper publisher and friend, paid the debt for Morgan, and Morgan was released.
Shortly after the release, Morgan was arrested again, this time for non-payment of a $2 tavern bill. While the jailer was absent, a group of men went to the jail and convinced the jailer’s wife to release Morgan, which she did. The group of men and Morgan then traveled through Bloomfield, then to Avon, then to Caledonia. They went to LeRoy, then to Batavia, and finally, to Fort Niagara along Niagara Falls. That is the last known location of William Morgan; he went missing after that two-day trip. (The Life and Times of George Washington Patterson, Terrence Grant)
Although Morgan's fate remains unclear, many believed he was murdered by Masonic conspirators to prevent his exposé. The Morgan Affair galvanized public opinion against the Freemasons and ignited a wave of anti-Masonic sentiment. Newspapers covered the case extensively, and public outrage swelled. In the wake of Morgan's disappearance, a groundswell of opposition to the Masons emerged, prompting the formation of the Anti-Masonic movement.
The Birth of the Anti-Masonic Party
The Anti-Masonic movement quickly morphed into a political force, culminating in the formation of the Anti-Masonic Party in 1828. The party held its first national convention in Philadelphia, where it nominated William Wirt as its presidential candidate. The party's platform was straightforward: it aimed to expose the secrecy, alleged corruption, and undue influence of the Freemasons in American society and politics.
The Anti-Masonic Party's emergence was fueled by several key factors. For starters, the overwhelming public outcry against what they now believed the Masons were capable of: extraordinary conspiracies and secrecy. The fear of an elite group running the government also fueled the Anti-Masonic Party. Talk of the Illuminati infiltration into the lodges had now become more well-known, and that influence troubled Americans.
Americans who were religious began to rise up, challenging Masonic rituals. Freemasonry became recognized as opposition to the traditions of religion and the Bible and Christians everywhere sought to expose it.
Surprisingly, political opportunists used the movement to gain power by exploiting the Anti-Masonic sentiment by accusing their opponents of being Masons. In some cases, those who were truly Masons ended up dropping out of races, which gave rise to fresh, new political leaders. In the governor’s race in New York, one Anti-Mason opponent spread an untrue rumor that the incumbent governor, a High Priest of the Grand Chapter of the Royal Arch Masons, had ordered the execution of William Morgan. Though the incumbent won, the margin was closer than predicted because of the public’s suspicion.
The Anti-Masonic Party did not limit its activities to mere rhetoric. It actively sought to expose alleged Masonic conspiracies and abuses of power. One of its most notable actions was the establishment of a series of conventions and committees to investigate the Masons and gather evidence of wrongdoing.
The movement has considerable support in some states, particularly in the Northeast, where it gained political traction.
political influence
The pinnacle of the Anti-Masonic Party's influence came in the 1832 presidential election. William Wirt, the party's nominee, garnered significant support in the Northeastern states. He received 7.8% of the popular vote and carried Vermont, becoming the first third-party candidate in U.S. history to win a state in a presidential election. John Quincy Adams, an Andrew Jackson rival, joined the Anti-Masonic Party to condemn the masons and Jackson (a Mason). In fact, later on in 1847, Adams published a book called Letters on the Masonic Institution which criticized Freemasonry.
Despite the early success of the Anti-Masonic Party, Andrew Jackson was reelected as president. By 1835, Americans were less focused on Anti-Mason politics and more interested in the topic of slavery. The Anti-Masonic legacy, however, continues.
In modern times, there are no organized political parties dedicated to opposing the Freemasons or secret societies in the same way that the Anti-Masonic Party once did. But the movement brought issues of transparency, secrecy, and the role of secret societies into the public consciousness, leading to discussions about accountability in our government. In some regions, mostly in the Northeast, the Anti-Masonic sentiment persisted for years and influenced local elections and politics. The Anti-Masonic Party served as an inspiration for all third-party movements, demonstrating the potential for grassroots movements to challenge established political parties.
The concerns that fueled the Anti-Masonic Party's rise in the 19th century are still around today.
A statue was erected for William Morgan in 1882 by the National Christian Association. The inscription on the monument reads:
Sacred to the memory of Wm. Morgan, a native of Virginia, a Capt. in the War of 1812, a respectable citizen of Batavia, and a martyr to the freedom of writing, printing and speaking the truth. He was abducted from near this spot in the year 1826, by Freemasons and murdered for revealing the secrets of their order. The court records of Genesee County and the files of the Batavia Advocate, kept in the Recorders office contain the history of the events that caused the erection of this monument.
“Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s cloathing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves-BY THEIR FRUITS YE SHALL KNOW THEM-Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?”
