The Royal Arch.

Chapters at work , and how many of them are lying dormant , if not absolutely extinct ; and the distance which , in such districts as Cornwall and Derbyshire , for instance , separates the Chapters from the Lodges .

The Morgan Mystery;

THE MORGAN MYSTERY ;

ITS CA . USE AND EFFECT . To contend with prejudice and struggle against opinions which ignorance and superstition have sanctioned , requires time , patience , and magnanimity . For a confirmation of this statement we might refer to a history of the world . Many prejudices and persecutions are got up for particular purposes—they vise as hubbies on the ocean of life and

are quickly overwhelmed in its waves ; particular circumstances give them existence , and when these causes cease to exist , they go into the same gulf of oblivion as countless exploded tenets and opinions have gone before them , and are thought of no more , or only with a smile of compassion at the weakness of human nature which permits some cunning

minds to sway tho reason aud opinions of their fellow men for their private interests , in order that they may strut their brief hour on the stage of life . No more remarkable instance of this can be produced than tho excitement which was raised by the so called abduction and murder of William Morgan .

Tho circumstances of the case were as follows . In the year 1775 or 1776 William Morgan Avas born at Culpepper , Virginia , U . S . A . Of his early life little is known . B y his partisans he has been extolled as a man of virtuous habits and principles ; on the other hand , lie has been represented as a pirate in the Gulf of Mexico , and also one of the

celebrated liver pirates of the Mississippi ; his friends state that he was a captain in the American army ; he says himself that he was a private soldier in the army and nothing more . The next place AVC hoar of him was Rochester , whence he removed to the village of Batavia , Genesee county , New York state . By trade Morgan , was an operative mason ; he is said to have been a man of quick intelligence , acute

observation , and some education , and was thus enabled to pass as a sort of oracle among the lower classes of loungers in the jireciucts of village inns . " Indeed , " says Stone , one of his partisans , " his indolence and his habits were such as very naturally to throw him into the associations of such a circle . Although not exactly a common drunkard , to be which , according to certain legal decisions in . this stateit is required

, that a man must be in a state of intoxication more than half the time , still he was continually mingling ' hot rebellious liquors with his blood . ' His nights and sometimes his days also Aveve spent at tippling houses ; while occasionall y , to the still greater neglect of his family , he joined in the drunken carousals of the vilest and most worthless of men .

His disposition was envious , malicious , and vindictive , as I am assured -by a very estimable and pious man of Genesee county , in whose veracity I have the fullest confidence , and in whoso employ Morgan was at one period engaged . " ( Stone , Letters on Masonry , xi . ) Such I have reason to believe is a fair description of tlie character of William Morgan .

While residing at Le Roy , near Rochester , ho became intimately associated with Major James Gannon , on whoso vouchment Morgan was exalted to the degree of a Royal Arch Mason , hut it is affirmed that the brethren could never ascertain in what Lodge he commenced his Masonic career . In tho year I 82 G a few Royal Arch Masons of

Batavia , whore Morgan now resided , determined to apply to the Grand Chapter of the state for a Charter to constitute a Chapter in that village . By some means or other tlie petition was presented to Morgan , which he readily signed ; but his character was now so well understood , and his habits so had , that his association was not desired among tho original promoters of -the object , consequently the fh-rit petition with Morgan ' s name attached , was destroyed , and a now oim

quietly set on foot , by which the charter was gained . Hinc illce . lachrymal . Morgan was IAOAV not a member of the Chapter , nor could he become so without the unanimous consent of the companions , which could not be obtained . Filled with rage and envy , he sought revenge . At that time there also resided at Batavia a Colonel David C . Millertlie editor of a village paper ; he was a man of

respect-, able talents , but of irreligious character , great laxity of moral principle and of intemperate habits . His conduct had alienated his best friends , and a rival neAvspaper had just been started by his old political associates , hence he Avas in great pecuniary and political depression . Miller had many years previously been admitted an Entered Apprentice at Albany ,

and this Avas all he knew of Masonry . A similarity of tastes and habits made Morgan and Miller very intimate ; tliese two then determined to publish what they called "the Secrets of Masonry , " by which they hoped to enrich and at the same time revenge themselves upon their brother Masons . The intended publication was publicly announced , hut little attention was paid to it ; the more respectable portion of the fraternity gave no heed to it ; others thought it some

catchpenny claptrap . The confederates then , for the purpose of drawing more attention to their work , which must otherwise prove ruinous to them , inserted advertisements and articles in different papers , written by themselves but as if by the Masonic party , abusing Morgan and Miller , and cautioning the public against giving any credence to the forthcoming publication . Through this pretended paper Avar some

little attention Avas drawn towards it ; this , however , was not sufficient , and in order to increase the excitement rumours Avere spread that the Freemasons would not alloAv the publication of the work , but would even resort to force to obtain the papers alleged to have been compiled . To give colour to this , the printing office of Miller Avas set fire to , but

having friends ready it Avas promptly extinguished . Morgan in his wanderings had contracted debts in various places , and his creditors had from time to time , as they could trace him , employed the law against him to recover their money ; this circumstance Miller proclaimed as persecution on the part of the Masons , whereas on tbe contrary , several times Morgan was rescued from the clutches of the law by some Masons coming forward and paying the claim brought against him .

On the morning of the 11 th September , 1826 , Morgan was arrested by a constable named Haywood , on a charge of potty larceny . Morgan made no objection to go with him , and breakfasted with the officer and his associates . He then voluntarily entered the carriage with Haywood , which was to convey him to Canandaigua . On arriving at Le Roy , Morgan was told by Haywood that if he chose he miht go

g before the magistrate who had endorsed the Avarrant , and he discharged on giving bail for his appearance to answer the charge at the next term of the general sessions of the peace for Ontario ; but he said he preferred going on to Canandaigua , where lie was taken before Justice Chapman , examined and dischargedhaving beonde fended by a

Freema-, son named Loton Lawson . He was immediately again arrested for debt at the suit of Aaron Ackley , a tavern keeper in Canandaigua , and having no money was committed to gaol . On the evening of the 12 th September , through the good offices of Lawson , who provided the money to liquidate the debtMorgan was releasedand went off arm in arm with

, , Lawson "in a friendly manner . " And now comes the mysterious part of the matter . Mrs . Hall , the wife of the gaoler , stated that having let out Morgan and Lawson , while closing the gates she heard the cry of murder , and looking out saw Morgan , Lawson , and another man struggling , while Sawyer and Cheeseboro were standing quietly by looking on .

That shortly afterwards a carriage drove by empty and immediatel y returned full of men . It was a bri ght moonlight night , so that she could swear to the carriage , ifec . ; but it does not appear that she ever swore as to the persons ill