27 March 1834
adams-john10 Neal Millikan Bank of the United States Anti-Masonic Party
281

27. V:30. Thursday.

Several visitors

I had this morning a number of visitors, but could not retain their names— Chiefly members of the numerous deputations from Meetings in several of our Cities, sent to represent to Congress, and to the President, the great distress among all the industrious classes of the community, in consequence of the harsh and unlawful measures of the President against the Bank of the United States— It is scarcely conceivable that such extensive desolation should have been effected, by so very trifling a cause.— At the House, Chilton Allan of Kentucky spoke upon the Mardis Resolution till one— And William W. Ellsworth of Connecticut, upon Wilde’s Amendment about two hours.— Rufus Choate then took the floor and moved an adjournment— Isaac M’Kim of Baltimore called for the yeas and nays, and the adjournment was carried 86 to 67.— At 7 in the Evening, I attended the meeting of the Anti-Masonic Members of the House of Representatives which was transferred from the chamber of the Committee of Manufactures to that of the Committee of Foreign Affairs— There were present, John Banks, William Clarke, Harmar Denny, and William Hiester of Pennsylvania, John Dickson, Millard Fillmore, Philo C. Fuller, Abner Hazeltine Henry C. Martindale, and Frederic Whittlesey of New-York, Jonathan Sloane of Ohio, William Slade of Vermont; and William Jackson of Massachusetts— I was chosen chairman of the Meeting, which had been agreed upon by the members from New-York and Pennsylvania. Its purpose was to hold a consultation upon the present condition and prospects of the Antimasonic cause, in the several States where it has partially prevailed, and to enquire whether any concert of measures might be advisable for its promotion.— The Occasion of the Meeting was the presence of Mr Grainger of New-York in the City, and he was present at the Meeting— Nothing special was proposed, but Mr Grainger was requested to give a statement of the condition of Antimasonry in the State of New-York, and especially in that part of it where he resides.— He said that in all the Western Counties of New-York Masonry was extinct— The lodges and Chapters were all abandoned, and almost all of them formally dissolved.— That the Spirit of Antimasonry had consequently subsided; there was no adversary left to contend with, and as a distinctive party there could scarcely be said to be any anti-masonry left— If the Free-Masons should attempt to revive their Institutions in those Counties, he had no doubt, the Antimasonic Spirit would instantly revive, with as much zeal and ardour as it had ever manifested 282but Masonry was no longer a subject upon which there was a conflict of opinion to stimulate exertion, and as a distinct principle it would be utterly impossible to maintain a mere antimasonic party— The members of the House from the State of New-York all agreed that this was perfectly in harmony with the prevailing Sentiments of their Constituents— All were of opinion that it would be impossible to maintain any longer in that State a distinct, organized Anti-masonic party— The members from Pennsylvania, appeared to be not quite so much discouraged; but none of them entertained any expectation that the party would obtain a majority of the People of the State— After a desultory conversation, of between two and three hours the meeting was by common consent adjourned; to meet again on Tuesday the 15th. of April at 7 in the Evening, and at the same place. It was near eleven at Night when I got home.

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