Book Description

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1873 edition. Excerpt: ... a. In the body of our narrative we have spoken of the effort made to bring the Morgan aoductors to punishment, as an " abortive attempt." We cannot better justify the use of that language, than by giving in full the report which follows: -- REPORT, &c. The President of the Convention (Mr. John C. Spencer), from the committee appointed on that subject, remarked, that the convention had done him the honor, by a special resolution, to place him at the head of the committee, probably from the circumstance that his official connection with the prosecutions in question had given him ample opportunity to become acquainted with the proceedings, respecting which the convention had desired information; and that a report had accordingly been prepared, which would now be submitted: -- "A history of the judicial proceedings had in the State of New York, to discover and punish the offenders concerned in the kidnapping and murder of William Morgan, seems at this time to be required, in order to preserve, in an authentic shape, facts of the utmost importance in the history of our country; and to present in the most simple form that series of evidence which establishes the agency and combination of members of the masonic fraternity in impeding inquiry, baffling investigation, and defeating the ordinary administration of justice. It is a melancholy picture of folly and crime; but the sooner and the more extensively it is known, the speedier and more effectual will be the remedy which the intelligence and public spiril of a free people will apply. Those events are rapidly receding from our minds, and giving place to others of greater novelty, but of inferior importance; and of those which remain, many become confused and indis-tinctin our memories. The...