| The Anti-Masonic movement spawned the first | | | | Morgan's kidnapping and presumed murder. The |
| third political party in the United States, known as | | | | Anti-Masons capitalized on those feelings of |
| the Anti-Masonic Political Party (also known as the | | | | ordinary citizens to institute a third party. |
| Anti-Masonic Movement). It occurred in upstate | | | | The Anti-Masonic political party is responsible for |
| New York in 1828. The strange disappearance of | | | | instituting the convention system. With the |
| Captain William Morgan precipitated the | | | | convention system of political voting, delegates |
| movement. | | | | elected at the local level choose the candidates to |
| Captain William Morgan tried to join a new order | | | | support. The party was considered a minor one |
| of Masons in Batavia, New York, and when they | | | | that was basically known as a "single issue" party. |
| rebuffed his attempts, he said he was going to | | | | This term meant the party really campaigns on |
| publish a book outlining the secrets and inner | | | | just one issue, as opposed to having concerns |
| workings of their fraternity. This was unthinkable | | | | and stands on several issues affecting society. In |
| to the Masons, and they tried everything they | | | | essence, the Anti-Masonic political party was |
| knew to stop him, finally resorting to kidnapping | | | | opposed to Freemasonry, which a growing |
| and murder. | | | | population saw as a cult and opposed to the |
| When these accusations were brought against the | | | | freedoms for everyone that most people sought. |
| Masons, a public outcry ensued. More and more | | | | The movement began in New York and was |
| speculation about what actually went on in their | | | | most popular there, although it later spread to |
| secret society became a hot topic of | | | | neighboring states as well. New York, at that time, |
| conversation. People feared the members of | | | | was considered heavily as a political state. Martin |
| Freemasonry and believed they sought to take | | | | Van Buren, a Mason and soon-to-be President of |
| over their communities as an elitist group who | | | | the United States in 1836, ran a "political machine" |
| were disparaging rules of good citizenship. Many | | | | in New York that Thurlow Weed (a very strong |
| judges and local officials were also Masons, and | | | | anti-Mason) termed the "Albany Regency." The |
| their actions were often called into question as | | | | Regency was very effective at manipulating |
| they seemed to favor fellow Masons over | | | | people and political situations and served as a |
| non-Masons when making legal decisions. | | | | back-up agency running Van Buren's plans while he |
| Up until that time in history, there had never | | | | was out of the state, serving in one political |
| before been another political party to challenge | | | | capacity or another in Washington, D.C. The |
| the Republicans and Democrats (as they came to | | | | Regency was just one more reason why the |
| be known). The Anti-Masonic Party came about | | | | Anti-Masonic political party thrived at this time. |
| because of the fear elicited as a response to | | | | |