A NARRATIVE OF THE FACTS AND CIRCUMSTANCES RELATING TO THE KIDNAPPING AND PRESUMED MURDER OF WM. MORGAN: AND OF THE ATTEMPT TO CARRY OFF DAVID C. MILLER, AND TO BURN OR DESTROY THE PRINTING-OFFICE OF THE LATTER, FOR THE PURPOSE OF PREVENTING THE PRINTING AND PUBLISHING OF A BOOK, ENTITLED Illustrations of Masonry.

Descripción

84pp. Modern blue paper wrappers. Lower right corner of titlepage torn away, with loss of a few words, large stain to titlepage. Some foxing and soiling throughout without any other loss of text. Overall good plus. The presumed second edition (of three in the same year) of this sensational and highly impactful contemporary account of William Morgan's probable kidnapping and murder by Freemasons from New York. Morgan had been a Mason, apostated, and advertised a forthcoming book laying bare the secret ceremonies of the order, to be published by David Cade Miller. In the course of the printing of the first edition, Miller's shop was victim of an attempted arson and severely damaged, but the work was published nonetheless. Shortly thereafter Morgan was kidnapped from a stagecoach by persons unknown, presumed to be Masons, and was never heard from again. Morgan was probably a scoundrel who lied his way into the Masonic lodges he attended and whose expulsion from the order had as much to do with his prickly personality than anything else, but his murder was nonetheless largely unprovoked and caused quite the stir. His book, his sudden disappearance, and the lack of consequences for his kidnappers combined to raise a great hue and cry against the Masons, leading directly to the formation of America's first third party, the Anti-Masonic Party. This pamphlet was probably written in part by Miller, who was a friend of Morgan. The Anti- Masons held that the Masons were trying secretly to undermine the republic and take control of the government, and they enjoyed considerable strength in Morgan's home state of New York for several years. The inciting book, ILLUSTRATIONS OF MASONRY, went through many editions immediately, as did this NARRATIVE OF THE FACTS. Walgren suggests that this edition was printed before the Brookfield, Massachusetts edition of the same year, making it the second edition overall. This edition is not listed in Howes or Sabin. Shaw & Shoemaker are in error in calling for eighty-eight pages of text. WALGREN 2807. SHAW & SHOEMAKER 29880. SABIN 50684 (other eds). HOWES M807 (other eds). N° de ref. del artículo WRCAM57334

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