ing politics, business, and religion. The courts could not be trusted. At last the legislature appointed David Mosely to investigate the case (1828), and he was succeeded by John C. Spencer (1829). Several persons were tried, but no one was convicted.

The Antimasons resolved to fight through the ballotbox. They opposed Clinton's re-election (1826) and excluded masons from office in western New York (1827). In 1828 they held a state convention at Utica, appointed independent candidates, and polled 33,345 votes. They favored Adams for President, sent representatives to the legislature, used newspapers to wage their contest, and in 1830 polled 120,361 votes. In 1832 national candidates were nominated. Then the excitement died out, and questions of finance and tariff soon dissolved the party.

Significance of the Movement. Thus closed a movement in which popular frenzy reached its highest pitch. It had turned father against son, and brother against brother, and had broken up families. It had closed schools and divided churches, influenced business, shut up thousands of lodges, and decided elections. Masons forswore their order by the hundred.1 Handbills, · pamphlets, placards, and newspapers were used to arouse the people to united effort. No doubt the agitation quickened the social conscience of the people and struck a blow in favor of democracy.

Origin of Mormonism.-New York is celebrated for groups of peculiar people. The "Universal Friends " settlement has been already mentioned (p. 114). Another was that of the Mormons, now and since 1847 in

1 The "Declaration of Independence" at Le Roy, July 4, 1828.

Utah. Joseph Smith was the "Mormon prophet." Born in Vermont (1805), he removed, at the age of ten, with his parents to Palmyra, New York. The story goes like this: When fifteen he began to see visions. At eighteen the angel Moroni told him that God had chosen him for a special work. At twenty-two the angel placed in his hands a golden volume, eight inches long, seven wide, and six thick, consisting of thin plates fastened by three rings, on which was written an account of the early inhabitants of America.

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Later Movements. To read the unknown language a pair of magical spectacles was given him. He read the plates, translated them into English, the plates mysteriously disappearing as they were transcribed. In 1830 the manuscript was printed at Palmyra as The Book of Mormon." Three persons besides Smith swore to having seen the plates and having handled them, but later they quarreled with him and declared the whole matter a fraud. Eight others took oath that Smith had shown them the plates. He gained a few followers in consequence, and organized a small congregation at Fayette, Seneca county (April 6, 1830), but the hostility of his neighbors forced him to lead his followers, first to Ohio (1831), and thence, driven out by citizens, to Missouri, and from there to Illinois, where he was killed. Brigham Young was at that time chosen leader and conducted the organization, then numbering 16,000, to Utah.

The Shakers were early introduced into the state. The order originated in England in the eighteenth century. Anna Lee, a blacksmith's daughter, joined the order (1758), and in 1770, while ill, received a revela

tion from God proclaiming celibacy as the true rule of life. Soon she left for North America with seven followers (1774) and located at Watervliet, N. Y. (1776). She converted over 2,000 people to her belief before she died (1784). They believed" Mother Ann" was Christ in his second appearance. They lived in common and owned property as one family of brothers and sisters. In 1826 there were about 5,000 Shakers in the United States. The great "spiritual shaking" took place in Watervliet ten years later. They spread to Columbia and Livingston counties in this state, and are found in seven other states. The order has decreased, however, and numbers now scarcely 1,000 members.

The Millerites.-William Miller, the farmer-preacher, lived at Low Hampton, Washington county (1815). He had been a captain in the War of 1812. In 1833 he began to announce the speedy second coming of Christ for 1843, when he declared that the world would be destroyed. In a few years his converts in America and England numbered many thousands. They were denounced as Millerites, but called themselves Second Adventists. The date was changed several times, but the sect soon dwindled away. The leader died in 1849.

The Oneida Community.-John H. Noyes, the advocate of an odd religious creed, established the Oneida Community in 1847. He was a graduate of Dartmouth College and had studied law and theology. The members of this order lived and labored in common. For years they lived in peace and prosperity, but at last public sentiment, led by the clergy of the state, forced the community to abandon objectionable social features (1879). The property was divided and a joint-stock

company organized (1881). Under these changes the Community still continues.

Spiritualism. Hydesville, near Rochester, was the birthplace of modern spiritualism. A German by the name of Fox and his two daughters first heard the rappings from the walls and furniture (1848). Soon the girls learned the meaning of the sounds and were able to converse with departed spirits, so they professed and many believed. Their revelations created much interest, and soon "circles" were formed all over the country and in Europe (1852). One of the sisters confessed the fraud, but repudiated her confession before she died. Judge Edmonds, a New York lawyer of fame, wrote a book on it. There are about 50,000 spiritualists in the United States to-day.

CHAPTER XXXV.-STATE AND NATIONAL POLITICS

Van Buren's Leadership.-The election of 1832 had both local and national importance. Van Buren was expected to succeed Jackson as President, but the latter accepted the nomination for a second term with Van Buren as Vice-President. At this time Van Buren was the idol and leader of the New York Democrats. The National Republicans met at Buffalo (Nov., 1830) to urge the election of Clay to the presidency, and a month later in New York City publicly nominated him. Clay party in favor of protection for home industries was organized and spread throughout the state, and a state convention at Albany sanctioned Clay's nomination (June 3, 1831),

A

Election of 1832.-In the state election the Antimasons at Utica nominated Granger and Stevens to head the ticket (Nov. 21, 1832), and the National Republicans indorsed them. The Democrats sneered at this "coalition" and named Marcy and Tracy at Herkimer to lead them (Sept. 19). The state issues were Van Buren's ascendency, state and national banks, and the canals. The national issues were protection, finance, and internal improvements. In a hotly contested election Marcy defeated Granger by less than 10,000 votes for governor, while Jackson and Van Buren were victorious in the nation. It was a great triumph for New York Democrats. Their leader was now Vice-President and a candidate for President, and they were in complete control of the state government. Marcy was reelected in 1834 and 1836 by the shrewd management of the Albany Regency.

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The Coalition."-In 1832 the "coalition," coalition," or antiJacksonian party, was made up of masons and Antimasons, old Clintonians and Clayites, whose double bond of union was hatred of Jackson and the Regency, and love for Clay and his policy. Jackson resolved to remove the government's deposits from the Bank of the United States (Sept., 1833), and great financial distress followed. This, greatly exaggerated, was used as the basis of a new party. In New York the National Republicans assumed the name of Whigs in 1834 and were immediately joined by the Antimasons, but their nominee for governor, William H. Seward, was defeated by Marcy with 13,000 majority.

Equal-Rights Men and the "Loco-Focos."-The EqualRights Party, growing out of the Working Men's Party