1869. J
Apperidlx.
167
This question has lJeen agitated sOlnewhat of late, and we Bhall review it here, for the reason that, as far as we call learn, ,ve have given our opinion on the side of the general usage of this jurisdiction, to-'\vit, that" a Mason under charges is not in good standing," and as we can find 110 Magonic usage in Missouri but what bas something to stand 011, ,ve shall attempt to repl:y to our N e\v York brethren. In the first place we hold theln to be in error vvhen they say we IlLre more unjust than the profane, for the reason that every man in the civil courts who is charged with any criIninal offence is not judged to be innocent till he is proven guiltless; for we know of 110 law which allows him to go free till he is tried, but is either put in jail or has to give bonds. The most that he can do, if he is illnocent, is to ask the public to withhold their judgmellt till he proves his case in court, and ill the meantime the public thInk what they please. If John Smith is an elnploye in the Post-otfice,{ and is charged with abstracting Inoney from letters, and the specifications given of the time, place and amount, we ask Bl路(). Simons whether John Slnith is allo'\ved to remain ill the office till his trial comes off? Again, if John SUlith commits an offence against the law in the streets, and is arrested by a poljcel1:1all, is he, because he says he is innocent, allowed to run free" without se..l curity, till he proves his innocence? Most assuredlfy not. Therefore, all this talk about the obsolete maxilU of a dead age, that "a man is judged innocent till be is proven guilty," will not hold to-day, for it has no existence, except in this, that if he is arrested for murder, and indicted by the Grand .Jury, he is not hung till he has a trial, but he must nevertheless give bonds for his appearance, or be locked up. New, to show that Masonry is more humane than the civil law, we will show that the offence is greater and the punisblnent is lighter, in this: That John Slnith has taken 110 voluntary oath that he will not ,break the peace, 01" steal, &o.,-he is merely a citizen by birth and necessity, without any other obligation than that of publie opinion or the penalty of the la,v-whereas the Mason is not only under that, but the additional voluntary obligation of respect for and obedience to the laws of his Lodge and the Fraternity. Jbhn Smitll is not only under a cloud of suspicion with the publio, but he is imprisoned besides, while the Mason is only temporarily suspended from the privileges of the Lodge, and gi-ves no bonds, but has the assurance of the law路 for a speedy and im~tial trial, and if he can prove the charges against him to be Dj1alicious, he has recourse against the accuser for gross urun 60:11duct.. If he is sU$p~nded or expelled, he has an appeal to the Grand