nse. He said that if the states chose to spend the money the federal government supplied them with on internal improvements, that would be acceptable, but never at federal expense. He objected to a high national debt while supporting state banks and issuing of paper money. President Jackson was "honest and patriotic; that he was the friend of the people, battling for them against corruption and extravagance, and opposed only by dishonest politicians. They loved him as their friend." Another issue that arose before the election was the controversy surrounding the sudden disappearance of a Western New York man named William Morgan. He had joined a Freemasonry club that apparently did not appeal to him. After leaving the club angry over the fact that he felt neglected and not part of the group, Morgan published a book of the Masonic secrets. He was arrested for apparently stealing a tie, released, and arrested again for a debt he owed to a Mason. After being released on bail, he was taken to Fort Niagara and allegedly drowned by the Masons in the Niagara River. An order went out by New York Governor De Witt Clinton calling for "the dismissal of every appointed Mason in office." An explosion of anti-masonry broke out. They were accused of being an "elitist group, made up of aristocrats wanting to control everything, the government, the courts, and business." Andrew Jackson was a high ranking Masonic official. Adams hoped to capitalize on that fact announcing he never was part of the Masonic group, but the importance of his statement was downplayed with the announcement that Henry Clay was a Mason. Jackson believed the executive branch of the government should dominate. He intended to lecture congress on what their duties should be. He also believed in the idea of the "spoils system" in which he believed that the President should be allowed to appoint anyone he desires to his cabinet positions. If someone had the power to b...
