http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anti-Masonic_Party
In New York at this time the
National Republicans, or "Adams men," were a very feeble organization, and shrewd political leaders at once determined to utilize the strong anti-Masonic feeling in creating a new and vigorous party to oppose the rising Jacksonian Democracy. In this effort they were aided by the fact that
Andrew Jackson was a high-ranking Mason and frequently spoke in praise of the Order. The alleged remark of political organizer
Thurlow Weed, that a corpse found floating in the Niagara River was "a
good enough Morgan" till after the election, summarized the value of the crime for the opponents of Jackson. In the elections of 1828 the new party proved unexpectedly strong, and after this year it practically superseded the National Republican party in New York. In 1829 it broadened its issues base when it became a champion of internal improvements and of the protective tariff. The party published 35 weekly newspapers in New York. Soon one became preeminent, the
Albany Journal, edited by
Thurlow Weed. The newspapers reveled in partisanship. One brief
Albany Journal paragraph on
Martin Van Buren included the words "dangerous," "demagogue," "corrupt," "degrade," "pervert," "prostitute," "debauch" and "cursed."