From the Winter 1990 Empire State (New York) Mason:

DeWITT CLIMTON
A Great Public Servant

By MW Robert C. Singer, PGM

There's hardly a school kid 
today who doesn't know of 
the connection between the
building of the Erie Canal and 
a man named DeWitt Clinton. Some-
times called "the Eighth Wonder of 
the World" and, at other times 
"Clinton's Ditch," there is no ques-
tion that the Canal was a major 
factor both in opening the way to 
the West and in establishing New 
York as a leading commercial cen-
ter in the new Nation. But, what 
about the man himself? What kind 
of person was this public figure 
who, more than any other per-
son,brought this great public work 
into existence? To say that he was a 
"public servant" would he like calling 
Michelangelo just a "painter."
DeWitt Clinton was born on March 
2,1769 in Little Britain, Orange Coun-
ty, New York, the third son of General 
James Clinton, a Revolutionary War 
officer. He entered Columbia College 
(then Kings College) in 1784 as a junior, 
and graduated at the head of his class 
in 1786 at the age of seventeen!
After studying law, in 1790 he be-
came private secretary to his famous 
uncle, George Clinton, then Governor 
of New York. Politics was obviously 
in his blood, because he soon was 
elected to the State Assembly (1797) 
and then the State Senate (1798-1802).
While in the Legislature, he 
worked to secure public defense, pas-
sage of sanitary laws, abolition of 
slavery, and promotion of steam in 
navigation.
After election to the U.S. Senate in 
1802, he resigned almost immediately 
to accept appointment (by his uncle) 
as Mayor of New York City, a post he 
held (with two two-year intermis-
sions for service again as a State 
Senator, and a period as Lieutenant 
Governor) until 1815.
His burgeoning national reputa-
tion led to his nomination for the 
Presidency on the Peace Party ticket 
in 1812, but he was defeated by James 
Madison, 128 to 89 electoral votes.
Clinton's interest in the Canal 
project had begun as early as 1810,
when he  sponsored and then served on a
commission to survey the route from 
the Hudson River to Lakes Erie and 
Ontario. In subsequent years, he was 
the projects strongest State and nation-
al advocate, and he eventually drew up 
the final plan for its construction, which 
began in 1817 and lasted until 1826, 
when it was opened to commerce.
A true renaissance man, Clinton 
worked hard, while Mayor of New 
York City, in founding institutions of 
literature and art and developing the 
City as a major metropolitan center. 
He also promoted the establishment 
of the first public schools, beginning a 
national movement in this direction, 
an action that many consider to have 
been even more of an achievement 
than the Canal.
His last public service was as 
Governor of New York--two terms 
between 1817 and 1821 and a third 
term from 1826 until his death in 
February,1828. Of particular note is 
the fact that Clinton was in that pres-
tigous office during the beginning 
part of the infamous Morgan episode, 
which brings us to a discussion of his 
busy Masonic life.
DeWitt Clinton was raised in Hol-
land Lodge 16 (now 8), N.Y.C. in 1790, 
and served as its Worshipful Master 
in 1793. He was elected Grand Master
of Masons in 1806, serving 14 consecu-
tive one-year terms until 1819. He was 
also the first Grand Master of the Grand 
Encampment, Knights Templar, of 
New York, from 1814 until his death;
first Grand Master of the General
Grand Encampment of Knights
Templar of the United States of 
America,from 1816 until 1826; 
first Grand High Priest, Royal 
Arch Masons, of New York, from 
1798 until 1801; and first General 
Grand High Priest, Royal Arch
Masons, from 1816 until 1826. He
also held high rank in the Scottish
Rite. No dilletante Mason, this man
Clinton!
Clinton's service to Masonry was 
particularly important during the 
Anti-Masonic period, which began in 
1826 with the abduction of William 
Morgan, an act that brought on major 
demonstrations against Freemasonry
in America and great losses of mem-
bers and Lodges. Whole public 
careers, that of William Seward being 
one familiar example, were built on 
anti-Masonic platforms. In the face of 
vociferous criticism of the Craft, both 
by public of ficials and the media of the 
day, Clinton spoke out forcefully and 
with courage. "I know that Freemason-
ry is friendly to religion, morality, 
liberty and good government," he 
said. "I shall never shrink under any 
state of excitement, or any extent of 
misapprehension, from hearing tes-
timony in favor of the purity of an 
institution which can boast of a 
Washington and a Franklin and a 
Lafayette as distinguished members 
--which inculcates no principles and 
authorizes no acts that are not in ac-
cordance with good morals, civil 
liberty and entire obedience to the 
government and the laws."
One is tempted to add the name of 
DeWitt Clinton to that of Washington, 
Franklin and Lafayette! Is it any 
wonder, then, that when our Grand 
Lodge searched for the name of a 
prominent public servant and Mason 
to place on its Community Service 
Award, it looked no further than De-
Witt Clinton?
