Members of a political party in the United States (1827-1835) formed to combat the Freemasons, under the belief that legislatures, judges, juries, and newspapers were under their influence. The party originated in New York state under Thurlow Weed, W. H. Seward, and others, following upon the mysterious disappearance in 1826 of William Morgan of Batavia, New York, a Mason who had threatened to divulge the secrets of the order. The party nominated General William Wirt for president in 1832, and he received seven votes in the Electoral College. In 1875 the party was revived as the "American Party."