Anti-Masonic party

In the 19th century, many Americans developed a renewed fear of Freemasonry and all sorts of secret societies, even forming the Anti-Masonic Party in the 1820s.

Anger at the purported killing and cover-up led to widespread criticism of secret societies and to the formation of a new political party, the Anti-Masonic Party.

Even a small group of motivated conpiracists can have an outsize effect on broader society, as in the anti-Masonic Party, and increasing representation in elected officials can end up legitimizing fringe beliefs.

It even birthed a political party, the Anti-Masonic Party, which ended up holding its own presidential convention and nominating the United States' first third-party candidate.

During the presidential election of 1832, the Anti-Masonic Party opposed President Andrew Jackson, who was a Mason, and had planned to support his opponent, Henry Clay.