In 1798 John Robison, a professor of natural philosophy at Edinburgh University in Scotland, published Proofs of a Conspiracy Against all the Religions and Governments of Europe Carried on in the Secret Meetings of Freemasons, Illuminati and Reading Societies. It contained large portions of original writings of the reputed founder of the Order of the Illuminati, Adam Weishaupt, and other members which had been seized by the government of Bavaria (in what is now Germany) in 1786. The extreme importance of Robison's book lies in the fact that it was written when the Illuminati was first brought into public view. A copy of this book (often called Proofs of A Conspiracy for short) had been sent to George Washington, and he responded with a letter to the sender saying that he was aware of the diabolical plans of the Illuminati.
Robison explains, "AN ASSOCIATION HAS BEEN FORMED for the express purpose of ROOTING OUT ALL THE RELIGIOUS ESTABLISHMENTS, AND OVERTURNING ALL THE EXISTING GOVERNMENTS OF EUROPE. ...the most active leaders of the French Revolution were members of this Association...this Association still exists, still works in secret, and ... several appearances among ourselves show that its emissaries are endeavoring to propagate their detestable doctrines among us..."(p.6-7)
"The Association of which I have been speaking, is the Order of ILLUMINATI, founded in 1775, by Dr. Adam Weishaupt, professor of Canon law in the university of Ingolstadt, and abolished in 1786 by the Elector of Bavaria, but revived immediately after, under another name, and in a different form, all over Germany. It was again detected, and seemingly broken up; but it had by this time taken so deep root that it still subsists without being detected, and has spread into all the countries of Europe. It took its first rise among the Free Masons, but is totally different from Free Masonry."(8-9)
Robison goes on to explain how information began to be uncovered about this secret association---
"In the beginning of 1783, four professors of the Marianen Academy, founded by the widow of the late Elector, viz. Utschneider, Cossandey, Renner, and Grunberger, with two others, were summoned before the Court of Enquiry, and questioned, on their allegiance, respecting the Order of the Illuminati. They acknowledged that they belonged to it, and when more closely examined, they related several circumstances of its constitution and principles. Their declarations were immediately published, and were very unfavorable. The Order was said to abjure Christianity, and to refuse admission into the higher degrees to all who adhered to any of the three confessions."(58)
He also tells of how their original papers had been found and made public---
"A collection of original papers and correspondence was found by searching the house of one Zwack [Xavier von Zwack] (a Member) in 1786. The following year a much larger collection was found at the house of Baron Bassus; and since that time Baron Knigge, the most active Member next to Weishaupt, published an account of some of the higher degrees, which had been formed by himself."(72)
Some of what else had been found---
"There are, in the same handwriting, [the handwriting of Zwack] Description of a strong box, which, if forced open, shall blow up and destroy its contents--Several receipts for procuring abortion--A composition which blinds or kills when spurted in the face--A sheet, containing a receipt for sympathetic ink--Tea for procuring abortion--Herbae quae habent qualitatem deleteriam--A method for filling a bed-chamber with pestilential vapours--How to take off impressions of seals, so as to use them afterwards as seals--A collection of some hundreds of such impressions, with a list of their owners, princes, nobles, clergymen, merchants, &c. ..."(75)
Here are some excerpts of Illuminati writings quoted by Robison---
Some revealing quotes:
"The Order must possess the power of life and death in consequence of our Oath; and with propriety, for the same reason, and by the same right, that any government in the world possesses it: For the Order comes in their place, making them unnecessary. ..."(118)
"By this plan we shall direct all mankind. In this manner, and by the simplest means, we shall set all in motion and in flames. The occupations must be so allotted and contrived, that we may, in secret, influence all political transactions....(80)
"... The pupils are convinced that the Order will rule the world. Every member therefore becomes a ruler." (117)
"I [Weishaupt] have considered...every thing, and so prepared it, that if the Order should this day go to ruin, I shall in a year re-establish it more brilliant than ever."(80)
Different means of manipulating society (including by indoctrination through schools):
"There is no way of influencing men so powerfully as by means of the women. These should therefore be our chief study; we should insinuate ourselves into their good opinion, give them hints of emancipation from the tyranny of public opinion, and of standing up for themselves; it will be an immense relief to their enslaved minds to be freed from any one bond of restraint, and it will fire them the more, and cause them to work for us with zeal, without knowing that they do so; for they will only be indulging their own desire of personal admiration.
We must win the common people in every corner. This will be obtained chiefly by means of the schools, and by open, hearty behaviour, show, condescension, popularity, and toleration of their prejudices, which we shall at leisure root out and dispel.
If a writer publishes any thing that attracts notice, and is in itself just, but does not accord with our plan, we must endeavour to win him over, or decry him."(105)
Continuing on the theme of media manipulation or control:
" ...the form of a learned or literary society....may be a powerful engine in our hands. By establishing reading societies, and subscription libraries, and taking these under our direction, and supplying them through our labours, we may turn the public mind which way we will.
In like manner we must try to obtain an influence in the military academies (this may be of mighty consequence) the printing-houses, booksellers shops, chapters, and in short in all offices which have any effect, either in forming, or in managing, or even in directing the mind of man: painting and engraving are highly worth our care."(106)
Robison quotes an internal report of the order thus:
"We get all the literary journals. We take care, by well-timed pieces, to make the citizens and the Princes a little more noticed for certain little slips. ..."(107)
All quotations here are taken from the recent reprint of Proofs of A Conspiracy by The Resistance, which is described on the website www.theresistancemanifesto.com as “a conservative political and media watchdog and activist organization focused on preserving family values and upholding the Constitution of the United States.”
