The persecution of Freemasonry

(...) I finish, at last. Mr. José Cabral let Freemasonry to Freemasons and to those, who not being masons, saw the same light in another Temple. Let anti-freemasonry to those anti-masons which are the legitimate intellectual heirs of a famous preacher that discovered that Herodes and Pilate where wardens at a Lodge, in Jerusalem. Put all this aside and in the next 13 February, if you wish , let us go to Fatima (Sanctuary). That date matches well, because the 13 is the anniversary of that famous law, enforced by João Franco, that sanctioned political prisoners with the death penalty.

Excerpt from a letter of Fernando Pessoa published in Diário de Lisboa at the 4Th February, 1935. José Cabral was a MP in the new National Assembly elected after the monopolist party, União Nacional (National Union) won the elections in 1934. José Cabral presented a bill to the Parliament forbidding citizens to be members of any secret society, under the threat of several penalties including detention and exile. On 27th March the second reading of the bill receive positive support in Câmara Corporativa (Corporate Chamber) ans was voted favourably and unanimity on 6th April. Freemasonry became outlawed with the enforcement of Law 1901 of 21st March 1935.