 The Anti-Masonic Party originated as a movement against Freemasonry, but it developed into the country's first third party and embraced a general program of anti-elitism.Adams expected a light workload when he returned to Washington at 64 years old, but Speaker Andrew Stevenson selected Adams chairman of the Committee on Commerce and Manufactures.Though he identified as a member of the Anti-Masonic Party, Congress was broadly polarized into allies of Jackson and opponents of Jackson, and Adams generally aligned with the latter camp.