Answers To Correspondents.

ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS .

All Letters and communications must he addressed to the Editor of THE FREEMASON ' S CHRONICLE , 6 * 7 Barbican , London , E . G . L . L . —Wo will make the needful enquiries , and announce to you tho result .

PROVINCE- —We answered the question last week . WET . I .-WI . SHEI ; . —Thanks for the suggestion , which will bo duly attended to . P . M . —You will find a full exposition of tho subject in Findel .

Correspondence.

CORRESPONDENCE .

All Letters must bear the name and address of the Writer , not necessarily for publication , but as a guarantee of good faith . We cannot undertake to return rejected communications . We do not hold ourselves responsible for the opinions of our Correspondents .

CHARITY STEWARDS AND CHARITY JEWELS

To the Editor of THE FREEMASON ' S CHRONICLE . DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , —Tho inestimable services rendered by Stewards to the Masonic Charities , tho commendable zeal with which most of them strive to swell the amount of contributions upon their lists , and the sacrifice of personal ease ancl convenience they cheerfully give are familiar to all . It may , therefore , be a pertinent inquiry ,

whether , and in what manner , these services aro recognised by the governing bodies . As a rule , a Steward neither seeks nor expects recognition . He is assiduous in his work , contented [ if successful , and asks for no praise . He revels in . the pleasing conviction that " virtue is its own reward , " aud looks for no other . It has , however , always been held that the expressed approbation of our follow beings is exceedingly

gratifying , acting like incense to tho nostrils of frail human nature . This human weakness was well understood by the Dake of Sussex , and his knowledge in this respect was exemplified by the institution of a Jewel , to be worn as a mark of distinction by those who have served at least two Stewardships to either of the Charities . A third , and similar subsequent services , aro distinguished by additional bars

or clasps . Xow the question proposed to be discussed is : Aro those privileges bestowed equitably upon the deserving , or indiscriminately distributed ? The invariable practice at present will not , I venture to assert , truly represent the intentions of tho founder . It matters not how exemplarily a Steward has acted , sparing no paius in tho collection of subscriptions and donations , or whether ho merely pays

his Steward s teo and heads his list with five or ton guineas , the reward in both cases is exactly tho same . Without for a moment wishing to impugn the wisdom of the authorities who sanction what is so glaringly unfair iu principle , yet the fact cannot bo ignored that common justice would dictate a more equitable method of recognition . A Steward who , by dint of perseverance , regardless

of the many unpleasant obstacles incidental to the performance of such a task as soliciting subscriptions , having many rebuffs , aud mindful only that his duties should be well and faithfully done , is surely entitled to greater consideration than the one who does little beyond paying his donation . Would it not tend to the great advantage of the Institutions if the distinctive mark depended , not upon the

number of fees and donations , but upon the zeal , as manifested by the results on the lists . Why should distinction be awarded to one , DO matter how little deserved , simply because he acted twice as Steward , and not to another who , in his first Stewardship , was the means of benefiting the Charities to ten times the amount . If the Jewel represents an emblem of distinction , and is to be worn as such ,

greater restrictions arc needed iu the distribution of them , lest then value should be depreciated , and the effects they had been intended to produce frustrated . It would certainly not be difficult to devise a method more iu harmony with justice , and which might , at the same time , act as a stimulant to those whoso charitable instincts are rather of the passive than of the active kind . These remarks are

not intended to point to those who try their utmost , with all their heart and strength , but whoso position in society is of such a nature as to bo an inevitable bar to success ; but to a not inconsiderable number who aro too indolent to persevere , and yet ever eager to obtain the honours . To prevent unfairness might it not be enacted that no Steward shall be entitled to wear the Charity Jewel nutii ho

has collected a specified sum in subscriptions or donation :. ! , or until such sum has been subscribed by himself in one or more instalments , over and above the usual Steward ' s fee and donation , necessary to qualify him as a Lifo Governor , the reward of it bar or clasp to bo bestowed upon a stated supplementary amount having been collected . There arc doubtless other , and , very probably , much hotter methods

of overcoming the difficulty , and these suggestions are merely advanced to induce discussion upon a subject Avhich certainly merits snne attention . There is another point in connection with this question to which it may not , perhaps , be unprofitable to refer . Subscriptions aud

donations avc not unfrequontly forwarded direct to tho Secretaries . A Steward , who happens to bo aware of the fact and enjoys the acquaintance of that officer , makes kuown to him the comparative iusigniiic . mee of his collection . Obligingly , and certainly without direct liana to the Institution , the amount is enlarged from the sums so received . It cannot fail to be perceived that , if such a coarse WHS

Correspondence.

generally encouraged , ultimate disadvantage must accrue . It is giving a premium to negligence . A brother , showing sufficient amount of interest in his duties as Steward , by his wash to augment tho total upon his list to what would look something like a respectable sum , aud finding no such readily-accessible source whence to procure the accumulation , would possibly be induced to put his shoulder to

the wheel , and work with the hearty good will a faithful and conscientious Steward is bound to show . A true labourer in the cause of benevolence starts with the consciousuess of many difficulties to be conquered . He would therefore take as his watchword , " Labor omnia viiicit , " and eventually become an example to many others , who would quickly follow in his footsteps . Yours fraternally , KEC ; ALIA .

Count Cagliostro.

COUNT CAGLIOSTRO .

To the Editor oj THE FREEMASON s CHRONICLE . DEAR SIR ANU BROTHER , —It may be interesting to your readers to know that the very rare print Avhich you refer to in tho article about Count Cagliostro , in your publication of 20 th inst ., is one of Gillray ' s Caricatures . I havo a copy in my possession , aud it has tho following , in French and English : —¦

AitsTKACT or THE ARAUIAN COUNT ' MEMOIRS . Bora , God knows where , supported , God knows how , From whom descended—difficult to know . Lord Crop adopts him as a bosom friend , And madly dares his character defend .

This solf-dubb d Count , some few years siuco became A Brother Mason in a borrowed name ; For names like Semple , numerous ho bears , Ancl , Proteus-liko , in fifty forms appears . " Behold iu me ( he says ) Dame Nature ' s Child ,

Of Soul benevolent , and manners mild ; In me the guiltless Acharat behold , Who knows the mystery of making gold , A feeling heart I boast , a conscience pure , I boast a Balsam every ill to cure ,

My Pills and Powders , all disease remove , Benew your vigour , and your health improve . " This cunning part , the arch-imposter acts , And thus , the weak , aud credulous attracts . But now , his history is rendered clear ;

The arrant hypocrite , and quack appear . First as Balsamo , he to paint essay'd , But only daubing , he renoune'd the trade . Then , as a Mountebank , abroad he stroll'il , And many a uamo on Death ' s black list enrolled .

Three times ho visited the British shore , And ev ' ry time a different name he bore , Tho brave Alsatians he with ease cajol'd , By boasting of Egyptian forms of old . The self-same trick , he practis'd at Bourdoaux ,

At Strasburg , Lyons , and at Paris too , But fate for Brother Mash reserv'd the task , To strip tho vile imposter of his Mask . May all true Masons , his plain tale attend 1 And Satire ' s lash to fraud shall put an cud .

It may bo interesting to acid , that ( I believe in 1791 ) there was published , price 3 / 6 , "Tho Life of Joseph Balsamo , commonly called Count Cagliostro . Printed for G . Kearsley , Fleet Street . " To which Kearsley added tho following characteristic note in his

Advertisement : — "N . B . Compared with other villains who have ab different periods infested tho world , Cagliostro raised a degree of Avonder at the subtilty of his schemes , the enormity of his depredations , and his hazardous escapes , which no others are entitled to . " Yours truly and fraternally , JOHN HOGG .

To the Editor of Tux FREEMASON ' S CHRONICLE . York , 2 ! 3 rd March . DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , —Your interesting sketch of the life of tho impostor , Count Cagliostro , was read by me , and by other

brethren m this city , with especial interest , since tho York Lodge has iu its possession a copy of tho rare print published in 17 W ) to which yon havo alluded . Tho visage of the "Count" in this engraving ia of the repulsive kind described by Carlylc . Yours fraternally , 236 .

Two new Gr . Lodges have recently been organized iu the United States , the latest one being in Wyoming Territory , aad composed ot i he representatives of Cheyenne , South Pass , Latum o ami I ' jvanstiai Lodge ::-. Edward P . Snow was chos-m Gr . Master and 1 . II . J ( trey , Jl- 'cording Gr . Secretary . The Gr . Lodge ! . < to consist of the Masters , Wardens and actual l ' ast Masters in the jurisdiction . THO uuxt session of the Gr . Lodge will be hold at Laramie Citv

mi tho second Tuesday in October LS 75 . The other is the Grand Lodge of the Indian Territory , which was organised at Caddo , Choctaw Nation . Three Lodges perfected tho organisation . The next meeting of this body will take place in September next . Granville McPhc-rson Avas chosen Grand Master , and E . J . Jones Occording Grand Secretary , They both reside at Caddo , Choctaw Nation , I . T . —New York Courier ,