Labour—Its Duties And Its Rights.

Avho is working , no matter in what way , strives perpetually to be honest , not because honesty is the best policy , but for the sake of justice , and that he may render to every man his due . Such a labourer is continually building up in himself one of the greatest principles of social duty and

morality . Labour is a school of benevolence , as well as justice . A man , to support himself , must serve others . He must do or produce something for their comfort or gratification . Labour may be performed so as to give an elevated impulse to the mind , as Avell as to feed the body .

Brotherhood is not a cold , selfish , isolation , that can stand by , and , Avith freezing apathy , see any of the members of the human family unjustly oppressed . Men may Avork in different departments of life , and recognise their brotherly relation , and honour one another , and hold friendly

communication Avith one another . Undoubtedly men will prefer as friends and common associates those with Avhom they sympathise most ; but this should not be to form a rank or caste . For example , the intelligent seek out the intelligent , and the pious the religious ; but suppose the

religious and the intelligent Avere to cut themselves off by some broad visible distinction from the rest of society , to form a clan of their OAvn , to refuse admission into their houses to people of inferior knowledge and virtue , and to diminish as far as possible the intercourse Avitb them , would not society

rise up as as one man against this exclusiveness ? also to raise their voice against every injustice , no matter from what source it may come . These ideas are suggested in consequence of the conduct of Lord John Manners . A short time since a memorial Avas presented to the Right

Honorable Lord John Manners , Her Majesty ' s Postmaster-General , by a number of the employe ' s of the Post Office . That memorial Avas couched in respectful terms . It showed the high price of house rent and fuel , and , in consideration of the increased demands upon their funds , to meet these

necessities of housekeeping , they respectfully requested an advance of wages . That memorial Avas most harshly met , not only by a blank refusal to inquire into the application , but by an act of official despotism and culpable severity that cannot be justified . Men Avho had been in the postal

service—men who had spent the best portion of their days in that service—Avere peremptorily dismissed for merely asking that their Avages might be advanced to keep themselves and families in a decent and respectful position . What employer of labour , whether in town or country ,

would have done as the postal authorities have in such a matter ? The course that every reasonable person Avould have adopted Avould have been to have given the memorial due consideration , and if he considered its request

inconsistent or unreasonable , decline to accede to it . Not so the Post Office . Many of the men are at once and for ever discharged , and others reduced in position and Avages , for doing , Avith all respect , that Avhich is perfectly legal and right .

Taking the Post Office as an employer of labour only , in Avhich light those Avho are employed are sure to look at it , Avho can see why it should expect or exact more from its employes than any other , without offering some

equivalent advantage . Those in the country knoAV but little of the condition of the London men , but many of us knoAV the difficulty of the duties , and the miserable remuneration to those in office in small toAvns . The correct and accurate

working of this department of the public service is so very important for the commercial necessities of the nation , that all thinking and honest minds must deprecate that vile system of parsimonious economy that does an injustice to labour , and leads to temptation . When a

man has secured a situation in the Post Office as a clerk , he ought to receive that amount of remuneration for his services as Avill enable him to live in a respectable manner . His industry is required , his integrity is tested . A position as Clerk in a Post Office ought to be

of such value that a young man entering upon that duty should consider himself settled for life . He should be able to feel that his present reAvard and future prospects are good enough to stimulate him to make every exertion to perform his responsible duties Avith the care and fidelity

so absolutely necessary . The battle betAveen capital and labour is one of those great social questions that has yet to be dealt with . When high officials of an English government have descended to petty persecution , it behoves

every lover of right and justice to enter a stern protest against such conduct . The facts of the case are these : Of the thirty-two Post Office employes suspended by Lord John Manners , because their petition for increase of pay had been

Labour—Its Duties And Its Rights.

published in the newspapers , without their connivance , as they assert , three Avere restored to duty on their former footing , twenty-three Avere " reduced , " one resigned , and five Avero dismissed , these facts speak for themselves , and the Postmaster has not heard the last upon this subject .

Masonic Curiosities.

MASONIC CURIOSITIES .

IN the early part of the last century , public Processions of our Fraternity in London , at the annual installation of the M . W . Grand Master , Avere celebrated with a parade and splendour Avhich Ave can hardly realise in these sober days . They rivalled the processions of the great Lord

Mayor , and in respect to the public excitement they occasioned and the occupation Avhich they gave to gossips , probably surpassed it . These celebrations by a Society Avhose objects Avere mysterious and symbolism unusual , could not fail to give rise to frequent squibs and pasquinades from

the idle and frothy Avits of the town . In the year 1742 , a large engraving of one of these Processions appeared , so clever in execution and outrageous in parody , that Grand

Lodge from that time felt the necessity of discontinuing the annual Procession in public , which was finally abolished ( except in case of dispensation for special occasions ) in the year 1745 .

The caricature referred to was entitled , " A GEOMETRICAL VIEW OF YE GRAND PROCESSION OP TE SCALD MISEIIABLE

MASONS , DESIGNED AS THEY AVERE DRAWS UP OVER AGAINST SOMERSET HOUSE IN TE STRAND ON YE 27 TH DAY OP APBII / , AN 0 * 1742 . Invented and engraved by A . Benoist , at his lodgings at Mr Jordan ' s , a Grocer , ye Norfli Hast corner of Compton St ., Soho . "

It is to be regretted that Bro . Findel , in his " History , skims the surface of those times with so light a hand . Far more curious information than has come to liorht

hitherto , AVIII yet be found , as to the gradual disclosure of time—old symbols and historically significant bits of Ritual , by the diligent analyst of old prints , tracts , and MSS . which remain at present an undigested mass .

The French writer , " Clavel , " in his Pictorial History of Freemasonry ( Paris , 1843 ) , reproduces a portion of this print , remarking that it had been copied from Avhat was believed to be the only remaining exemplar—the property of Bro . Morison of Greenfield .

By the courtesy of Bro . Walter Spencer , of the Masonic Depot , opposite Freemasons' Hall , we have been favoured with a view of this rare curiosity , presumably that mentioned by Clavel in 1843 . We found it of much interest as a delineation of costume and manners of the

period , but a more ridiculous libel than we had believed possible , of our Masonic ancestors . It is indexed thus—1 ° The Grand Tyler ( on a donkey ) carrying ye sivord of

State , a present of old Ishnael Abiff to old Hyram King cf ye Saracene , to II . G . of Wattin , G . M . of ye Holy Lodge of St . John of Jerusalem in Clerkemcell . 4 ° ye Stewards in three Gutt Carts , drawn by Asses—and so on .

Some of the Brethren appear stumping it on Avooden legs , others in rags and tatters , the G . M . and his attendants adorned Avith sheeps' and asses' heads ; fools ' -caps are frequent , and huge paunches—shoAving that propensity

to good living was not unknown as a taunt against us in those days . The engraving is howevei ' , a real work of art , and inspires us Avith admiration for the misdirected talent of the draughtsman .

Bro . Spencer ' s kindness did not end here , for after noting these details , he produced with pardonable enthusiasm , a smaller and someAvhat discoloured rarity—Avhich , said he , " is doubtless , also unique . It was purchased b y my father at the sale of the library of Horace Walpole , at

Strawberry Hill , hidden under the cover of an old edition of the Constitutions . " This Avas of earlier date than the former , having been printed in 1741 , and sold by Mrs . Dodd , at the Peacock without Temple Bar . It is a sketchy print , coloured , the orpiments used have gone bad with age ,

and produced the blotches which disfigure it . It bears as title , " Mock Masonry : or the Grand Procession , " represents the coach of the G . M . draAvn by eight jibbing hacks , two cartloads of the Grand Stewards , and other functionaries Avith extemporised instruments of music to which the jackasses they bestride give chorus .

Underneath it are the following cloggreli rhymes : —