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Article PERSECUTION ← Page 10 of 21 →
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Persecution
Brother KING quoted the Freemasons' Quartcily Review , in proof that the meeting was Masonic . Brother PETER THOMSON pledges his honour as " a Man and a Mason , " that the charges were true ; and Brother LAU . RENCE THOMPSON ( who was not present at ihe meeting ) was equally certain . Brother BOND—had not a doubt on the subject ! There was considerable excitement at the Board , during which Brother HENRY UDALL sturdilstood forthas a jud should doagainst the
eviy , ge , dent tendency to defeat justice , which was manifested in this very early state ofthe proceedings . Brother CRUCEFIX then called upon Brotlier WHITE , the Grand Secretary , to pledge himself to transmit a letter to the Grand Master , which he promised to do .
February 1 . —The three Brethren being in waiting , Brs . Alderman WOOD and Dr . CRUCEFIX were desired to attend the Board . The PRESIDENT entered on the case of Alderman Wood , who repeated his objections , and delivered in a written protest . Dr . CRUCEFIX repeated his objections to the two excepted Members of the Board , and requested ajiote to be taken of his objections . He read a letter from Brother White ^ and stated that he had only received it a few minutes before ; that he had already read a of his letter to the Grand
copy Master , and considering there was in reality no seal of secrecy directed in the Constitutions , which was the law , the construction put upon the letter by the Grand Master was not borne out . ( Copies are printed hereafter . ) Bros . BOSSY and M'MULLEN declared that they would on no account vacate their seats at the Board , but they would not give any opinion , or vote upon the present case ,
THE CASE OF ALDERMAN WOOD WAS THEN PROCEEDED WITH . Brother PETER THOMSON was called upon to prove his charges : his explanation of them was brief , and little to the purpose , merely stating his great regret at being a public prosecutor ; but , " as a Man and a Mason , " he could not resist a public duty , a task to which he felt totally inadequate . ( This was true enough , for had he not been prompted by his fellow-prosecutors , we honestly believe the Board could not have had even an excuse for supporting him . )
Brother FARNFIELD gave his evidence in a very straightforward manner . He could not declare the charge to be true . Was sure the words , " His Royal Highness is a grossly selfish man , " were not used . Has some recollection that the Alderman said that " plis Royal Highness was opposed to measures that did not emanate from himself . " Did not hear the word " tyrant" used . The words " rough-shod " might have heen used . The witness was then directed to retire , and an attempt was made , by some Members of the Board , to stop the case upon Alderman Wood ' s
admission , at the previous Board , that he disclaimed any intention or motive to show disrespect to the Grand Master . Brother KING ( a Prosecutor ) stated , if with such admission of inadvertence , the Alderman would concede that the . charges were not improperly made , and that no counter-charges should be preferred , he would gladly forego further proceedings , from a desire to act with Masonic forbearance , he having abundant evidence to prove the charges . Brother Alderman WOOD disclaimed the slightest intention to admit any guiltiness of conduct .
After some interruption by Brother LAURENCE THOMPSON , the case proceeded . Brother FARNFIELD recalled . —On reconsideration , the address of Alderman Thomas Wood was on the whole disrespectful . He had contemplated an honourable suspension of the office of Secretary to the Asylum before
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Persecution
Brother KING quoted the Freemasons' Quartcily Review , in proof that the meeting was Masonic . Brother PETER THOMSON pledges his honour as " a Man and a Mason , " that the charges were true ; and Brother LAU . RENCE THOMPSON ( who was not present at ihe meeting ) was equally certain . Brother BOND—had not a doubt on the subject ! There was considerable excitement at the Board , during which Brother HENRY UDALL sturdilstood forthas a jud should doagainst the
eviy , ge , dent tendency to defeat justice , which was manifested in this very early state ofthe proceedings . Brother CRUCEFIX then called upon Brotlier WHITE , the Grand Secretary , to pledge himself to transmit a letter to the Grand Master , which he promised to do .
February 1 . —The three Brethren being in waiting , Brs . Alderman WOOD and Dr . CRUCEFIX were desired to attend the Board . The PRESIDENT entered on the case of Alderman Wood , who repeated his objections , and delivered in a written protest . Dr . CRUCEFIX repeated his objections to the two excepted Members of the Board , and requested ajiote to be taken of his objections . He read a letter from Brother White ^ and stated that he had only received it a few minutes before ; that he had already read a of his letter to the Grand
copy Master , and considering there was in reality no seal of secrecy directed in the Constitutions , which was the law , the construction put upon the letter by the Grand Master was not borne out . ( Copies are printed hereafter . ) Bros . BOSSY and M'MULLEN declared that they would on no account vacate their seats at the Board , but they would not give any opinion , or vote upon the present case ,
THE CASE OF ALDERMAN WOOD WAS THEN PROCEEDED WITH . Brother PETER THOMSON was called upon to prove his charges : his explanation of them was brief , and little to the purpose , merely stating his great regret at being a public prosecutor ; but , " as a Man and a Mason , " he could not resist a public duty , a task to which he felt totally inadequate . ( This was true enough , for had he not been prompted by his fellow-prosecutors , we honestly believe the Board could not have had even an excuse for supporting him . )
Brother FARNFIELD gave his evidence in a very straightforward manner . He could not declare the charge to be true . Was sure the words , " His Royal Highness is a grossly selfish man , " were not used . Has some recollection that the Alderman said that " plis Royal Highness was opposed to measures that did not emanate from himself . " Did not hear the word " tyrant" used . The words " rough-shod " might have heen used . The witness was then directed to retire , and an attempt was made , by some Members of the Board , to stop the case upon Alderman Wood ' s
admission , at the previous Board , that he disclaimed any intention or motive to show disrespect to the Grand Master . Brother KING ( a Prosecutor ) stated , if with such admission of inadvertence , the Alderman would concede that the . charges were not improperly made , and that no counter-charges should be preferred , he would gladly forego further proceedings , from a desire to act with Masonic forbearance , he having abundant evidence to prove the charges . Brother Alderman WOOD disclaimed the slightest intention to admit any guiltiness of conduct .
After some interruption by Brother LAURENCE THOMPSON , the case proceeded . Brother FARNFIELD recalled . —On reconsideration , the address of Alderman Thomas Wood was on the whole disrespectful . He had contemplated an honourable suspension of the office of Secretary to the Asylum before