Are Exchanges Wrong In Charity Voting.

thoroug hly good cases , by saying to another brother if y ° wil 1 hel P thls electlon * Wl 11 heI P vou ' next ? Surely it was / on every ground , both of Lai custom , moral right and fair play , and it is reall * * * - pushing Masonic ethics beyond all proportion and out of all common sense , when it is laid down that it is Masonicall

gravely y wrong to exchange votes . The difficulty in this world is always to keep the golden mean as between hyper-sentimentality and hyper-laxity , alike of teaching and duty , and we feel sure that it is "Masonic puritanism and Masonic precisianism in the hig hest degree , to declare on any grounds

whatever , or on no grounds at all , that exchange 0 f votes is wrong or unmasonic . There is nothing to forbid an exchange , nothing against it in our laws and regulations , and having demonstrated on every ground of justice and morality , the fallacy of the argument against exchanges generally , we can on ty re P *> th *** i * 1 practice thev are alike needful and expedient , proper and

equitable , rightful and defensible in the highest degree .

A Recent Incident In Paris.

A RECENT INCIDENT IN PARIS .

Some of our friends and many of our opponents seem inclined to make a "little capital " out of the arrest of the * " President du Conseil Municipal " of Paris , a few days ago , and so we allude to the subject to-day . It appears that M . Bonnet Duverdier is a Freemason , and was

arrested on his return from a lodge meeting , when up goes the cry , of course , " Oh , those wicked Freemasons ! " Now we beg to say that with the political views of M . Bonnet Duverdier we , as Anglo-Saxon Freemasons , have nothing whatever to do , neither do we in the smallest

measure sympathize with the alleged proclivities of our excitable and unwise brother . All Freemasons deplore the excesses of the Commune , alike in the violence ofthe revolutionary and barbaric tendencies then manifested , and protest against the brutal massacres of La Roquette and

the Rue Haxo , and the absurd proceedings of a clique of French Freemasons , ( not the * , Grand Orient , by the way ) , which brought , contempt and disgrace upon Masonry in general and French Freemasonry in particular . If it be true , as one of the correspondents of our English papers states , that M . Bonnet Duverdier , Freemason

though he be , terminating an inflammatory address to the radicals of St . Denis , ( exclaimed , referring to the recent act of Marshal MacMahon , ' * Let us first fi g ht them at the ballot box , and if we are beaten there let us employ those legal means which we have the right to use against traitors : " if it be also correct that after he had

uttered these words , according to the testimony of a number of those who heard them , he made use of a gesture , to give greater emphasis to his meaning , that suggested to his hearers the massacres of La Roquette and the Rue Haxo , " then we can only say that he is , in our opinion ,

properly consigned to prison , to appear before the criminal courts of his own country . But we do not in England assume a man to be guilty until he is proved to be so , and we will therefore hope that such allegations are exaggerated or mistaken . For if there is one thing which we learn as

Freemasons , it is a due obedience to the laws of any country , whatever its form of government may be , which for a time becomes the place of our residence or affords us its protection . And that , therefore , never can be the true teaching of Freemasonry , in our opinion , which leads either

to violence of language as against lawful authority or any participation in plots and conspiracies against the ruling power , to social disorder or notous proceedings of any kind . As an Order , as we before observed , we have nothing in common with the heated reveries or the turbulent

proceedings of Revolution , Socialism , or Communism in which some mistaken persons like to indulge . We distrust violent speeches , we disavow illegal acts , we resist social disorder , we repress anarchical violence , and as patriotic citizens , as as well as Freemasons , we would make any

sacrifice to uphold tranquillity and order , to maintain good government , and lawfully constituted authority . We are taught in all our lodges always to remember the unqualified allegiance uue to the Sovereign of our native land , and warml y to demonstrate our devotion and affection

A Recent Incident In Paris.

to all the members of her Royal House . In former days of dark and cruel menace , the Freemasons in GreKt Britain rallied as one man round the throne of their august Sovereign , and should circumstances require it ( which we trust will never again be the case ) WE WILL DO THE SAME --c , /

IM * OUR TIME AND GENERATION . We are emphatically a most loyal Fraternity , and will ever remain so . Over our portals and on our banners are inscribed in letters of gold " Lo . ALTY AND CHARITY ; " inasmuch as we are charitable to the brotherhood and charitable to all men , and loyal—yes , always most loyal—to our Queen , our

Country , and our God . We had written the above when we see in the Times that on Tuesday , June Sth , before the Police Correctionelle , M . Bonnet Duverdier was charged with MM . Chambard , Alexandre , and Boyer ; for having " insulted and threatened the Marshal , " and sentenced to fifteen months' imprisonment and 2000 francs fine . We are told that the accused

persons did not appear . The witnesses confirmed in a more or less precise manner the terms of the accusation , according to which M . Bonnet Duverdier had insulted and threatened the Marshal . There was no defence . M . Symonet , the Deputy of the Procureur-General , supported the

prosecution . While we deeply regret that any such incident should have taken place at all , we once more repeat that as Freemasons we openly disavow the slightest sympathy with or the remotest participation in principles which we repudiate , and proceedings which we detest .

A New Menu.

A NEW MENU .

Some of us who are particular about our dinners , ( and why should we not be ?) may be glad to hear of a " New Menu . " For as there is a sameness in everything here , so we find , that there is but little variety in our " bills of fare , " for the most part , which are drawn up so

carefully to entice the hungry or to gratify the fastidous . And , therefore , the following paragraph from the IForld , which has also been noticed b y the Times , seems to us , "to be worthy alike of preservation and consideration . As our contemporary truly observes— " There is such a

sameness in the menus this season , that the following dishes , which were served at a dinner given by his Excellency Kuo at the Chinese Legation on the apth of May , may be interesting and instructive .- - ' Yan tsai , yii ch ' e tang , kuo shao y i ' i , chiang yao chu , kuo shao ya , chiaotsz , bombe ii

la Ignatieff . The first' plat' is strongly recommended -j it is the celebrated swallow-nest soup . Naturalists still differ as to whether its principal components are of animal or vegetable production , Anyhow , prejudices apart , it is excellent , and they say nutritious . " Now , though this is only

a " Chinese menu , " and is perhaps somewhat obscure even to the ' brighest " Mason amongst us , to the most " skilled " ot our dining brethren , yet do not let us for that reason despise it , or pass it by either with a shrug of the shoulders or an expression of contempt . For there is a

great deal of important information and of undeniable interest bound up in the composition and reality of a good menu . Some of * us may remember that in that veracious and always pleasant legend , the " Last Chronicle of Barset , " Mr . Crawley ' s friendly cousin , a genial London

solicitor , objects to French dishes , and a " diner a la Russe" altogether , because , as he says , people don ' t liko the "kickshaws" and can ' t enjoy the " show and flowers . " He prefers to give , and he says , he find that his friends do , a good joint and a bottle of old port . In a novel once read , but almost perhaps forgotten , Mrs . Stokes , of the De

Clifford Arms , declares the following menu to contain " a dinner fitting for a marcus "— " Turcot and lobster sauce , gravy soup ; removed with haunch of vension , chickens in white sauce , Scotch collops , maintenong cutlets , remove with jelly , blane mange , Charlotte of happle . and custards . " But some of us may prefer the French menu , and to those who do we refer them

to page 34 , vol . iii . Masonic Magazine , where they will see a bill of fare , which will be equally appropriate to a larger gathering , as it was to Henckaby Budgington ' s limited and select little dinner party . In this they will be able to discover the " grundwerk , " as the Germans say , of a dinner that may be eaten and enjoyed any .

A New Menu.

where . Those of us who have perused the " Art of Dining , " or pored over Walker ' s " Original , " will realize what an indispensible ingredient in the " battle of life " a good dinner is , how it affects our digestion and our temper , our bodily health , and mental quietude , and not only will

they feel how much of absolute importance for us all , poor hungry bipeds , is involved in a good dinner and a befitting " menu , " but they will gratefully acknowledge our seasonable kindness , in calling attention to a matter so bound up just now with their prevailing interests , and their personal enjoyments .

Freemasons In The Law Courts. Queen's Bench Division, June 9.

FREEMASONS IN THE LAW COURTS . QUEEN'S BENCH DIVISION , JUNE 9 .

( Before Mr . Justice Field . ) VOIOHT V . TREVOR AND ANOTHEII . Mr . Wilberforce appeared for the plaintiff . It was , he said , a demurrer to two paragraphs in the defendant ' s statement of defence . The action was for libel , arid the statement of claim

alleged that the plaintiff was formerly a member of a lodge of Freemasons , of which the defendants were also members . The statement set out a letter , written and published by the defendants , about the unsuccessful election to the lodge of certain persons who were proposed for members . Mr . lustice Field . —Are you a Mason ?

Mr . Wilberforce . —No . Mr . Justice Field . —Are you , Mr . Cave ? Air . Cave . —Yes . Mr . Justice Field . —It is contrary to the rules of Masonry to come into a Court of Law en such a matter . It will be much better to ask the Grand Master to interfere , and decide the question .

Mr . Cave . —We are perfectly ready to do so . Mr . Wilberforce said that plaintiff had made application to the Grand Master , and he had said that it was a case for a Court of Law . Mr . Justice Field . —There must be some error about it .

Looking at the matter in dispute , I think it is eminently a matter for the Grand Master . Mr . Cave . —I quite agree . Mr . Justice Field . —Let it stand over , to go before the Grand Master . From what I see of it , it is a case that he will entertain .

Original Correspondence.

Original Correspondence .

[ Wc do not hold ourselves responsible for , or even as approving of thcopinions expressed by our correspondents , but vie -wish , in a spirit of fair play to all , to permit—within certain necessary limits—free discussion . —ED . 1

ARE EXCHANGES WRONG ? Dear Bro . Kenning , — I threatened you with another letter on this subject , in this Freemasim , and you will see that " more meo " I am as good as my word . Are , then , exchanges wrong ? It is said they are—morally—for numberless reasons unexpressed and not a few , I venture to think , altogether

imaginary . What is an exchange of votes ? It is simply this , that A says to B , and C says to D— " We have here , say 100 votes , in this charity . We have looked over the list . There are no doubt thirty distressing cases , but there is not a case which so commends itse ! f to our individual judgment , as being a distressing case in itself , as to demand our support , so that we do not mean to vote at all .

But , as we have ? . case next election , which we know to be a thoroughly boni fide case , and we also are aware that you , Bro . P . Q ., consider Case 21 on the list , a very distressing one , we will I lend , you our votes ( which otherwise we should not use ) , if " you will help our case , which stands sadly in need of all the aid we can obtain , if it is to he successful . "

1 his is the simple " modus procedendi , " the " raison d ' etre " of the exchange , and though , no doubt , it is open to abuse , as is everything ( what is not I should like to know here ?) it has nothing wrong in it morally , in any respect whatever , nor can it possibly , properly , or fairly be arraigned as objectionable . If , indeed , the rules of the Institution said " every subscriber must use his votes , " that would be a

different thing altogether , but as that is an impossible regulation , and for the " must" we only read " may , " so we are not bound , to make use of a " reductio ad absurdum , " in order to show that the whole argument , based on such a theory , is utterly unsound , illogical , and untenable . If the voter cannot be compelled to vote , of course he equally cannot be compelled to select any one particular it to

cass ; ( which is a self evident proposition ^ appears us ) . but our good Bro . Simpson says , if he does not vote he is bound to exercise his own vote for some one of tlie candidates , and not vote through another friend . But is he ? If he cannot be forced to vote at all , there is equally nothing to compel him to vote personally , and he has a perfect right legally and morally , unless the laws of the institution

positively forbid it , to transfer , pro hae vide , his voting paper to another . Suppose a good brother is living far away . Tht Secretary sends him his voting paper , where shall we say to ?—well , Erzeroum , where the Turks and Russians are blazing away at each other . But Bro . 1 'hilo returns the voting paper to a brother in London , and says : I cannor , for many reasons , enter into the merits of the cases ,

and I beg you to vote for the case you consider the most deserving . I have signed my voting paper ; an he not do so ? Is there anything wrong in what he seeks to accomplish ? We cannot think there is , the more so , as it is the very principle Bro . Simpson ii : contending for indirectly , namely , that a local and central committee is to have the power , through superiority of knowledge , to recommend the most distressing cases . We