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Article The Grand East of Ulster. ← Page 3 of 5 Article The Grand East of Ulster. Page 3 of 5 →
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The Grand East Of Ulster.
"On 24 th December , 1810 , Defendant filed his fourth furthei AnsAver . " By tin Crdcr , dated 9 th Alarch , 1813 , ifc AVUS ordered that said Conditional Order should bc rencAvcd to the then next Easter Term . " By an Order , dated 8 th Alay , 1813 , it Avas ordered that Service of said Decree , order to rencAV , and suhpama to SIIOAV cause , on Thomas Spanner , Defendant ' s six Clerk should be deemed good service thereof on thc Defencluit .
" lhc said Thomas Spanner having been so seiwed , and no cause having heen sliOAvn , ifc AVUS , by order dated 13 th Alay , 1813 , ordered that said Cause should bc set down in the list of Causes to be heard , upon such Conditional Decree or Order , to have service made absolute against , the Defendant .
" The said Cause was heard on 31 st Alay , 1813 , by the Right Hon . the Alaster of the Rolls ; and , by an Order or Decree of that date , after reciting the said Conditional Decree , and the Orders of 9 th Alarch , 1813 , 8 th Alay , 1813 , and 13 th Alay , 1813 , it was ordered , adjudged , and decreed by the Alaster of the Rolls that thesaid Conditional Decree be , and the same Avas thereby made absolute against the Defendant ;
and that it bc referred to EdAvard Westb y , Esq ., one of the Alasters of the Court , to hike an account of the moneys received b y the Defendant for the Charitable purposes of said Sdciofcy , and on account of the Plaintiff as Grand Secretary of said Society ; and that Defendant hand over such sums of money to the Plaintiff ; and that Defendant account before the said Alaster ,
on oath , for all Books , Papers , and Alunimcnts of the said Society , in his possession , or in trust of any person for him , or Avhich came to his power , possession , or custody , since he Avas appointed Clerk to the Grand Secretary : and that he deposit same in the Bank of Ireland to the credit of the Cause ; and that Defendant bc restrained
from registering any persons as Freemasons , and from giving Certificates thereof ; andfromniakiiiganyu . se of the Grand Lotlge Seal ; and from restoring or reviving any Warrants to hold Lodges—Avith poAA'er to said Alaster to examine Avitnesses—and that , upon the return of the Report , such further Order Avonld be made as Avould befit .
( Signed by ) DANIEL O'CONNELL , ( Presumably as Junior Counsel for Plaintiff ) on 24 th July , 1813 . " I entered minutel y into the circumstances attending the appointment of Bro . Alexander Seton as Deputy Grand Secretary , his subsequent dismissal from ofiice , and the varions stages of the protracted legal proceedings instituted against him by Bro . John Leech , Grand Secretary .
In a paper , read b y me a feAV years ago before the Provincial Grand Lodge of DOAVH , I endeaA'oured to establish the fact that , in old times , the higher Alasonic Degrees Avere habituall y conferred in Ireland under no other authority than that of a Craft ' Warrant , and that the fourth decade of tho present century * AVUS Avell advanced before they were finally placed under the control of a properly
constituted central authority . I find , hoAvever , that , so early as the year 1805 , efforts Avere made to effect an improvement in this respect . What may have been the exact scheme proposed I am not at present aAvare ; but that the " Extraordinary Dues demanded for defraying the Expences of these new and complex Systems " Avere ,
in certain quarters , strenuously opposed there can be no doubt ; for , on the 20 th of January of that year , I find that , at a meeting of sixty-two Lodges held iu Belfast , the folIoAving Resolutions Avere unanimously adopted , and ordered to be transmitted to the Grand Lodge of Ireland : —
" 1 st . That it appears to us that the Innovations lately proposed to be placed on the higher Alasonic Orders , are unnecessary , inasmuch as these Orders have hitherto enjoyed uninterrupted . Tranquility Avithout any ostensible Head or controiiling Power . " 2 nd . That we pledge ourselves to one another , and to all K . 'Tp .
and Royal Aich Alasons in the Kingdom , that AVC never AVI' 11 acknowledge such Innovations , considering them of so dangerous a nature , as may , if persisted in , dissolve that good understanding Avhich has hitherto subsisted between the Rt . Worshipful the G . L . and Country Lodges .
" 3 rd . That we think it a Duty incumbent on us , earnestl y to recommend to the Right Worshi p ful the G . L . that , instead of Jiew , chimerical , and complex systems of finance , they Avill bc pleased to restore the Original Regulations Avhich bave formerly produced general satisfaction .
1 also find the same meeting complaining of " Dissensions and Contests about Places of Power and Emolument" in the Grand Loelge , and of the unsatisfactory financial working thereof , all of which , in tlic opinion of the meeting in question , demanded tlie serious consideration and attention of its rulers , with a view to their discontinuance and improvement .
At a meeting of thirty-two Lodges held in the following month afc Dromore , the Freemasons of Down " highly approved " of tlic Belfast resolutions , and expressed their determination to " abide by them "—a resolution also adopted by twenty-live Lodges meeting at ¦ Ball ynioney , Co . Antrim , in the following April . Further resolu tions adopted at these meetings clearly establish the fact that tlie
treatment extended b y the Grand Lodgo of Ireland to Gorges Darcy Irvine , late Grand Secretary , ami to his Deputy , Alexander Seton , 'net the disapproval and incurred the resentment of the Northern Brethren ; nor can 1 sivoid arriving at the conclusion that these feelings Avere to a large extent fomented , if not absolutely instigated , h y these tAvo Brethren themselves . Be that as it may , there can be no doubt of the fact—that a strong feeling of dissatisfaction as to
The Grand East Of Ulster.
the action and management of the Grand L'jclge of Ireland existed in the North of Ireland at this particular time , and that the Grand Alaster himself had been Avarned that " the Alasonic Constitution in Ireland Avas endangered" thereby . On the 6 th Alay , 1806 , Bro . Seton Avas dismissed from the office of Deputy Grand Secretary by Bro . Leech , who had succeeded Bro .
G . D . Irvine as Grand Secretary ' . The actual schism appears , hoAvever , to have taken place at a meeting of the Grand Lotlge , held on the Sth of the folIoAving month , to Avhich AA * e find the folIoAving reference : — " For some time past , a riotous and turbulent Faction has existed amongst the Fraternit y in Ireland , but Avhich more particularly * manifested itself on thc 5 th of June , 1806 , Avhen a Number
of Persons , at that Time unknoAvn to the Grand Lodge , though claiming to be Freemasons from the North of that Kingdom , elid assemble and obtrude themsclA * es into the Grand Lodge , and there attempted , by force of Numbers alone , to pass certain resolutions subversive of the true Principles and . Usages of Alasonry * , and the said Persons , after the Grand Lodge had been duly closed by the
Deputy Grand Alaster and Grand Wardens , at a late Hour , and after the Grand Officers and most of the Representatives of the Dublin Lodges had retired , did affect to re-open the Grand Lodge , to rescind several of its solemn and deliberate Acts , to remove from their Situations t-Avo of the most respectable and zealous Ofiicers of the Grand Lodge , and to substitute other Persons in their Places ,
contrary to the established LaAvs and Usages of the Craft : and ifc appears that Alexander Seton , late Deputy * Grand Secretary , appears to luiA'e been at the Head of , and acting , aiding , ancl assisting in said illegal Faction . " A strange confirmation , of the deliberate manner in Avhich this raid was planned , is furnished by' the olcl Alinute Book of Lodge No . 386 Lottermoiiey , Co . Fermanagh , Avhich IIOAV lies
before mo . Bro . G . D . Irvine AVUS W . AL of this Loelge 1798-1801 , and in the year 1806 I find the folIoAving entry : — " Uy cash paid part of the subscri ption money collected from . the different Lodges in the County Fermanagh to defray the Expences of the Delegates that Avent to Dublin , 16 s . 3 d . " The tAvo Brethren here referred to , as hariug been " removed from their situations" Avere Bro . John
Boardman , Grand Ireasurer , and John Leech , Grand Secretary * . On the 2 nd of April , 1807 , the Grand Lodgo of Ireland expelled Bro . Scton from the Grand Lodge and from the Alasonry * in general , and cautioned the Order against receiving any Certificates signed b y him , as his authority to issue such Certificates had ceased on the date of his dismissal b y Bro . Leech .
lhc immediate outcome of this contention appears to have been the establishment of a seconel Grand Lodge in Dublin , composed of Seton ' s adherents , of Avhich Bro . Gorges Darcy Irvine Avas Grand Secretary ancl Seton himself Deputy Grand Secretary . Seton and his party , for a time at least , appear to have retained possession of the premises in Avhich the Grand Lodge Avas accustomed to
meet , and , by observing the same stated time for its meetings , forced the Grand Lodge to meet temporarily in William Street . Possessed of the books and property * of Grand Lodge , retained by Seton after his dismissal , and emboldened by the maxim that " possession is nine points of the laAV" the assurance of the party in revolt knew no bounds . They issued a circular to
" all the regular lodges in Ireland , " a copy of which is now before mc , in Avhich—in virtue of their time and placo of meeting , and of their possession of the Books , Documents , Certificate-plates , and Seal of the Grand Lodge—they arrogated to themselves the title of " THE Grand Lodge of Ireland , " and referred to tho Certificates and Seal of the actual Grand Lodge as counterfeit and forged : and
thoy reminded the members of the Order that " Brother A . Seton is alone qualified " to receive annual dues . They further announce , evidentl y as a solace to their Northern Brethren , "that all transactions which respect Red or Black Alasonry have been expunged from the books of the Grand Lodge "; and they " order a General CoiiA'ocation of the representatives of the Order ,
to be held on Thursday , the 12 th day of November , 1807 , at the Grand Lodge-Room , Taylor ' s Hall , Back Lane . " Whether this Convocation AA'as ever held I am tit a loss to knoAV ; but , on the 7 th of April , 1808 , AVC find the Grand Lodge proper in occupation of its olcl premises ; and , actuated b y motives of conciliation , the Grand Alaster himself , the Earl of Donoughmore—seeing that "all
the muniments of the Order had been produced ancl delivered over to his Lordshi p ' s custody , as the head of the Order "—moved a resolution restoring Bro . Seton to Alasonic standing , in this act of leniency he Avas seconded b y Bro . John Williams , " Avho tiA-oweel himself the mover of Bro . Seton ' s expulsion , " and the same was adopted Avithout a dissenting voice . So far , however , from securing Seton ' s allegiance
to Grand Lodge , Ave find that Brother engaged in litigation with Bro . W . F . Graham , his successor in the oilice of Deputy Grand Secretary . An action against Graham for defamation of character and libel , damages being laid at £ 2000 , AVUS brought by Seton at the Assizes for the Count y of Tyrone , held at Omugh , before the Ri ght Hon . Judge Daly . The libels complained of were the publication of
Bro . Seton s expulsion from the Order , and the caution given to its members against receiving his Certificates . The result was a verdict for the Defendant , with ( id . costs , thereb y securing to Grand Lodgo the right of publishing the expulsion of its members . From this decision Scton appealed to the Court of Common Pleas in Dublin ,
when Lord Norbury , Judge Fox , and Air . Justice Fletcher confirmed the decision of thc Court below . The reasons which influenced Seton in the selection of Tyrone , as the venue for his action , will immediately appear . Finding that their cause AVUS not supported as they had antiti-
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
The Grand East Of Ulster.
"On 24 th December , 1810 , Defendant filed his fourth furthei AnsAver . " By tin Crdcr , dated 9 th Alarch , 1813 , ifc AVUS ordered that said Conditional Order should bc rencAvcd to the then next Easter Term . " By an Order , dated 8 th Alay , 1813 , it Avas ordered that Service of said Decree , order to rencAV , and suhpama to SIIOAV cause , on Thomas Spanner , Defendant ' s six Clerk should be deemed good service thereof on thc Defencluit .
" lhc said Thomas Spanner having been so seiwed , and no cause having heen sliOAvn , ifc AVUS , by order dated 13 th Alay , 1813 , ordered that said Cause should bc set down in the list of Causes to be heard , upon such Conditional Decree or Order , to have service made absolute against , the Defendant .
" The said Cause was heard on 31 st Alay , 1813 , by the Right Hon . the Alaster of the Rolls ; and , by an Order or Decree of that date , after reciting the said Conditional Decree , and the Orders of 9 th Alarch , 1813 , 8 th Alay , 1813 , and 13 th Alay , 1813 , it was ordered , adjudged , and decreed by the Alaster of the Rolls that thesaid Conditional Decree be , and the same Avas thereby made absolute against the Defendant ;
and that it bc referred to EdAvard Westb y , Esq ., one of the Alasters of the Court , to hike an account of the moneys received b y the Defendant for the Charitable purposes of said Sdciofcy , and on account of the Plaintiff as Grand Secretary of said Society ; and that Defendant hand over such sums of money to the Plaintiff ; and that Defendant account before the said Alaster ,
on oath , for all Books , Papers , and Alunimcnts of the said Society , in his possession , or in trust of any person for him , or Avhich came to his power , possession , or custody , since he Avas appointed Clerk to the Grand Secretary : and that he deposit same in the Bank of Ireland to the credit of the Cause ; and that Defendant bc restrained
from registering any persons as Freemasons , and from giving Certificates thereof ; andfromniakiiiganyu . se of the Grand Lotlge Seal ; and from restoring or reviving any Warrants to hold Lodges—Avith poAA'er to said Alaster to examine Avitnesses—and that , upon the return of the Report , such further Order Avonld be made as Avould befit .
( Signed by ) DANIEL O'CONNELL , ( Presumably as Junior Counsel for Plaintiff ) on 24 th July , 1813 . " I entered minutel y into the circumstances attending the appointment of Bro . Alexander Seton as Deputy Grand Secretary , his subsequent dismissal from ofiice , and the varions stages of the protracted legal proceedings instituted against him by Bro . John Leech , Grand Secretary .
In a paper , read b y me a feAV years ago before the Provincial Grand Lodge of DOAVH , I endeaA'oured to establish the fact that , in old times , the higher Alasonic Degrees Avere habituall y conferred in Ireland under no other authority than that of a Craft ' Warrant , and that the fourth decade of tho present century * AVUS Avell advanced before they were finally placed under the control of a properly
constituted central authority . I find , hoAvever , that , so early as the year 1805 , efforts Avere made to effect an improvement in this respect . What may have been the exact scheme proposed I am not at present aAvare ; but that the " Extraordinary Dues demanded for defraying the Expences of these new and complex Systems " Avere ,
in certain quarters , strenuously opposed there can be no doubt ; for , on the 20 th of January of that year , I find that , at a meeting of sixty-two Lodges held iu Belfast , the folIoAving Resolutions Avere unanimously adopted , and ordered to be transmitted to the Grand Lodge of Ireland : —
" 1 st . That it appears to us that the Innovations lately proposed to be placed on the higher Alasonic Orders , are unnecessary , inasmuch as these Orders have hitherto enjoyed uninterrupted . Tranquility Avithout any ostensible Head or controiiling Power . " 2 nd . That we pledge ourselves to one another , and to all K . 'Tp .
and Royal Aich Alasons in the Kingdom , that AVC never AVI' 11 acknowledge such Innovations , considering them of so dangerous a nature , as may , if persisted in , dissolve that good understanding Avhich has hitherto subsisted between the Rt . Worshipful the G . L . and Country Lodges .
" 3 rd . That we think it a Duty incumbent on us , earnestl y to recommend to the Right Worshi p ful the G . L . that , instead of Jiew , chimerical , and complex systems of finance , they Avill bc pleased to restore the Original Regulations Avhich bave formerly produced general satisfaction .
1 also find the same meeting complaining of " Dissensions and Contests about Places of Power and Emolument" in the Grand Loelge , and of the unsatisfactory financial working thereof , all of which , in tlic opinion of the meeting in question , demanded tlie serious consideration and attention of its rulers , with a view to their discontinuance and improvement .
At a meeting of thirty-two Lodges held in the following month afc Dromore , the Freemasons of Down " highly approved " of tlic Belfast resolutions , and expressed their determination to " abide by them "—a resolution also adopted by twenty-live Lodges meeting at ¦ Ball ynioney , Co . Antrim , in the following April . Further resolu tions adopted at these meetings clearly establish the fact that tlie
treatment extended b y the Grand Lodgo of Ireland to Gorges Darcy Irvine , late Grand Secretary , ami to his Deputy , Alexander Seton , 'net the disapproval and incurred the resentment of the Northern Brethren ; nor can 1 sivoid arriving at the conclusion that these feelings Avere to a large extent fomented , if not absolutely instigated , h y these tAvo Brethren themselves . Be that as it may , there can be no doubt of the fact—that a strong feeling of dissatisfaction as to
The Grand East Of Ulster.
the action and management of the Grand L'jclge of Ireland existed in the North of Ireland at this particular time , and that the Grand Alaster himself had been Avarned that " the Alasonic Constitution in Ireland Avas endangered" thereby . On the 6 th Alay , 1806 , Bro . Seton Avas dismissed from the office of Deputy Grand Secretary by Bro . Leech , who had succeeded Bro .
G . D . Irvine as Grand Secretary ' . The actual schism appears , hoAvever , to have taken place at a meeting of the Grand Lotlge , held on the Sth of the folIoAving month , to Avhich AA * e find the folIoAving reference : — " For some time past , a riotous and turbulent Faction has existed amongst the Fraternit y in Ireland , but Avhich more particularly * manifested itself on thc 5 th of June , 1806 , Avhen a Number
of Persons , at that Time unknoAvn to the Grand Lodge , though claiming to be Freemasons from the North of that Kingdom , elid assemble and obtrude themsclA * es into the Grand Lodge , and there attempted , by force of Numbers alone , to pass certain resolutions subversive of the true Principles and . Usages of Alasonry * , and the said Persons , after the Grand Lodge had been duly closed by the
Deputy Grand Alaster and Grand Wardens , at a late Hour , and after the Grand Officers and most of the Representatives of the Dublin Lodges had retired , did affect to re-open the Grand Lodge , to rescind several of its solemn and deliberate Acts , to remove from their Situations t-Avo of the most respectable and zealous Ofiicers of the Grand Lodge , and to substitute other Persons in their Places ,
contrary to the established LaAvs and Usages of the Craft : and ifc appears that Alexander Seton , late Deputy * Grand Secretary , appears to luiA'e been at the Head of , and acting , aiding , ancl assisting in said illegal Faction . " A strange confirmation , of the deliberate manner in Avhich this raid was planned , is furnished by' the olcl Alinute Book of Lodge No . 386 Lottermoiiey , Co . Fermanagh , Avhich IIOAV lies
before mo . Bro . G . D . Irvine AVUS W . AL of this Loelge 1798-1801 , and in the year 1806 I find the folIoAving entry : — " Uy cash paid part of the subscri ption money collected from . the different Lodges in the County Fermanagh to defray the Expences of the Delegates that Avent to Dublin , 16 s . 3 d . " The tAvo Brethren here referred to , as hariug been " removed from their situations" Avere Bro . John
Boardman , Grand Ireasurer , and John Leech , Grand Secretary * . On the 2 nd of April , 1807 , the Grand Lodgo of Ireland expelled Bro . Scton from the Grand Lodge and from the Alasonry * in general , and cautioned the Order against receiving any Certificates signed b y him , as his authority to issue such Certificates had ceased on the date of his dismissal b y Bro . Leech .
lhc immediate outcome of this contention appears to have been the establishment of a seconel Grand Lodge in Dublin , composed of Seton ' s adherents , of Avhich Bro . Gorges Darcy Irvine Avas Grand Secretary ancl Seton himself Deputy Grand Secretary . Seton and his party , for a time at least , appear to have retained possession of the premises in Avhich the Grand Lodge Avas accustomed to
meet , and , by observing the same stated time for its meetings , forced the Grand Lodge to meet temporarily in William Street . Possessed of the books and property * of Grand Lodge , retained by Seton after his dismissal , and emboldened by the maxim that " possession is nine points of the laAV" the assurance of the party in revolt knew no bounds . They issued a circular to
" all the regular lodges in Ireland , " a copy of which is now before mc , in Avhich—in virtue of their time and placo of meeting , and of their possession of the Books , Documents , Certificate-plates , and Seal of the Grand Lodge—they arrogated to themselves the title of " THE Grand Lodge of Ireland , " and referred to tho Certificates and Seal of the actual Grand Lodge as counterfeit and forged : and
thoy reminded the members of the Order that " Brother A . Seton is alone qualified " to receive annual dues . They further announce , evidentl y as a solace to their Northern Brethren , "that all transactions which respect Red or Black Alasonry have been expunged from the books of the Grand Lodge "; and they " order a General CoiiA'ocation of the representatives of the Order ,
to be held on Thursday , the 12 th day of November , 1807 , at the Grand Lodge-Room , Taylor ' s Hall , Back Lane . " Whether this Convocation AA'as ever held I am tit a loss to knoAV ; but , on the 7 th of April , 1808 , AVC find the Grand Lodge proper in occupation of its olcl premises ; and , actuated b y motives of conciliation , the Grand Alaster himself , the Earl of Donoughmore—seeing that "all
the muniments of the Order had been produced ancl delivered over to his Lordshi p ' s custody , as the head of the Order "—moved a resolution restoring Bro . Seton to Alasonic standing , in this act of leniency he Avas seconded b y Bro . John Williams , " Avho tiA-oweel himself the mover of Bro . Seton ' s expulsion , " and the same was adopted Avithout a dissenting voice . So far , however , from securing Seton ' s allegiance
to Grand Lodge , Ave find that Brother engaged in litigation with Bro . W . F . Graham , his successor in the oilice of Deputy Grand Secretary . An action against Graham for defamation of character and libel , damages being laid at £ 2000 , AVUS brought by Seton at the Assizes for the Count y of Tyrone , held at Omugh , before the Ri ght Hon . Judge Daly . The libels complained of were the publication of
Bro . Seton s expulsion from the Order , and the caution given to its members against receiving his Certificates . The result was a verdict for the Defendant , with ( id . costs , thereb y securing to Grand Lodgo the right of publishing the expulsion of its members . From this decision Scton appealed to the Court of Common Pleas in Dublin ,
when Lord Norbury , Judge Fox , and Air . Justice Fletcher confirmed the decision of thc Court below . The reasons which influenced Seton in the selection of Tyrone , as the venue for his action , will immediately appear . Finding that their cause AVUS not supported as they had antiti-