Fair Play Is A Jewel.

constitutional liberty , and a direct invasion of the rights of relig ious liberty , and of a " Free Church in a Free State . " Indeed , the reason of the opposition seems to be because they are relig ious schools , and it never is the duty or intention of Freemasonry to attack a religious

body qua a religious body . We say all this in all friendliness to the Milanese Freemasons , but we should not be doing our duty , as honest Masonic journalists , if we did not protest against any deviation from the straightforward path of freedom of worship and liberty of conscience ,

from any idea that such theories and such proceedings are founded on true Masonic teaching , at least as we understand it . The Freemasons at Milan have a most perfect right to set up Masonic schools if they deem it well , hut they have no warrant from Masonry to make its name

a rally ing cry against any religious body whatever , be that body what it may . Into these internecine contests , as between Freemasonry and Roman Catholicism , we Anglo-Saxon Freemasons cannot and do not enter , neither can we approve of them . The evil they bring on Freemasonry is very great . We defend ourselves ,

indeed , when attacked unjustly , but nothing more ; but we never assail religious institutions , as relig ious institutions , and we deprecate making education above all a question of heated and polemical warfare . We cannot conscientiou sly or Masonically approve of the animus or the attitude of the Milanese Freemasons .

The Recent Struggle In France.

THE RECENT STRUGGLE IN FRANCE .

We publish in another page a remarkable letter from a French brother in London to Bro . Hubert , the editor ofthe Chaine iiUnion , which we think it well to reproduce in its own language , because it represents the views we have ventured to express on the Masonic struggle in France from

time to time . He admits , as will be seen , the great inadvisability and error of the change . He does full justice to our happy neutrality in England on all matters pertaining to politics or religion . We wish that his words may impress some of our French brethren with the reality

of the mistake an active section is apparently bent on committing and forcing upon French Freemasonry . We observe , as if to show the hesitation of French Freemasons in this sterile controversy , that , according to the last Bulletin du Grand Orient , 106 lodges had then made no

return to the question , and we are inclined to hope not only that there are many French Freemasons who disapprove of so great a revolution , but that there is yet time to put an end once for all to a mischievous and hurtful agitation . If French Freemasonry is excluded from the great

family of Freemasonry , it never can be said of us that we " daubed the wall with untempered mortar , " for we have , we fear , offended some of our French brethren , by the freedom of our remarks and the outspoken manliness of our sentiments . But we wish them

once for all , to remember , that what we say we mean , and what we mean we say , and though our language be a little plainer and , perhaps , more uncompromising than they are accustomed to , we wish them well , and seek to offer them friendly and fraternal advice .

The Admittance Of Nonmasons To The Boys' School Festival.

THE ADMITTANCE OF NONMASONS TO THE BOYS' SCHOOL FESTIVAL .

The announcement which appears in the programme of the Boys' School Festival some of our alarmist brethren may think a " coup de Binckes . " But , to say the truth , we do not think that there is much in it . It is not a purely Masonic

Festival , it is what the French term " La •Maconnerie Blanche , " inasmuch as our fair sisters who have long looked down on their Lords and Masters " enjoying a good dinner , have been permitted , wisely we think , at the last •ooy s School anniversary to share in the good

things provided by the zeal and care of the most considerate and liberal of Stewards . Indeed , some young Masons have been heard to say , Take the goods the gods provide you , . Lovel y Thais sits beside you . Being young men we pardon tho quotation , U'ough ¦« the sentiment we fully concur . It is

The Admittance Of Nonmasons To The Boys' School Festival.

then another step in advance to admit non-Masons to the dinner , and , as we said before , the gathering is not purely Masonic , we do not see that it much matters one way or the other , especially at the Alexandra Palace . We do not conceal from ouselves that this change is an innovation , and one about which Masons will

greatly differ , and about which a great deal may be said on both sides . But , having made a note of it , we leave it now , for the information of the Craft , and the remarks , if any , of our correspondents , as we always think it a pity to make unnecessan * difficulties , or to make use of "Red tape " of any kind .

Original Correspondence.

Original Correspondence .

[ We do net hold ourselves responsible for , or even as approving of the opinions expressed by our correspondents , but we wish , in a spirit of fair play to all , to permit—within certain necessary limits—free discussion . —ED . 1

THE RECENT INCIDENT IN PARIS . Dear Bro . Kenning , — As I think you are quite right in clearing the good name of Freemasons from any participation in the opinions expressed by Bro . Bonnet-Duverdier , by the remarks of one of your leaders last week , 1 send you a few lines . » -

It has been alleged that he was arrested on leaving a Freemasons' Lodge , and thence it seems advisable for Freemasons to disown any sympathy whether for the principles or the position he has thought proper to assume , I lay down no law of political prepossession one way or the other , but simply protest against Freemasons having anything to do with disrespect to lawful authority ,

communism , or assassination . As a contemporary reports : " M . Bonnet-Duverdier , the President of the Municipal Council of Paris , was sentenced , on Friday last , by the Tenth Correctional Chamber , to fifteen months ' imprisonment and 2000 francs fine , for insult to the President ; and under the circumstances , you will hardly think the sentence too severe for the language used by a

man in such a position , and to such an audience . Though present , or being already into custody , he insisted , by his counsel , on allowing judgment to go by default ; as did also the three other persons incriminated with him , though the latter were only charged with holding illegally a public meeting . In so acting , they meant , I presume , to parade their conviction that the sentence pronounced upon

them , whatever it might be , was destined , at no long date , to bc rescinded wholly , or commuted , by a Government more to their taste . It was clearly proved that the meeting , which professed to be . ' private' and for the ' fcrmation of a club , ' was in reality ' public , ' and ' for political purposes . ' Among other proofs of the latter object was the letter of Duverdier himself when replying to the

invitation to attend , in which he says : ' Dear Citizen , you know I am always at your service for the purposes of propagandism and political organisation . ' But there could be no doubt of the character and object of the meeting . The language laid to the charge of Duverdier , and cited as proved against him in the judgment , was as follows , I

give it in the original , the belter to retain its true character : — ' Le mare ' chal imle ' cile sera bientot traduit a la barre du peuple pour expier son crime Nous sommes gouverne ' s par des soudards , des robes noires , des traineurs de sabres Le marechal voudra peut-etre essaycr de tirer sa loyale e ' pe ' e contre la democratic . .

. . le marc chal ramolli .... mais le fourreau est vide . II a laisse' l ' e ' pe ' e a Sedan , le lache ; il n ' a pas capitule , mais il s ' est laisse' glisser de son cheval pour faire croire i-u'il e ' tait blesse' Rochefort a promis dix mille francs au me'decin qui prouverait qu'il a e ' te- blesse . ' Les manoeuvres du ministe-re nous rame ' neront les

Prussiens ; mais nous ne combattrons pas sous des gene-mux incapablcs . Le patriotisme ne va pas jusqu ' a se faire tucr par ccs gcns-l ;' i . 11 faudra commencer par exe ' euter MacMahon ct son gouvernement , tt apre ' s cela nous nous arrangcrons avec l'ennemi . ' Tous les moyens sont bons . Luttons d ' abord avecs les urnes . . . puis il y a le moyen legal que vous

conn . ussez . " The judgment further adds in aggravation that ' it was proved that the last words of the above were accompanied by a gesture significant of firing a shot . ' " The above requires , I think , no comment ; and , despite a letter of Sir E . Watkin which appeared in the Times of Monday , is at once a sufficient excuse for the sentence ,

which is based especially upon the ' position held by the prisoner' and the ' quality of the audience he addressed . ' " In protesting against such language as most contrary to the ever loya \ teaching and spirit of Freemasonry 1 think it well that our Masonic position in such a matter should be well and clearly understood . 1 am , yours fraternally , THE WniTKit or THE ARTICLE .

FREEMASONS IN THE LAW COURTS . To the Editor of the "Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , — Some weeks ago I trespassed upon your indulgence and the patience of your readers with a dissertation

upon that very lively and exciting theme " the stamp duties" of our country . Incidentally to that diverting argument I found that I was bound to bestow some consideration upon a then recent discussion , whereby in the Westminster County Court , Bayley , Q . C . C . C . J ., had held , —and I thought , and expressed that I thought , soundly

Original Correspondence.

held , —that an initiation fee and lodge dues could not be recovered by ordinary process of law . In your list impression the question of the legal status of members of the Craft has cropped up again , and I venture , ecce iterum Crispinus , to intrude my personality again upon your readers , parrying any thrusting charges of egotism by premising that I only seek to endeavour to

help my brethren by the diffident expression of the conclusions at which I have arrived after some time devoted to serious consideration of the subject upon which I presume to put pen to paper , and sincerely professing that I write with a full conviction of the soundness of the Shakespearian motto , that " good counsels must perforce give place to better . "

But , first of all , please indulge me by letting me have my fling at the " emotiona'ists , " the " gushers , " the " young lions " of the cheap daily press . 1 am perfectly aware that the skilled editor can command an article upon any subject , from lunar equations to St . Giles ' s lodginghouses , by selecting the appropriate " young man" to "lay on "for the purpose of "doing it . " Scoffers at the

modus operandi of the ( vile and inaccurate colloquialism ) " fourth estate , " do say that the juvenile feline commanded to wag his tail or " shake the dew drops from his mane " in a given direction , is shut up in an enclycopa-dia lined apartment , and—the key turned , and copious four-penn ' ortl s of gin-and-water , many clay pipes , and a general " muchness " of shag tobacco provided—is " requisitioned " to

provide " copy " on pain of—death ? no , dismissal—on any desiderated subject within any fraction of the interval between 10 p . m . and 1 a . m . on any cf the six working nights of the week . Is the " old Jos " of the gushing scribbler , who , being required to write by order on Chinese metaphysics , was shut up in the editor ' s room and advised to con the

indispensable encyclopaedia for the respective words " metaphysics " and " China , " and then " combine his information , " wholly an allegory ? Is the theory that the joke is a libel supported , or presumably displaced , by the recent excercitations upon the sea serpent we have had the privilege to read in that journal , the initials of whose title , unfortunately , coincide with those of a disorder induced by the

excitement engendered by indulgence in " undue stimulation ? " I know not—I care not . Onl y in the interests of that public , a boon to which is desiderated in our desire to see the truth , the whole truth , and nothing but the truth disseminated , it would , I think , be as well if the hirer of the young lions would " lay on " to wag their tails feline specimens , who know something by experience , —actually

" know , you know , " —of the subject upon which they " gush " for so much a line . I do not venture , Sir , so far to intrude upon your space as to ask you to reproduce the very flippant and very ignorant—what shall I call it ?— Editorial ?—No , I believe leaderette is the proper word ? more Americano ! which appeared in one of your contemporaries on the recent case

of Voight v . Trevor and another , on Monday the 1 ith inst . I only meekly suggest to the august potentates who rule , guide , and direct the Daily Telegraph , that it might not be an undesirable qualification in a writer who aspires to clothe himself in type , with Masonic matter for the material of his garment , to have a slight , say a merely elementary knowledge of what he is writing about .

The writer of the paragraph ( I do not of course allude to the quoted report in your columns of last week taken from the Standard ) in question , assumes that the dictum of Field , J ., confers upon our beloved Craft some special , and , therefore , some exceptional status in the eye of the law never before conceded to it . The brethren will at once perceive that our learned and illustrious brother ' s

expression does nothing of the kind . Too much jealousy cannot be evinced of a manifested tendency to " oust , " as the legal expression is , the jurisdiction of the law courts in matters of controversy between citizen and citizen , 71 / u citizen , on purely civic rights . I have sat , one year with another , on the Board of General Purposes for ten years . I have constantly attended , watched , spoken , and voted

upon the proceedings of that body . I have , both by speech and vote , had the privilege and honour—I say it deliberately and proudly—to support the conclusions that assemblage has arrived at in Grand Lodge , and , although now no longer a member of that august—august inasmuch as it is a dignified , deliberative and respectworthy —body , I can solemnly aver that this question of the

due discrimination between a man ' s civic rights , as the member cf a national community , and his duties and reciprocal dues as a fellow of a universal brotherhood , has ever received the most attentive consideration of that , the cabinet council—so to speak—of the Craft . What has been the result ? I venture to say that it has been the affirmation of what is a purely common sense

principle , that in matters common to all citizens , in their generic character as such , the authorities of the Craft will decline to interfere , but that in questions as to their relations as Freemasons , ex generis naturd , a tribunal is provided to which they , having by their affiliation to the brotherhood agreed to submit , are estopped , at all events in honour—certainly , according to the

obligations voluntarily entered into by each one 011 his initiation —from submitting their Masonic differences to what I may call , by a figure of speech , a lay tribunal . No similar privileges can be claimed , as the emotional scrihe assumes , by the Odd Fellows , the Druids , or the Most Ancient Order of Antediluvian Buffaloes ,

because , in the first place , their obligations entail no such submission to a common and recognised tribunal , and , in the second place , because the organisation of those very respectable and very useful brotherhoods have not obtained that legal recognition which our ancient fraternity has acquired . *