Freemasonry In France.

" Article 4 . The establishment of Councils , Tribunals , Colleges , and Chapters , mentioned in the above article , cannot take place except in virtue of the Capitular Charters granted by the Grand Orient ; but the request for the establishment can be made only by the Supreme Council of

the 33 rd degree , as possessing the dogmatic power , and as to the obtaining of Capitular Charters , the petitioners cannot work the degree , for which it solicits a charter , under any pretence whatever . " "Article 7 . The Supreme Council of

the 33 rd degree having under its immediate surveillance the 33 degrees of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Bite , no degree shall be conferred in future , except to those who take at the time of initiation , the oath of obedience to the

Grand Orient , as united to the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite . " Thus in 1806 the Supreme Council acknowledged the authority of the Grand Orient of France , to which only should be accorded the Capitular constitutions which the Supreme Council , dogmatic power , could demand of it , and alone it governed the Lodges and Chapters of the ISth

degree . The decree of 1811 ( 19 th Jan . ) , goes further . The Supreme Council claims the right of administration of all Councils , Chapters , & c . In effect it says : — "Considering that thus up to the 18 th

degree rested in the hands of the Grand Orient of France , it was necessary that there should be a central authority for the higher degrees , and this central authority was noue other than the Supreme Council . " The Gradation is easily traced . In 1804

Bro . De Grasse Tilly created in France a Supreme Council of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite ; some months afterwards this Council entered into a treaty of union with the Grand Orient of Francethe latter paying the debts of the

, former , and admitting within its organisation a Masonic power , the very existence of which was of questionable authority . In 1805 the Supreme Council broke the treaty , but , however , acknowledged that it was but a dogmatic power . It consented

to receive from the Grand Orient of France all its Capitular Charters , and sent its envoys to the Grand Directory of Rites . Later , viz . in 1809 , as we have seen , it

attempted , but in vain , to submit to its government the Rite of Heredom , and iu 1811 it assumed , without consulting the Grand Orient of France , to which it was dependent , the jurisdiction of all the high grade Lodges and Chapters of the 18 th degreeand attempted to issue Charters of

, Constitution , without at the same time ever pretending to possess any right of governing the Lodges and Chapters of the Rose Croix . AVe have endeavoured to state clearly the situation , in order to prove the

encroachments of the Supreme Council , and the position of the Grand Orient , of which the Joint Grand Master was at the same time Grand Commander of the Scottish Rite , and on the other hand the acknowledgement by the Supreme Council of the

exclusive rig hts of the Grand Orient over the Symbolic and Capitular degrees . As long as the power and great influence of Prince Cambaceros continued , the Grand Orient could only protest , and wait a proper opportunity for asserting the integrity of its rights . It will not be out of order to state here

that in 1812 some Grand Inspectors-General , at the head of which was Bro . De la Hogue , the uncle of Bro . De Grasse Tilly , calling themselves members of the Supreme Council of America , asked that the Supreme Council of France should inscribe their names with the title of honorary

members , besides their own , and to acknowledge the existence of the Supreme Council for the French possessions in America , until they should return to their own country . Upon the motion of Bro . Comte Muraire it was decided that their

application could not be entertained . These brethren then addressing themselves to the Grand Orient of France declared themselves to be the sole veritable possessors of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite .

Unfortunately the events of 1814 did not permit any decision upon their demands , as Masonry was once more tin-own into disorder by the state of politics . Prince Cambaceres , compelled to leave Francegave in his resignationthe

, , Supreme Council went into abeyance , and its members were dispersed . The Grand Orient , considering the time had arrived for the vindication and resumption of all