Correspondence.

"CircularLetter '' our Grand Master can only allude to what such an one " said " to him : not a single paper or letter from any one to him is produced ; only his note to the Attorney-General , which was nofc deemed of sufficient importance to elicit an answer . Is it not apparent from tho statements of his own " Circular Letter , " that our Grand Master was playing off once more one of those dodges for

which a certain Bro . Harrington has been , famous in the Masonic world for the last 20 years ? On the 27 th July , he writes to the Attorney-General . " Early in August , " he goes to the office of Public AVorks , to see Mr . Eose . On yist July , the book-making Eob Morris writes to him , and offers his valuable services in receiving the Prince afc Ottawa . Then some days elapse . The Grand Master

saw Bro . Eose , the commissioner , and " spoke very openly , and protested , " & c . He nails his " predecessor in office " afc Montreal , who promised to go , but did not ; so the Deputy . " On 23 rd of August , Mr . Eeceiver-General Sherwood told me that ' it was to be present I' a very undignified way , surely , of speaking of a Grand Lodge . But really , Mr . Editor , the whole " Letter " is such a farrago of nonsense

and puerilites , that I feel ashamed to own myself a Canadian Mason when perusing it . Observe the coolness with which this newly-elected Grand Master proposes to displace Officers of Grand Lodgo , elected at the same time as himself . He quietly proposes to expel , from tho offices to ivhich Grand Loclge hacl elected them , tho Grand Chaplain , and tho Grand Superintendent of AVorks ; ancl to place in their

offices , pro hdc vice , two Government officials . I doubt if a similar instance of cool audacity can bo produced in tho annals of Masonry . Aud then , again , after telling us that all the proceedings in the matter had been , laid before 'Grand Lodge , ho coolly adds , " the course they adopted mot with my ready concurrence . " Now , this is admirable ! The Grand Master actually condescended to approve of the ads of

Grand Lodge . Had ifc been the other way—had he saicl , " Grand Lodge approved of my acts , " one would have thought it natural enough ; bufc the converse does seem to be the very climax of egotism . See , Mr . Editor , how differently things were arranged at the Cape of Good Hope .

RECEPTION OP PBIXCE ALFRED AT THE MASONIC HOTEL , CAPE TOWN . —As soon asthe Prince's carriage stopped opposite the porch , the Masonic procession went forward to welcome him . At their head , was the Prov . Grand Master of the Netherlands , Sir C .. Brand , with IBros . Herman , Rowe , and Saunders , the AV . M . respectively of the Lodges Good Hope , the British , and the Southern Cross , all in full Masonic costume , who went out to his Royal Highness , followed by a large assemblage of the Craft . Brother Prov . G . M . Sir

C . Brand presented the Prince with the Stirrup Cup , filled with Messrs . W . and A . Gilbey's Champagne , addressed his Royal Highness hi words to this effect : " That he had been deputed by the Masonic Fraternity to present the Masonic cup of friendship to him ; they knowing full well that the noble family from which he was descended were most ardent admirers of Freemasonry , felt great leasure in presenting to his Royal Hihness the cup of

p g Masonry , the emblem of love and fidelity , independently of the feeling of loyalty to the son of their Sovereign Lady , Queen Victoria . " His Royal Highness , on receiving the cup , partook heartily of its contents , ancl through his Governor , Major Cowell , expressed his feelings to the Fraternity , and said , that he with

pleasure accepted their welcome ancl kind Masonic demonstrations to him . —Cape Monitor , 2 Sth July . I do not feel , Mr . Editor , that Masonry has been disgraced , or ill-used in the succession of snubbings which our Grand Master received from the Canadian Ministers . AVe have elected as our Grand Master a Brother who has no position , and commands no respect . AVe must abide by the

consequences . His own " Circular Letter" proves him to bo a man whose ideas of business are very loosely arranged . In the meanwhile , wc must hope for better times . A change there will , doubtless , be next year , when I , for one , in company with a legion of others , hope thafc we shall be able to elect a Brother of position in the world , as well as of dignity of demeanour , to fill the Grand Orient of Canada .

Yours obediently , E . G . C . ¦ Circular Letter of the M . W . Grand Master , explanatory of Matters relating to the Laying of the Corner-stone of ihe Public Buildings at Ottawa , the proposed Co-operation thereat , and subsequent Disappointment of the Craft . Bearing in mind my verbal explanation to Grand Lodge , on the 1 st instant , I deem it to be niy duty , while events are fresh in my

remembrance , to draw up a statement of the circumstances relating to the laying of the Corner-stone of the Public Buildings , at Ottawa , by H . R . H . the Prince of Wales , on the 1 st September , 1860 , and the proposed co-operation thereat of the Masonic Fraternity , and its subsequent disappointment . Several brethren having asked me if the Craft ivould , in my opinion , appear as a body during the visit of the Prince , to ivhich question I could ive no decided answerI addressed on the 27 th

g , July , the annexed letter , to Brother the Honorable Attorney-General McDonald , asking if it was jirobable the Freemasons ivould be invited to assist in laying the corner stone , at Ottawa , which ho verbally acknowledged , and promised to attend to , —and a few clays afterwards he informed me that the Governor General approved of the presence of the Craft , hut considered it to he his duty to consult the Prince of AValcs , before arriving at any final

conclusion . The propriety of this step was obvious , but it entailed , of course , considerable delay , as His Excellency had to meet the Prince at Gaspe , aud would not return to Quebec before the 18 th August , ancl then the hurry , confusion and excitement attendant upon so interesting a period , rendered it next to impossible , to see ancl converse with any member of the Government . Earlin AugustI went to the Public AVorks Officeby request

y , , of the Deputy Commissioner , Mr . Keefer , who asked what my ideas were in regard to the Ceremony at Ottawa , ancl desired to know what the Freemasons proposed doing . I at once explained that they could le present only to take some part in the Ceremony , ancl also that , although the Prince would actually lay the stone , and be the recepient of all the honours , the Grand Master of the Order mustif presentdeclare the stone to be properly laid in the usual

, , form . Shortly after the Commissioner , Brother the Hon . Mr . Rose , sent again for me , and to him I gave the same explanation , showing him the copy of my letter to Mr . MacDonald , and informing him that it was then in the hands of the Governor-General , and as time was passing rapidly hy , I thought to have a quick reply , to enable me , to issue my summons to the Grand Lodge ancl Brethren generally , as well as to afford time for tho assembling of visitors

from the United States , from whom I had received communications , ancl I placed before him one from M . AV . Brother Robert Morris , of Kentucky , the following being an extract therefrom : — I _ ti < jrange , Kentuck y , July , 31 , I 860 . " Should you decide to call your Grand Loclge together , as your worthy predecessor suggested , ancl wait upon H . R . Highness , 1 submit to you whether it might not add eclat to the occasion were some one representing the American Grand Lodges to he united in

the deputation . I would cheerfully attend , and could in every sense of the word speak for the Grand Lodges , Grand Masters , ancl the general Craft of this country . I have not given any hint upon this subject to any one , nor will I until I hear from you . But if you approve of it , and official etiquette justify such a measure , the fact that 4700 lodges and 190 , 000 Masons of the United States , tendered their good wishes and welcome to the Prince , would , it appears to meredound somo honour to our common cause . "

, Mr . Rose coincided with all I said , and after he had hacl an interview with the Governor-General , repeated what I had formerly learned from Mr . MacDonald . After the arrival on the 18 th , Mr . Rose informed me that , although the Prince , not being a Freemason , could not lay the stone with Masonic honours , and could nofc wefl be initiated for the purpose , without causing jealous feelings , yet he would be glad to be supported by the Craft , ancl have its members around him . I was to be told this in writing ; no letter , however .

reached me , bufc Brother II . Bernard , Attorney-General's Department , informed me by authority , that all was arranged , ancl I could summon the Craft for the first September . Before , however , I could do this , I received a message from Mr . Rose himself , to the effect that the matter was not quite settled , ancl requesting me to delay my summons until I again heard from him . Three days elapsed , and I had abandoned all idea of the presence of the Fraternity being required at Ottawawhen on the 23 rd of August ,

, Mr . Receiver-General Sherwood told me that it was to be present , ancl on my saying that Mr . Rose hacl not written , he advised me at once to seek an interview with that gentleman , who was about to take his departure that very day for Ottawa . I went directly , and found him at dinner , and his carriage in waiting to convey him to the railway station , but he very kindly waived inconvenience , and saw me . I again explained how , only , as a body , the Craft could be

present , —pointed out that it was not a light thing to assemble the brethren , —that unless to take a prominent part they could not appear publicly as Freemasons , and I spoke very plainly . Mr . Rose , pleading hurry with good reason , coulcl not then write ; but assured me that he would do everythinghe couldfor the Craft when at Ottaioa , promised me passes for such official brethren as I might name , asked me what their assembling would be likely to cost the Government , to which I answered—nothing , —and requested me , seeing the state of things , and as a man of the world , judging by what he then said to assume the responsibility , and summon the Fraternity . I left