The French Freemasons And The War.

a band of music playing the " Marseillaise on the place . The defile lasted at least half-an-hour , and I should think there must have been deputations from about fifty lodges , in all perhaps five to six thousand Freemasons , evidently all respectable

men . The procession Avent up to the Bastille , Avhere it Avas joined by several more lodges . The Avhole body marched round the Column of July to the cries of " Vive la liepublique ! " and each banner saluted the column . The streets were

thronged Avith people along the line . lhe procession returned by the Boulevards . I came across it about two o ' clock as it wended past the Madeleine and up the Faubourg St . Honore . The ¦ church steps were crammed with people , who had

been waiting there since eleven o ' clock , for the Parisians are dearly fond of si g hts , however trumpery . First came the iuevitable drums and trumpets ; I Avas suprised to find no other music . Then a battalion of Federal chasseurs with arms .

Atter these some gentlemen in new National Guard uniforms , with plenty of red , on horseback . I at once discovered them to be members of the Commune and the Central Committee . The former have red scarfs Avith gold fringe slung across tho shoulder : the latter red scarfs with silver frino-o J o round the waist . Four officers of the staff followed

behind . One or two of these cavaliers Avore also the insignia of the Masonic order . Then came the Freemasons and their banners , headed by an artilleryman with a white flag , on Avhich was Avi-itten in large letters , " Aimous-nous les uns les

nutres ! " Not having the honour to belong to the Order , you must excuse me if I am unable to give you a faithful account of the banners , aud their emblems ; some of them are so mystical that it is impossible for an outsider to solve them . As

they filed by , dancing and flaunting in the air , I caught si ght of the " Eleves d'Hiram , " the "Ecossaise , " the " Coem-sUnis , " the "Hospitallers d'Ecosse , " and the " Grand Orient . " Mystic emblems of equality , fraternity , peace , and work in

golden letters and enigmatic signs , shone out from the faded silken banners of all colours . Some of the banners Avere tied round with a piece of crape . The procession got along slowly up the

Faubourg St . Honore , where ib was drenched b y a sharp storm . When it reached the Place Beauveaujthe Federals who accompanied it were ordered to file off . The Freemasons insisted that the

demonstration should bo allowed to approach the ramparts entirely by itself ; the si g ht of the Federals was neither peaceful not- civil , and mig ht lead to difficulties in the Avay of parlementing . Up the Faubourg it went , and on I followed . The

procession turned into the Avenue Friedland , when ib came to a standstill . The guns Avere still firing , and shells falling in the quartler ; two had burst in the avenue only an hour before . I imagined the firing would have ceased before these thousands of

persons were allowed to approach the spot , but it Avas evident no Avarnino- or arrangement had been made beforehand . And here were masses of

human beings under the very nose of death . The Champs Elysees Avere also crowded with spectators Avaitino- to see the demonstration . The firing had been slacker since noon , and everybody believed a suspension of arms had been agreed to .

The banner-bearers gathered together at the top of the Avenue , and proceeded to march by the back of the Arcde Triomphe to get into the Avenue de la Grand Armee ; a parlemmterie Avas dispatched to the out-posts .

About three o ' clock , the fire on both sides ceased . Theparlemeuterie had succeedediugetbing a suspension of arms , lhe white flag floated on the outposts of the Federals and the Versaillites . Half-a-dozen ' - ' venerables" of the Order were chosen

to go down to Versailles with a conciliatory proposition . Between 3 , 000 and 4 , 000 Freemasons met last , Tuesday , in the Place de la Concorde , aud agreed to a suggestion made b y M . Ranvier , a member

of the Commune , that the banners of the brotherhood should remain on the ramparts , and that the Masons should inarch with the National Guards to their respective quarters for the defence of the Commune .

We also learn from "The Times , " that the Freemasons at Dieppe , in conjunction Avith those of Rouen , have voted their full adhesion to the address of the Central Lod ge at Paris , full y endorsing its sentiments and , protesting against

the bloodshed , and desiring the speedy reconciliation of the two parties . The tacit truce Avhich existed for a few hours on the north-west of Paris in consequence of the efforts of the Freemasons has come to an end .

Whatever may be the result of their conciliatory mediation , —but Ave fear that their partisanship—their evident and avowed advocacy of