Correspondence.

tatingly admitted the fact , but before I would endorse the word "touting , " I requested of one of the pretendedly aggrieved brethren , professedly learned in the law , a definition of that word . This brother stated the meaning to be " soliciting for customers . " I affirmed that , in this sense , Avith the information I had I could notas a man of common sensebut

, , believe my assertion true , although I utterly disclaimed charging any brother individually of touting , and Avhich fact , was unreservedly corroborated by each of the three brethren to whom I madetli ^ admitted statement . So far as regarded the proposer and seconder-I most distinctladmitted thatafter the

, y , statements they bad made , I could not suppose they bad been ' guilty of touting . At the same time I offered unreservedly to communicate fully and freely my reasons for coming to the conclusions I had expressed , viz ., that undue influence had been used by some party—if tho brethren would treat my

statements Avith that Masonic secrecy in which 1 would only reveal them , because a non-Mason Avas involved in the disclosure . This proviso the W ; M . and the proposer utterly repudiated , the latter declaring that , as the charge had been made public ( by himself ) , so should any explanation be made public . I then made the additional offer to name to the Master of

the lodge , m his official capacity , the facts which hacl come to my knowledge , leaving it to him to make any use he thought proper of the information . This offer the W . M . indignantly refused , ancl in his reply disgraced his position by charging me with evasion , subterfuge , and falsehood , Avinding up with a recommendation to the lodt . exclude me . The excluded

ge member of another lodge took up the challenge , and gave notice of motion to that effect . Then follows a scene which Avould , I believe , disgrace a bear garden or a prize fight , and the lodge is closed in perfect harmonv .

The next production is a printed circular summons ( of Avhich you have already a copy ) , printed to the order of the W . M . by the " gentleman withdraAvn ( although the Secretary of the " lodge is a printer ) , charging me , in large type , with gross un-Masonic conduct , and being , as I am advised , an

actionable libel . At the meeting for which this circular ivas a summons , there Avas an unusually large muster of the regular attendants at the lodge . As soon as the minutes had been confirmed , the excluded member of another lodge and not legally member of any lodge , proposed , and a brother , Avho hacl not

thought proper to speak to me for more than a year on account of a business dispute , seconded , that I h ^ excluded the lodge ; not the sli ghtest attempt having been made to oiler anything in the shape o £ proof of the charge trumped up against me ! After waiting ¦ some time iu vainfor at least some allusion to the

, charge , and after informing the W . M . that I believed it Avas usual to prefer some pretence of a charge against an Englishman before expecting him to make a defence , I nevertheless gave a full , fair , simple , and truthful explanation of the whole affair . Again and again utterldenying the false charge of accusing

y any individual member . of the lodge of touting ( whatever good cause I might raise for doing so ) , but at the same time producing such clear and uumistakeable evidence tending to any fears I had expressed , generally , of undue influence that every unprejudiced

brother was perfectly satisfied , a fact manifested , as stated iu my former letter , by brethren jumping up on all sides , and ( although they avowed they came to the lodge , having heard only one side of the story , prejudiced against me ) , begging the motion might be withdrawn and the subject dropped . The only voice raised a ? ainst this course was that of the Quondam

prosecutor ; and seeing the stream taking a direction quite contrary to his Avishes , this Sir Oracle of the lodge , with a design so deep that many of tho brethren did not fathom it , proposed that the discussion be postponed for a month : aud although I protested that a jury having been empanelled to try a certain charge having heard the defence and the Master having

summed up , a verdict ought at once to be delivered : although I denounced the course proposed as a flagrant outrage upon simple justice , which could only have been devised by a brother of the long robe , the lodge , evidently viewing this as an easy method of disposing of the question , fell into the trap and

consented to the proposition ; many of my friends assuring me of their belief that nothing more Avould be heard of the matter . Unfortunately , instead of this being the case , the whole thing Avas a ruse as I expected , and when I arrived at the adjourned lodge I found it so evidentlpacked thatbut for ulterior

y , objects in vieAv , I should have immediately retired iu disgust . Instead of the regular attendants there were only a few besides the clique I hacl ever seen in this lodge , although for many years a constant attendant myself , Avhilst there Avere some I did not even know to be Masons at all . I have said unfortunately

only because it Avill inflict upon me au additional loss of time and expense in order to right myself in so simple aud straightforward a matter before an impartial ancl honest tribunal . And UOAV , briefly , to the details of this mock trial . I commenced by inquiring of the Master if this were a trial by jury or what Avas it ? This impartial brother immediately put

me doAvn by the thunder of his gavel , at the same time informing rae that he knew nothing about trial by jury , but that the brother AVIIO had moved the adjournment of the debate , although he had made a long speech already to the question , would address the lodge ( notwithstanding one of the regulations of

the Graft " that no brother shall speak twice to the same question" ) . Sir Oracle taking advantage of this sagacious ruling , proceeded to enlighten the numerous brethren who appeared hi the lodge for the first time of late , and Avho were , consequentl y : in blissful igno ° ranee of the wnole affair , with " the exact position in

Which matters stood . " And considering he professed to be the principally aggrieved party in the transaction , his narrative was , of course , perfectly unA'arnished , unbiassed , and unprejudiced . Although well knowing it Avas utterly out of his poAver , he did not attempt in any shape or form to offer a shadow of proof iu respect to the charge trumped up by himself against

me . Upon the learned brother resuming his seat , I instincti \ ely rose to make some reply before this entirely new jury ; to defend myself against the charge was simply needless . As no attempt to substantiate it had been made , I Avas most ruthlessly aud outrageously ordered to resume my seat , the representative of K . S . informing mo that 1 had spoken once for' an hour and a half , and not another word I had