The Convention Of French Masons.

thier-Lamothe , 1 each ; blanks , 3 ; total , 200 votes . The French Masons havo thus , once more , maintained their character as an ecclesia miliians , by electing for their Grand Master Bro . Mellinet , Avho occupies the rank of commander of the garrison

of Paris . The Sth and 9 th sittings were * occupied by the "installation" of the Grand Master and officers . A record of these proceedings Avould encroach too much on our space , and probably be devoid of

interest for our readers . The most important result derived from the transactions and votes of this assembly is the maintenance Avithin the Constitution of the French Masons of the affirmation of the existence

of a Supreme Power , and of the immortality of the soul . We feel bound to congratulate our French brethren for having maintained in their Constitution the fundamental principle of Masonry , and thwarted all the puerile attempts of

the atheists , alias positivists , headed by the Monde Maconnique , to demolish the ground Avork upon Avhich the institution of the Craft has rested ever since its foundation .

Freemasonry In Mexico.

FREEMASONRY IN MEXICO .

The first establishment of Masonic institutions in Mexico dates from the commencement of the present century . The Scottish Rite Avas introduced there by native Spaniards in 1810 , and was adhered to by many emigrants and colonists .

The latter were particularly pleased with the high grades on account of their denomination , and the opportunity they afforded them of satisfying their luxurious propensities by the garments they Avore at the Masonic gatherings . One of

the clauses of the statutes of the Grand Lods'e of Spain Avas enacted more especially in opposition to the French invasion , and declared " that it AA as tho duty of every * Mason to maintain the integrity of the Fatherland ; " this duty the Mexican Masons

could fulfil conscientiously dm-ing the time when Mexico was a dependance of Spain . But immediately after the close of the Avar of liberation in the mother country , an insurrection , tending towards independence of the colony from Spain ,

broke out in Mexico . Masonry had spread more particularly amongst the antagonists of the secession movement ; but many of the insurgents had also joined the Craft , and this accounts for the Spanish dynasty not being at once superseded

at the time of the declaration of independence of Mexico . After the rejection of the treaty of Cordova by Spain , and the subsequent definitive secession of Mexico from the mother country , followed up by

the fall of Iturbide ' s empire , and the erection of a republican confederation , the Freemasons of Mexico perceived that they were in contradiction with themselves by obeying the Grand Lodge , and thus betraying the independence of their

country . Many patriotic Masons seceded , therefore , from the Scottish Rite , and adopted the rite of the York Masons , under the auspices of the Grand Lodge of New York , and through the instrumentality of Bro . Poinsett , the then United States Minister at Mexico .

The York Rite was successively adhered to by the Independents , the Liberals , and the Republicans , and became the national rite for Mexico after the subsequent introduction of the Royal Arch Degree and of a Grand Lodge . The native

Spaniards and Spanish sympathisers , however , abided by the Scottish Rite , and a hostile tendency arose between the two systems , Avhich was soon transplanted on political ground , and carried with it the most distressing consequences , both for the

Institution of Freemasonry and the country at large . The Escoseces , or Scottish Masons , seeing their lodges deserted , considered the Yorhinos ( York Masons ) as renegades and traitors , and

commenced a sanguinary persecution against them , and Avith a view to counterbalance the fast-increasing power of the latter , the Escoseces formed the Novenarios , a kind of militia whose name is derived from the regulation requiring each

member to enlist nine additional adherents , who were bound to take an oath of fidelity to the enlistino ; ' member . The Novenarios recruited themselves more particularly amongst persons connected with churches and monasteries , many

members of the clergy ha \ r ing also joined the Scottish Rite , after having been the most embittered enemies of Freemasonry in past years , acd continuing to be most hostile to it up to the present moment .

The Yorhinos became soon aware of these doings of their antagonists , and tried to outdo the latter by recruiting their own lodges upon the plan of receiving all applicants , Avithout distinction , provided they belonged to the federal , i . e ., the the patriotic party . Thus the system of Freemasonry very soon degenerated into a party