Correspondence.

and diffidence of all superior minds , and such counsel being based on facts , the result of patient study and research , it was adopted . If , therefore , we have erred , we have Supreme commands and good authority on our side ; deeply as we may feel the thunders and superior knowledge that your correspondent "J . " . " wishes us to believe him possessed of . As your correspondent has deigned to affix on the " Groves "

nom da plume , for which I am not responsible , the name of alias , I will adopt the fraternal name from which he has extracted his literary quotation wherein to squash such diminutive mortals as we Northern Provincials must be in his eyes , and sign myself —( thereby adding another alias )—TOM THUMB .

Masonry In France.

MASONRY IN FRANCE .

< HO THE EDITOB 01 Tn 5 TBEEMASONS MAGAZINE AUD MAS 0 XIC lIIRROIt . SIR AND BROTHER , —I have often wished to know more than I do as to the present state of Preemasonry in Prance , and week after week have I looked over your columns in hopes of meeting with the desired information . But all in vain;—save that some "Most "Wise Sovereign , " in some foolish after-dinner speech , at a banquet of those " higher

degrees " which the Grand Lodge of England so properly refuses to acknowledge as any part of Ancient Preemasonry , will occasionally be found telling us that " on the Continent the Craft is nothing . " I have myself occasionally found unworthy brethren excuse their culpable ignorance of Craft Masonry under the pretext that they were " devoting all iheir ' attention to the higher degrees , " although , for my own

part , I should consider those so-called higher degrees worse than useless if they did not make those who took them better Graft Masons . Perhaps , as we hoar so much lowiee about them , somo of the Sir Knts . ancl Most Wise Sovereigns will condescend to enli ghten us as to their object . Judgmg from the following extract from tho Paris Correspondent of the Daily News , which is now going the round of the English newspapers , the priuoiiDles of tho Craft —the bond of brotherhood of which we havo in all ages been so

proudare indeed nothing with one whom the Preemasons of Srance have once elected to preside over them , but whom ( if it be indeed true that he has challenged a brother to mortal combat ) I trust that they will for ever depose . I know no more of , I care no more for , Prince Napoleon than Prince Mnrat . Their miserable ambitions aro alike indifferent to me . Bat I do care for tho character of

Preemasonry , which cannot hut suffer when the tidings are borne on the wings of the press to all regions of the habitable globe , that tho Grand Master of Prance has challenged his rival to a deadly encounter . Where , it will be asked , is the humanizing principles of our Order ? where the brotherly love of which wo make such , great professions ? I trust that , for tho sake of his Masonic obligation , Prince

Napoleon would scorn the challenge , more than for any command of the Emperor . I give the extract I have alluded to , aud I hope that this letter will elicit others , and that we may learn something more of what must be of importance to every true brother amongst ns—the present state of Preemasonry in Prance . I am , Sir and Brother , yours fraternally , BROTHER PETEK . Never Mind Whore , May 22 , 1861 .

The Paris correspondent of the Daily News , writing on Monday evening , says : — " Prince Murat hits sent a challenge to his cousin , Prince Napoleon , on account , as I understand , of a paragraph in the Opinion Rationale , which the actual Grand Master of the French Ereemasons attributes to the inspiration of his imperial rival for the office . The Emperor , who heard of the matter , ordered the Prince Napoleon not to fight , just as lie did iu the case of the Duke d'Aliunde : but Prince Murat repeated bis challenge in the most terms

taunting , and telling Prince Napoleon that lie did not admit the Emperor ' s jurisdiction in afliiirs of honour between persons ot their rank , gave him notice that he should be upon the ground to-day , and fully expected to meet him . This information , nothing "VJ L !"' " ' . 3 ' !; nown to the public , reaches me from a sure source . ' The following is the passage in the Opinion Rationale above referred to . After reproducing Prince Murat ' s decree against il . Uiche Garden , editor of the Masonic journal the Initiation , it says : — " Events have rapidly succeeded each other since then . As the elections take place on Monday , the 20 th , the authority which was bent on perpetuating its existence had no tinio to lose ! Yesterday , therefore , on a report ad-

Masonry In France.

dressed to His Eoyal Highness by the grand officer charged to represent him , Prince Murat decreed the provisional suspension of eleven members of the legislative assembly of the Order , whom the report styles factious , and whose open opposition might have disturbed the election But the very short time that remains to elapse before the election further aggravates the position of the lodges thus deprived of their representatives . The Grand Master is named for seven years ; it is , therefore , most essential that all the lodges should he represented at an electionthe result of which be of such vast

impor-, may tance to the ivhole Order . We may also mention here that the course taken by Prince Murat was the cause of the great schism three years ago in the lodges of the United States . The election of another Grand Slaster in his place would , no doubt , tend to the establishment of unity in Freemasonry . The influence of the Order is very powerful iu America , and it is easy to understand that the return to unity is a matter of the highest moment to au association based on the dogma of universal brotherhood . "

It has always been usual in France to choose the Grand Master from a member of the reigning family , and generally speaking the election is for life . But Prince Murat , who , perhaps , expected by this time to be King of Naples , requested that he might only he elected for the seven years which have just now expired . Murat is said to be terribly " cunning of fence ; " and the friends of Prince Napoleon are alarmed for his fate if ho should he so imprudent as to place himself within reach of his incensed adversary's sword ; in all probability , however , the latter will implicitly obey the Emperor ' s commands .

A Case Of Distress.

A CASE OF DISTRESS .

TO THE EDITOIt OX THE EREE 11 AS 0 XS MAGAZINE AKD MASOJTIC JIIKKOK . DEAU Sin AND BKOTHEB , —I beg leave to inform you , and all kind friends , of the amount received , up to the present time , for Mrs . Evans : — Amount acknowledged in the MAGAZINE for May llth £ 21 5 6 Lodge of Instruction ( No . 276 ) 10 6

Donations received from Bro . E . Spencer 4 0 0 . T . M . Isaacs 5 0 Union Lodge ( No . 149 ) 2 0 0 £ 28 1 0 Bro . C . Isaacs informs me that ho has collected another £ -1 in addition to the £ 5 I have already received from him ,

which will be acknowledged as soon as received . I personally thank him for the energy he has thrown into this good work , carrying out practically the principle , Fides , Spes , Charitas ; maxima autem Charitas . I remain , faithfully and fraternally yours , 198 , Fleet-street . J . M . THEAELE . [ Wehave received £ 1 Is . from Bro . Haward , P . G . Steward , ivhich will bo handed to Bro . Thearlo . ]

The Grand Orient of Prance held its triennial meeting in Paris on Monday last for the election of New Grand Master , ancl has excited no little scandal . It appears that a challenge passed between Prince Murat , the retiring Grand Master , and Prince Napoleon , the new candidate for the office—but the affair is stated to have been stopped by the Emperor . From the accounts we have

received , it further appears that Prince Murat , finding the election likely to go against him , dissolved the meeting of the Grand Orient without allowing ' the Vote to be taken . The Central Masonic Lodge , in the Rue Cadet , immediately met and protested against the proceedings of the Grand Master , and claimed to be allowed to go to the vote , on the ground that , the Grand Master's powers having

expired , his decree was void . Prince Napoleon was elected Grand Master by a very large majority . The following is the copy of a letter from Prince Napoleon to a masonic deputation , hy which he ultimately accepted the candidature offered to hiiu : —' ¦ Gentlemen , —I have received the letter hy which you offer to vote for mo as Grand Master of your order . I feel the testimony

of your flattering confidence . On account of the bonds of relationship and friendship which subsist between mc and Prince Murat 1 could not at first come forward in opposition to him . But now the letter signed by so many " venerables , " stating that they will nofc vote for the present Grand Master , changes my determination ; and I wish you to know , gentlemen , that I shall accept the office if your suffrages give it to me . The date of tho above letter is not given , hut I presume it must be anterior to the challenge already spoken of