Memorial From The Provincial Grand Lodge Of Canada West.

have good hope that this occasion will not form an exception to that excellent axiom . The following is a brief abstract ol the memorial about to be submitted to the G . L . of England by the Prov . G . L . of Canada West : — " That the present unhappy differences existing among Masons in the once happy and united Province of Canada , are deeply deplored

by your memorialists , who having never wavered in their allegiance to your august body , once more desire to embody in this , their memorial , the circumstances which have led to these difficulties , and the only course they now see left to reconcile and allay them . " They then give a sketch of the establishment of a Prov . G . L . in 1702 , and continue as follows , — " That the highest respect was felt for their P . G . M ., Sir Allan Macnabfrom his wellknown and tried devotion and

, - long- patriotism in the cause of his country ; but that while such was warmly acknowledged , it was nevertheless well known to the brethren that , in matters purely Masonic , the well-being of Masonry would depend on his appointing a Deputy P . G . M . learned and skilled in our mysteries . That the appointment of the respected D . P . G . M ., Thomas Gibbs Ridout , Esq ., as such his Deputy , was warmly received , and that it was clearly understood and expressed by the P . G . M ., Sir Allan Macnab , on his Installation , that he would work by his Deputy . That the burden of working" the Provincial G . L . has ,

it may be affirmed , entirely devolved upon the D . P . G . M ., whose devotion to the Order , and attention on all occasions , has been unremitting ; in support of which your memorialists will state that , out of thirty-three meetings of the P . G . L . since its re-organization , only Jive have been presided over by the P . G . M ., one of which was the occasion of his installation , and another the occasion of the corner stone of a public building being laid under the auspices of the P . G . L . ; and only three regular meetings have therefore been presided over by the PGSIThe attention of the GLis

-. . . . . par ticularly directed to these facts , as they will be found to bear upon matters which will hereinafter be introduced . . . . That with deep disappointment your memorialists are bound to record that a reference to the minute and letter books during the eleven years that have since passed , warrant them in saying that the intercourse with the G . L . of England has , by the unhappy neglect of your Body , resulted in a mere matter of pounds , shillings , and pence . The lettersenclosing remittances for warrants and certificates

, , being those which alone have occasionally been acknowledged by the Grand . Secretary—they say occasionally , as even of these many are unanswered , while their letters and petitions on subjects of vital importance , not only to Masonry , but as they will proceed to show , to the retention of that allegiance which it was once their proud boast to maintain , have been either wholly reglected , or more latterly , haughtily and insultingly rejected . "

The various steps taken by the Prov . G . L . are then enumerated , and first is drawn out the petition " , dated May , 1858 , which asks for the retention in Canada of " all fees for registration , G . L . certificates , and Lodge warrants , " that they may be able to relieve the " considerable number of indigent brethren ( emigrants ) who naturally on their arrival seek relief from the Lodges ;"

as well as " to raise an institution for the benefit of decayed and indigent worthy brethren , or for the widows and orphans of Masons . " They also ask to be allowed " annually to elect their P . G . M . "— " the United G . L . of England still retaining and exercising a superior and governing power and jurisdiction over the Craft in

this province . " They conclude by stating , " Should this , the prayer of our petition be granted , there is every reason to believe . that the many Lodges in this province meeting under the G . L . 's of Scotland and Ireland , will unite with this our P . G . L . of Canada West . " The letter from the D . P . G . M . to the G . Secretary of England , enclosing their petition to the M . W ., the G . M . concludes as follows : — " There are urgent reasons at this time why there should be no

longer delay , and that we pray for an early decision , it having come to our knowledge that several Lodges in the Province , including some Lodges acting under warrants from the G . L . of Ireland , have petitioned that G . L . to grant them the same terms that we now ask , or else that they will congregate and establish an Independent Canadian G . L , the existence of which we should deplore , as we wish to be , and remain , a great branch of the United G . L . of England . "I take this opportunity to enclose ies of letters to you

cop ray , dated the 5 th and 19 th of March last ; the former containing a remittance of £ 35 4 s ., and the latter of £ 30 fis . Gd ., neither of which have yet been acknowledged , although we find on reference to the Bank , that both bills were duly paid at Glyns ' , last April . —Toronto , Dec . 1 . 1853 . " " On the 9 th of May , 1854 , the petition and letters remaining unanswered and unacknowledged" a

resolu-, tion of the P . G . L . was adopted , ordering the P . G . Secretary to write to the M . W ., the G . M ., through the Grand Registrar ; enclosing copies of former documents , petitions , letters containing remittances , & c ., and stating that no answers had been received . " On the 23 rd of October 1855 it was once more resolved to seek

, , a reply from the G . L . of England to their long neglected petition , ' and the following strong resolution was adopted : — ' That the G . L . of England be earnestly requested to entertain , without loss of time , the petition of this G . L . forwarded so long back as December , 1853 , as this P . G . L . cannot but feel that the vital interests of Masonry in Canada are now at stake .. " " Your memorialists now come to that stage of their narrative when they have to notice at length—not a replyfrom the G . L . of

, England , for this has ? ieuer yet heen vouchsafed them—but an official publication under date of June , 1856 , containing the remarks of the G M . as put forth with all the weight of his authority when the matter of their Petition was at length brought forward . " This called forth the following resolutions ;

" 1 st . Resolved , that this P . G . L . have been deeply pamed that the G . M . of England should have received in such a manner , the constitutional conduct which their P . G . L . have pursued throughout their difficulties and grievances , and their pain is rendered more intense that he should in any way have blamed for unconstitutional conduct the D . P . G . M ,, who has , by the direction of the P . G . M ., conducted the entire business of the Province , and whose zeal for Masonry , and whose efforts to maintain it in unsullied purity , have gained for him the deepest respect and esteem of all the Masons in

Canada . Snd . That this P . G . L . desire to express in the strongest terms their disapproval of the unjust and ivacouvtcous treatment which they have experienced at the hands of the M . XV ., the G . M . of England , and to express their conviction , that most of the difficulty which has occurred in Canada , has arisen from the loss or mislaying of documents transmitted by their P . G . L ., in the G . See's office , and which , if they had been properly preserved , and carefully read ,

would have removed the lamentable ignorance of Canadian affairs which has been exhibited by those high in office , who ought to have been better acquainted wiith our position . " Resolution 3 , conveys the thanks of the P . G . L . to the Rev . Bro . Portal , for his exertions on their behalf , and begs him to act as their representative hi G . L . Resolution 4 , withdraws the petition from the M . W .,

the G . M ., " who has refused to allow the G . L . of England to be recognized in Ms person , " and desires instead to petition G . L . Resolution 5 , appoints certain brethren to draw up the memorial to G . L ., and requests the I ) . P . G . M . to call a Special P . G . L . to confirm the same for transmission to England .

" In conclusion , your Memorialists would firmly state , that they consider the time has been allowed to pass , when moderate concessions would have more than satisfied the Masons of Canada , and that less than entire independence , as to the Government of the craft , will not allay the excitement , which now too largely prevails in this once happy , united , and loyal , Province . They would therefore respectfully memorialize your august Body to give recognition to the