Grand Lodge.

of truth —( Hear , hear);—and that they had not received all that consideration which they had reason to expect . He would not , however , reopen the subject on its merits . The chief object which he now had was to amend the past shortcomings , and to endeavour to keep matters more smoothly moving for the future . He was bound to say , however , that he had found that he was not fully acquainted with the whole of the circumstances of the state of affairs relating to Canada West when he had previously addressed Grand Lodge upon the subject . ( Hearhear . ) There had been

, some little confusion in his mind with respect to the P . G . Lodge of Canada West , and the so-called Independent Grand Lodge . ( Hear , hear . ) With the latter he need hardly say that they could have nothing whatever to do . ( Hear , hear ; and loud applause . ) They had thrown off their allegiance to the G . L . of England , and that without even returning the warrants which they held under its jurisdiction . ( Hear . ) It was under these circumstances that the term " rebels" had been applied to them —( Hear;)—and he thought

that Grand Lodge would agree that that term was not unjustly so applied . ( Hear , hear . ) On a careful consideration of the whole case , he had arrived at the conclusion that he might , without any sacrifice of the privileges with which he was invested as G . M ., make such concessions to the Canadian Brethren as would fully meet their wants , and he hoped would satisfy them . The Canadian Brethren wished to have the power of electing their own G . M . ; and , secondly , they wished to retain all their fees of every sort and kind;—that their P . G . M . should grant warrants for new Lod

ges , and appoint subordinate P . G . Masters : but that the G . L . of England should still retain a supervising power . This , it would be at once perceived , was tantamount to a declaration of Independence . ( Hear , hear . ) This scheme , demanded as a whole , could only be met by a direct negative , unless he sacrificed those privileges which belonged to his high office , and which he was desirous of handing in their integrity to his successors . As far as the appointment of officers was concernedit was an irksomethankless task . ( Hear

, , , hear . ) The Canadian Masons contended that they had ample means of ascertaining who was a fit and proper person to preside over them ; but that he , at that distance , had not the same favourable opportunity . ( Hoar . ) He felt the force of that remark ; and , taking into consideration all the circumstances of the case , he was prepared to say that he would appoint as Prov . G . Master of

Canada West any Brother recommended to him by the Brethren as most acceptable to themselves . They might do this , if they preferred it , through the medium of a resolution of the P . G . Lodge , or in such other form as might be agreed on . ( Hear , and cheers . ) Such a nomination would of course be subject to his approval ; but he should not withhold his approval from any Brother so nominated without good and sufficient reasons , and without being prepared to justify such a step in G . L . ( Hear , hear . ) In these concessions he only announced his personal intentions . He did not mean to

consent to any alterations in their contributions to effect these objects , or in any way to curtail the prerogatives of his office , or to bind his successor to continue the course which he might commence . ( Hear , hear . ) The merely pecuniary considerations were of secondary importance , and would never , he hoped , influence them in coming to a decision . ( Cheers . ) At present the registration fee was 10 s . ; of which half went to the P . G . Lodge . Certificates , 6 s . 6 d . Total feeslis . 6 d . He should to make the istration fee

, propose reg 7 s . 6 d ., which would include the certificate ; and thus there would be a diminution of fees to the extent of 4 s . The whole scale of fees would then be—Registration and Certificate in London , £ 1 7 s . 6 d . ; in ( he country , 17 s ; in Canada , 7 s . Cd . ( Hear , hear ; and applause . ) The fees to the Benevolent Fund , London , £ 4 ; Country , £ 2 ; Canada , nil . ( Renewed applause . ) He had already provided for the issue of blank certificates in such numbers as would prevent delays and complaints on that score . As regarded the issue of warrants ,

such a power , or one equivalent to it , had always been exercised by the P . G . Masters of Colonial Grand Lodges . They had hitherto granted dispensations for holding new lodges , till warrants could be procured , and those warrants had never been referred to . This , however , was a matter which could now be left to the Colonial Board . Owing to representations which had reached him , he was inclined to subdivide the provinces in such a manner that no lodge should be at too great a distance from its PGLod ( Hear )

. . ge . . This he should do after consulting with the brethren , upon the spot . ( Cheers . ) The appointment of P . G . Masters , however , must remain the prerogative of the G . M ., just as the appointment of the officers of a private lodge was the prerogative of the W . M . He should , however , consult the wishes of the brethren in making these appointments . ( Hear , hear . ) Such was the course he purposed to pursue ; and he could appeal to at least one member of Grand Lodge that he had determined upon this course , and stated

his determination so far back as the 3 rd of January ; and he believed that in so doing he should meet the wishes of the Canadian brethren , without sacrificing the prerogatives of his office , which he wished , from no selfish motive , to preserve . He hoped that they had now brought the matter to an amicable termination ; and he thought that the statement he had then made would save G . L . any further protracted discussions on the subject . ( Hear , hear . ) The appointment of P . G . M . would be settled by him to the satisfaction of the P , G . Lodge of Canada ; and all the details could be

carried out by the Colonial Board . ( Applause . ) He trusted that he had now done justice . He repeated his regret that the matter had not been settled before ; and he knew that he might rely with full confidence upon G . L . for that support which they had never yet withhold from him in his endeavours to discharge his duty to the best of his ability . ( The noble lord , at the conclusion of his statement , which appeared to give the highest satisfaction to all present , sat down

amidst great applause . ) The re-election of the GRAND TREASURER was next proposed by Bro . GEO . BARRETT , and being seconded by Bro . —was unanimously agreed to . The election of a member of the Board of General purposes , in the room of Bro , F . Surges , deceased , was proceeded with , and Bro . E . ROBERTS , W . M ., of Lodge , NO . 914 , New Swindon , was elected . The Report of the Board of Benevolence , for the last quarter , was presented , and the following grants recommended : The widow of Gustavus W . Blanch , No . 195 , London , £ 50 ; Bro . Thomas John Coggin , No . 108 , London , £ 30 ; Bro . Brace Chilcot , No . 671 , Monmouth , £ 30 ; Bro . Thomas Scott , No . 11 , London ,

£ 100 ; on the proposition for voting a grant of £ 50 to Bro . Joseph A . Joseph , No . 4 , London . W . Bro . MASSON reviewed the history of "The Royal Somerset House and Inverness Lodge , " alluding to its past , career in terms of high eulogy , and stated this was the first member of it who had ever had occasion to apply for their benevolent assistance . Who had exerted himself more zealously than Bro . Joseph in promoting in every way the interests of Masonry , particularly by his liberal support of all their charities ? . Bearing this in mindand also the

, circumstances with respect to the Lodge to which he had alluded , and regarding this as in every way a very strong case , he should move as an amendment , " That the sum be £ 100 . " W . Bro . HAVERS cordially responding to all that had been said of Bro . Joseph , had great pleasure in seconding the amendment . V . W . Bro . DOME , agreeing with the propriety of the amendment , questioned the power of G . L . to entertain it . Notice to that effect ought to have been given to the Board of Masters . ( No ,

no . ) He could personally speak to the past zeal of Bro . Joseph . It was through his instrumentality that the heavy debt due to the Tavern from the Somerset House Lodge was discharged , and it was Bro . Joseph , who revived the Lodge , and brought it again into activity . Still he was of opinion that notice of the amendment should have been given . W . Bro . HAVERS would pledge himself to produce ample precedent for amendment . R . XV . Bro . BEADON supported the amendment , as did W . Bro . ROXBURGH . The amendment for the increased grant was carried .

THE KING OF HANOVER . The M . W . the G . M . intimated that he held in his hand a copy of the " INSTRUCTIONS TO THE CRABD 10 DGE OF HANOVER . They had been framed by the King of Hanover , and he moved that they be received and entered in the minutes . W . Bro . ARIA begged to ask , as the Grand Lodge knew nothing of the contents of these instructions , whether there was any allusion

in them to , or any alteration of , the statutes regulating the admission of Masons ? The M . W . GRAND MASTER . None whatever . W . Bro . ARIA . I wish to ask the question iu a more definite form . Is there any thing in the instructions which has reference to the exclusion of news ? The M . W . GRAND MASTER . There is not . REPORT OF BOARD OF GENERAL PURPOSES .

R . W . Bro . DOME , President , presented the following report to the United Grand Lodge , of free and accepted Masons , of England . " The Board of General Purposes beg in accordance with the resolution of the Special Grand Lodge , on the 19 th November , to recommend that the following alteration he made in the law relating to