Colonial.

Colonial .

CANADA . The following are the communications laid before G . L ., relatioe to the resignation of the P . G . M . of Quebec : — "TORONTO , CANADA , 9 th Nov ., 1857 . " V . W . Sir and Brother , —It is with sincere regret that I feel myself compelled to resign the high and honourable offices of Provincial Grand Master and Provincial Grand Superintendent for Quebec

and Three Rivers , & c , in this Province , which I have had the honour and pleasure of holding for some years . I request you to make this known to the M . W . the Earl of Zetland , with as little delay as possible , to enable him , if he feels so disposed , to take the necessary steps for the appointment of a successor , and at the same time , be so good as to tender to him from me , my earnest thanks for his kindness in raising me to such high rank in English Freemasonry , —a rank that will ever be a source of pride and

gratification to me , although in the present unfortunate and conflicting condition of Freemasonry in Canada , I feel obliged , as an honest Mason , to place my offices at the disposal of the M . W . Grand Master . I do so with unfeigned reluctance , but I feel that it is my duty , and that I have no other honorable course to pursue . "ft is now upwards of a twelvemonth since I addressed along communication to the Grand Secretary ( 18 th September , 1856 , ) on the condition of the Craft in Canada , and therein I foreshadowed all that has since come to pass . My warnings were plain and

unmistakeable ; and again and again I pointed out the evil of delay . My letter was simply acknowledged , and does not appear to have had the effect I hoped for . I firmly believe that prompt action on the part of the Grand Lodge of England , at the time that letter was transmitted , would have preserved Canada , although some Brethren would not have returned to their allegiance . However , regret is now useless . Matters have been getting worse and worse , and the warmest adherents and friends of England have been obliged to declare themselves in favour of Independent Masonic Government .

We have felt it impossible to blind our eyes to the fact that such must be the finale , —^ h at Lodges and Brethren had been driven to make up their minds to such a result , —and that Provincial Grand Authorities would soon have neither Lodges nor Brethren to govern . I might here dwell upon the fact of the formation of an

Independent Body already , —the growing alienation of personal friends , — and a division among Masons fast becoming more and more irreconcilable . "I . I transmit a printed copy of the proceedings of the Provincial Grand Lodge of Canada West , now called the ' Ancient Grand Lodge of Canada , " which will explain very fully all that has occurred . I have taken my part therein , and there never was a more truthful document than the farewell Address that we passed as an independent body . Our new organization is indeed ' the

creation of a stern necessity , ' not one of our choice or feeling . Wo man carries more prestige with him in Canada than Brother Sir Allan Napier MacNab , who has been chosen for the first Grand Master . His loyalty is not to be questioned , —his standing in Canada is undeniable , —and nothing but his conviction that our present movement is unavoidable , would have placed him at the head of our body . Those proceedings will show that we have thought of England from first to last . We really do look upon the change as one more of letter than of spirit . We have made no sudden wrench

, but have glided into our present position , and our English affection remains in strong force . I had no hesitation ( when called upon to do so ) about installing Sir Allan , —but , keeping in view the whole tenor of our proceedings , —having perused letters from England referring to our recognition , —remembering the Grand Master ' s positive words about the return of Warrants , —and feeling that we had performed an unpleasant , but stern duty , in a constitutional , and , at the same time , affectionate manner " to our old country , I realldeemed myself ( as I stated to Brethren ) acting more as

y my the Deputy of the M . W . Grand Master , than as a person giving up and separating from old ties and connections . " The Quebec Lodges ( Three ) have decided not to withdraw their allegiance from England , but to accept the M . W . Grand Master ' s propositions , and they have elected ( as the accompanying document will show ) Brother James Dean , of Alma Lodge , No . 93 ) , to be my successor as Provincial Grand Master . I deem it , however , to be my duty to state , that some Quebec Brethren regard

question of Independent Government as one of time simply . 1 have been informed that it is quite likely the Albion Lodge , No . 17 , will cease working . There will then be two only , and whether a Provincial Grand Master is necessary or not will be for the M . W .

the Earl of Zetland to decide . I deem it right , also , to state that the Military Brethren took a prominent part in the determination arrived at . They have been stationed at Quebec very recently . — they may leave as suddenly as they came , and they cannot be familiar with tho events and grievances that have brought about the present issue . There is only one Chapter in the district . I mention these facts , in order that the M . W . Grand Master may be able to consider all matters rightly . "In conclusion , I beg to express my earnest hope that

recognition will be accorded at once , and that tho honest prayer of our farewell address will be granted without drawback , so that we may go hand-in-hand with the Grand Lodge of England , and work for her and with her , as our hearts will ever dictate , although ( having the three existing Grand Lodges of the Empire for our precedent ) we have been compelled to declare ourselves , and think it imperative for a . fourth Grand Lodge to spring into existence to rule over not an unimportant portion of that glorious Empire , —a portion which maybefore the lapse of many years , cause our beloved Soverei

, gn to be styled the Queen of Great Britain and Ireland and British North America ! " I consider myself obliged to resign my present offices , but if tho M . W . Grand Master would exchange them for the appointment of his Representative in the ' / Indent Grand Lodge of Canada , ' I should regard the appointment as expressive of his confidence , would undertake the duties appertaining to it with pride and pleasure , and in that honourable capacity , and as a Past Provincial Grand Master , would be rejoiced to look after English Masonic

interests , and I do not anticipate that I should be otherwise than acceptable to my Brethren here , who have already thought proper to confer upon ine the rank of a Past Grand Master . " I beg to remain , V . W . Sir and Brother , " Yours fraternally and truly , ( Signed ) T . DOUGLAS HARINGTON , P . G . M ., andP . G . Sup . Quebec and Three Rivers , & c . " " V . W . Bro . Wm . G . Clarke , Esq ., Grand Secretary , & c , & c , & c . " " Freemasons' Hall , London ; December 5 , 1 S 57 .

" Sir and Brother , —The Grand Secretary has laid before me your letter , received the 27 th November , in which " 1 st . You tender the resignation of your office as Provincial Grand Master and Grand Superintendent of the District of Quebec . " 2 nd . You state that you firmly believe that prompt action on the part of the Grand Lodge in September last would have preserved Canada , although some Brethren would not have returned to their allegiance . " 3 rd , That you have been driven to throw off your allegiance .

" 4 th . You transmit a copy of the proceedings of the Provincial Grand Lodge of Canada West , now calling itself the "Ancient Grand Lodge of Canada , " and refer to letters received from England , and to my words about the return of Warrants . " 5 th . You forward a Memorial from the Lodges of the District of Quebec , recommending a Brother to be appointed Provincial Grand Blaster . " ( ith . You express an earnest hope that recognition will bo accorded at once , and that a fourth Grand Lodge will be

acknowledged . " 7 th . You offer yourself as representative of the Grand Lodge of England in the so-called Ancient Grand Lodge of Canada . "For the purposes of convenience , I propose to notice these seriatim : — " 1 st . While I accept with regret the resignation of your offices of Provincial Grand Master and Grand Superintendent for the District of Quebec , I acknowledge with pleasure and satisfaction the courteous and Masonic feeling which is expressed in letter

your . " 2 nd . Upon a review of all the circumstances , I cannot bring myself to believe that that which you describe as the present " unfortunate and conflicting condition of Freemasonry in Canada " would have been prevented , had the propositions which I thought it right to make to Grand Lodge in March last been made in the September preceding . When I consider that tho commencement of the steps which I , as Grand Master , and the Grand Lodge were willing to take for the relief of the inconveniences existing in Canada

was made known to you in March last ; that those steps included , in spirit and in fact , the granting to the Canadian Masons everything which they prayed for , except independence of their mother Grand Lodge ; and when 1 learn , as I now do , that , with this knowledge in full view , thirty-four Lodges agree in September following to throw off their allegiance , I cannot do otherwise than come to the conclusion that there are , and have been from the commence-