Grand Lodge.

the motion ought to have been investigated by the Board of General Purposes , the proper and constitutional tribunal , before it was placed on the agenda paper . If he was oul of order in denouncing it as an " election dodge , " he would withdraw the observation , and say that there was something behind it—that the object was not on the face of it . It was , he considered , a cowardly attack upon Bro . Roxburgh ; for when Bro Whitmore placed it there , he knew , or rather thought , that it would not come on for discussion that evening , and that thus the calumny would be allowed to remain before the Craft

uncontradicted . That had been the policy of the obstructives , and the M . W . Grand Master himself had been similarly attacked . ( Question , question . ) The M . W . GRAND MASTER said Bro . Gregory had a right to refer to whatever in the past illustrated his argument , but hoped he would bear in mind the time of Grand Lodge . Bro . GREGORY would do so , but he had in in his hand three different notices of motionbrought forward at different times by the

, members of the party to whom he alluded , attacking his lordship in covert language—not one of which had come before Grand Lodge for decision . He would now implore Grand Lodge to deal fairly with the feelings of a Brother , whose character and good name they were bound to support ; and to give them an opportunity of so doing , he would move as an amendment . " that this Grand Lodge is of opinion that the charge implied against the Grand Registrar is unfounded , and that the giving notice of motion imputing

misconduct to any Brother , upon insufficient grounds , or a mere assumption of facts , is deserving of severe censure . " Bro . Mc INTYRE seconded the amendment . He had been present at the meeting , and could give the report of its proceedings an emphatic and indignant denial . It assembled for no party object , but with the view of making arrangements for so conducting the transactions of Grand Lodge , that they should have the confidence of the Brethren all over the world—and that purpose vtas adhered to It had been said that a list was proposed by Bro . Roxburgh for the

adoption of the meeting ; but that was not the case . On the contrary , the list of which they heard so much , was the spontaneous production of those who attended the meeting , and any other statement was unfounded and scandalous . Bro MASON thought the motion before Grand Lodge , was only whether it was true that such a meeting had been held . He entertained a high esteem for Bro . Roxburgh , knowing and respecting

his chaiactev and forensic talents . He made this remark , that his motive in stating that if such a meeting was held it was a thing which should not exist among Masons , might not be misunderstood . Speaking without any party spirit , for he detested it , he conld not help thinking that the calling of such a meeting by the Grand Registrar , was inconsistent with proper legislation among Masons ; and he hoped the expression of an opinion by Grand Lodge on the subject , would prevent its being repeated . Bro . HAVERS : lam sure that Grand Lodge will bear with me

a few minutes , while I endeavour to bring it back to the main facts of the case . It is stated that Bro . Roxburgh held at his chambers , a meeting of Brethren of his own peculiar views . ( Hear , hear . ) My lord , if he had done so , I contend that he would have been perfectly justified . ( Cheers . ) I believe , from the bottom of my heart , that a large portion of the difficulty and discord we have seen of late years , has arisen from the circumstance that Brethren high in office have not thought it worth their while to consult other Brethren on the business of Grand Lodge . I emphaticallyand on honour as

, my a Mason , deny that Bro . Roxburgh has done anything deserving the censure of the Craft . He has held a meeting—is that organizing a party movement ? What has he done ? He has departed from an old and , as I really believe , a bad custom . He has done openly and publicly , what was before done secretly . Instead of asking men of his own peculiar views to meet him , he invited some thirty or forty influential Brethren of all parties , many of whom were personally unknown to him , and he invited their counsel and assistance in cai

rying on the work of the Craft . He saw the time was gone by when two or three Brethren could dictate to the Craft ( cheers ) , and there should be no longer anything like exclusiveness . Is he to be blamed for this ? ( Cheers . ) If he is to be blamed , let him not be blamed alone ; let me say boldly and at once , he acted by and with the advice of his colleagues , and if he is deserving of censure so are we . ( Cheers . ) This , then , is what Bro . Roxburgh has done , and no more . It has been alleged in a publication , which there seems to bo an unwillingness to name—the Era newspaper—that there has

been a base conspiracy concocted ; and it has been further alleged , that none but party men would be put on the Board of General Purposes . To prove the falsehood of this charge , you have heard to-night Bro . Savage tell you there is no truth in it , nor in the statements made in reference to himself only . I hold in my hand a letter

from an old friend , Stephen Burton Wilson , who hoped to be present to give it his denial : he writes to me from the Hotel , Gravesend , stating that illness renders it impossible for him to move , or that he would be here in person to contradict it . You have here our worthy Brother , Joseph Smith , and he , likewise , will tell you that from beginning to end it is utterly false . ( Cheers . ) My lord , at your bidding , we came forward in times of great difficulty to assist in carrying on the business of Grand Lodge ; we have done so zealously and faithfully , I believe I might add

succesfully . ( Hear , hear . ) Since we have held office , we have been exposed to repeated charges of misconduct . So long as those charges were general , it were impossible to meet or refute them ; but whenever a special charge has been made , we have been ready and willing to reply to and disprove it . You , my lord , were the first object of a specific attack—you were charged with having prostituted your patronage to political purposes ( hear , hear ); you indignantly refuted and repelled that charge ( hear , hear ) and the Grand Lodge

, endorsed your refutation . The Lodges in the Provincies indignantly echoed that refutation ; and even from the other side of the Atlantic , from our West . India Provinces , was that denial re-echoed . The charge of censure is now upon the Grand Registrar ; of two things , one must be true . If the censure rests upon the Grand Registrar , and if he is guilty of what he is charged with , be is no longer worthy of his office . Bv » t if it does not vest on him , it rests on those who , through the length and breadth of the

land , have circulated a calumny upon him . ( Cheers . ) With regard to this charge , I meet it boldly and openly ; our opponents have now fixed upon a special charge : we accept the issue raised by Bro . Whitmore , and supported by Bro . Binckes , and upon the verdict of Grand Lodge we will stand or fall . If it be true , then are we not fit to hold our office one moment longer . If it be not true . I call uponGrahdLodge to relieve us from the reproach attempted to be cast on ns . It is not sufficient to meet the motion by a mere

negative ; you are bound to show yourselves the custodians of the honour of your Brethren—the honour of one is the honour of alland if your chief officer be guilty of the offence with which he is charged , he is no longer worthy to be your officer . In a paper published this day , I am called by the mover of this resolution , " the " arch-apostle of discord . " ( Laughter . ) 1 see by the smiles of Grand Lodge , that my Brethren take the charge as I do , whence it

comes . My lord , the Craft is utterly tired of these intestine quarrels , so detrimental to the harmony and best interests of Freemasonry . ( Hear , hear . ) On the part of those Brethren who act with me , I do in all sincerity assure those who have hitherto so strongly opposed us , that we are labouring only to put down discord ; that on the slightest semblance of a fair disposition on their part , we will be ready to meet them more than half way . Let this charge be disposed of , and then in Heaven's name I say , let by-gones be by-irone , and let us work together for the good of the Craftand not for

, party purposes . ( Cheers . ) Bro . the Rev G . R . PORTAI . said , that what they had to decide was , whether or not Bro . Roxburgh had summoned a party meeting at his chambers . ( No , no . ) The whole thing turned on what was party . It was quite clear from the evidence that a meeting had been held , but who were the persons present ? If it was called on private invitation , and not by pubic advertisement , if neither he nor anyone else who pleased was at liberty to attend that meeting

, and indeed he had never heard of its existence , then it . was a packed meeting ; and it was impossible that a Board of General Purposes selected by it , could have the confidence of the brethren . Bro . WARREN had not intended to have addressed one word to Grand Lodge on the subject , nor would he have done so , had not his name been more than once alluded to in the course of the discussion . It certainly appeared to him somewhat extraordinary that Bro . Binckes should principally rest the defence of the motion then

before them , upon a letter of his which was not written until some days after the notice of motion had been given—so that the notice could not have been founded upon his letter , which was written to contradict the garbled report previously published of the proceedings at the meeting at Bro . Roxburgh ' s It was true that the meeting did take place—that , no one attempted to contradict ; but the statements originally published with respect to it , were not true . He admitted that he was present at the meetingand he was

, not ashamed having attended it , or of the part he had taken . He had used his influence to place on the list of candidates , the names of the masters of two Lodges—perhaps not so well known to other brethren who attended the meeting as to himself—one of those Lodges containing upwards of one hundred members , and the other something like one hundred and fifty . He did not know whether they could call that a party movement , he certainly did not . It did appear rather strange to hear