The Grand Sire elect tendered the following, which was read; and, on motion, unanimously declined. "To the M. W. G. Sire, Officers, and Representatives, of the Grand Lodge of the United States: The subscriber feeling himself grateful for the honor conferred on him by his election to the office of Grand Sire for the ensuing term, duly sensible of his incompetency to discharge its duties with credit to himself and your honorable body, most respectfully offers this as his resignation. BALTIMORE, April 22, 1840." ZENAS B. GLAZIER, The Grand Secretary presented an appeal from brother James D. McCabe, and others, Past Grands and Representatives of the Grand Lodge of Virginia, which was read and referred to Rep. Marley, of Maryland; P. G. Sire Wildey; and Rep Hewitt, of Pennsylvania. The Grand Secretary read the communication received from England. On motion of Rep. Small, of New York, it was referred to a special committee of three. The Chair named P. G. Sire Wildey; Rep's Hopkins, of Pennsylvania; and McCulley, of New Jersey, as the committee. Rep. McCulley, of New Jersey, from the Committee on Petitions, presented the following report. To the R. W. Grand Lodge of the United States: The Committee on Petitions, to whom was referred the petition of Alabama Lodge, No. 1, Mobile, asking the remission of dues, beg leave to report: That they have examined the petition, and find that the brethren there have suffered seriously by sickness and death, and therefore recommend the adoption of the following resolution. Resolved, That the prayer of the petitioners be granted. JOHN MCCULLEY, On motion, the report was accepted, and the resolution adopted. Rep. McCulley, of New Jersey, from the Committee on Petitions, presented the following report. To the R. W. Grand Lodge of the United States: The Committee on Petitions, to whom the applications on the subject have been referred, respectfully recommend: That a charter for an Encampment of Patriarchs, to be located in the town of Fredericksburg, Va., be granted to brothers William N. McKenny, Charles Kain, Charles Bayley, Frederick Sheffield, Benjamin Clarke, Benjamin R. Hillyard, Francis H. Beal and Thomas Phillips; said Encampment to be known by the name of "Washington Encampment, No. 6." That a charter be granted to Brothers R. A. Worrell, William A. Davis, T. C. Benteen, Lewis J. Pagaud, Samuel Drummond, James McIlvaine, George B. Morgan, Thomas Hall, and William J. Higginbotham, 1840. GRAND LODGE OF THE UNITED STATES. for an Encampment of Patriarchs, under the name and style of "Glazier Encampment, No. 7," to be located in the town of Petersburg, in the state of Virginia. That a charter for an Encampment of Patriarchs, under the style and title of "Marley Encampment, No. 2," to be located at Alexandria, D. C., be granted to brothers J. J. Proctor, James Dolan, S. W. Aubinse, John Harris, George Kinner, William C. Reynolds, and Hugh Latham, all members in good standing, of Potomac Lodge, No. 8, of the District of Columbia. That a charter for an Encampment of Patriarchs, to be recognized by the title of "Chosen Friends' Encampment, No. 2," and to be located in the town of Galena, in the state of Illinois, be granted to brothers John G. Potts, Daniel Hann, F. W. Schwatka, W. C. Taylor, John Messersmith, E. W. Snow, C. Kattenback, Andrew Kilpatrick, and John L. Slaymaker, Provided, That the officers of this Grand Lodge be satisfied that the above named brethren possess the necessary qualifications, and have complied with the regulations, so far as to entitle them to such a charter as they ask for. JOHN MCCULLEY, On motion, the report was accepted, and the charters granted. The Corresponding Secretary presented the various communications received by him since last Annual Session, which were referred to the Committee of Correspondence. On motion of P. G. Sire Wildey, the Grand Lodge adjourned until three o'clock, this afternoon. WEDNESDAY, 3 o'clock, P. M. The Grand Lodge met pursuant to adjournment; Present, the Officers and a due representation. Rep. of Delaware, moved that the installation be postponed until five o'clock this afternoon, which was concurred in. Rep. Hopkins, of Pennsylvania, from the special committee to whom was referred the communication from the Grand Lodge of New York, presented the following report. To the R. W. Grand Lodge of the United States: The committee to whom was referred the communication from the Grand Lodge of New York, respectfully report: That they have given the subject due consideration, and on inspection of the minutes of the Grand Lodge of the United States, for October Session, 1838, it appears that the following resolution was unanimously adopted. "Resolved, by the Grand Lodge of the United States, That no brother can at the same time hold office or membership in two distinct state Grand Lodges, or subordinate lodges, under the jurisdiction of this Grand Lodge." That this resolution was not published in the proceedings of the Annual Communication of 1838-that the omission to print it did not arise from any fault of the Grand Secretary, but from a misconception of a motion on a subject connected with this resolution. Your committee therefore recommend, that the above resolution be published and appended to the proceedings of this Annual Session. Your committee further report, that the resolution is prospective in its character, and to be the rule of government in future; and does not apply to what may have been done by Grand or Subordinate Lodges on the subject heretofore. Your committee offer the following resolutions: Resolved, That the Representative of New York be furnished with a copy of the above resolution, to be communicated by him to the Grand Lodge of New York, as required by it. Resolved, That each Grand Lodge be requested to adopt a resolution, forbidding the subordinate lodges under their jurisdiction to admit as a member any brother who, at the same time, is a member of any other subordinate lodge, or to confer degrees upon any such brother. HOWELL HOPKINS, THOMAS WILDEY, On motion, the report was accepted, and the resolutions were adopted. Rep. Marley, of Maryland, from the special committee to whom was referred the appeal of James D. McCabe and others, presented the following report, which was accepted. To the R. W. Grand Lodge of the United States: The committee to whom was referred the appeal of James D. McCabe, James Nesbitt, Peter W. Grubbs and James C. Walker, Past Grands and Representatives of the Grand Lodge of Virginia, report: That the application of the 22d Rule of Order to their cases was just, and in accordance with the ancient customs of the Order, which require that when a question connected with conferring the degrees on a brother is about to be taken, he or they should retire, so that the decision may not be influenced by their presence. On the principle involved, your committee think there can be no question, as there is no authority existing in the Order to confer the degrees attached to the respective offices on any brother who has not served to the end of the term for which he was elected. Dispensation only dispenses with the necessary qualifications to take office. All of which is respectfully submitted. RICHARD MARLEY, Rep. McCulley, of New Jersey, from the Committee on Petitions, presented the following report. To the R. W. Grand Lodge of the United States: The Committee on Petitions, to whom was referred a resolution of the Grand Lodge of Virginia, adopted on the 14th instant, requesting that the charter of said Grand Lodge be so altered and amended, as to allow its Communications to be held in the town of Petersburg, instead of the city of Richmond; and also a protest of sundry Past Grands of Virginia, against the removal of said Grand Lodge as aforesaid, have had the subject under consideration, and respectfully report: That so far as their information extends, they see no just reason to refuse the request of the Grand Lodge of Virginia. It appears that every lodge in the state was represented at the time the resolution proposing to change its location, was introduced; and that on the question of removal from Richmond, the majority was a most decisive one-seventeen lodges being in favor of it, and but two against it; every lodge in the state being represented at the time, and only two of them by proxy. The vote afterwards taken in favor of the Petersburg location, was carried by twelve to five, which was probably as strong a vote as could be obtained in favor of any other section of the state, as it may be reasonably supposed that in cases of this kind, many members would be induced to record their votes in the negative, without entertaining any valid objection to the place proposed, but merely in the hope that some town more convenient to themselves, and the interest of their lodge, might ultimately be selected. Your committee refer the Grand Lodge to the evidence herewith transmitted, and recommend the adoption of the following resolution. Resolved, That the charter of the Grand Lodge of the state of Virginia, be so altered as to locate the said Grand Lodge at Petersburg, instead of Richmond, whenever it shall be made known that two-thirds of all the lodges are in favor of such removal. On motion, the report was re-committed. JOHN MCCULLEY, Rep. McCulley, of New Jersey, from the Committee on Petitions, to whom was re-committed the report relative to the Grand Lodge of Virginia, presented the same report, with the following resolution, in place of the one before submitted. Resolved, That so soon as the Grand Sire be officially informed that two-thirds of the lodges in Virginia agree that the Grand Lodge of Virginia be removed to Petersburg, that he be authorized to alter its charter so as to read Petersburg, instead of Richmond. Rep. Hopkins, of Pennsylvania, offered the following, as an amendment, which was adopted. Resolved, That the Grand Lodge of Virginia be permitted to remove the Grand Lodge from Richmond to Petersburg, when two-thirds of the subordinate lodges of said Grand Lodge shall certify to the Grand Lodge of Virginia, that it is the will of said subordinate lodges that the Grand Lodge of Virginia shall be removed to Petersburg. When, on motion, the report and resolution as amended, was re-committed to the Committee on Petitions. The Grand Sire announced that the hour had arrived for the installation of the Grand Officers. Whereupon, Rep. Sanderson, of Kentucky, moved a postponement of the installation until to-morrow morning, at nine o'clock, which was decided in the affirmative. Rep. Sanderson, of Kentucky, from the special committee to whom was referred the complaint of Neilson Encampment, No. 2, against Wildey Encampment, No. 3, of Virginia, presented the following report. To the R. W. Grand Lodge of the United States: The select committee to whom was referred the petition of Neilson Encampment, No. 2, Richmond, Va., complaining against the proceedings of Wildey Encampment, No. 3, at Portsmouth, Va., in conferring the Golden Rule and Royal Purple degrees on Patriarch Walker, of Neilson Encampment, No. 2, beg leave to report: That on examination of the case, it appears that Wildey Encampment, No. 3, conferred the degrees in direct violation of the rights and privileges of Neilson Encampment, as conferred by this Grand Lodge; they would therefore offer the following resolutions: Resolved, That Wildey Encampment, No. 3, at Portsmouth, Va., acted irregularly in conferring degrees on Patriarch Walker, he being at the time a regular member of Neilson Encampment, No. 2, and that they pay the regular fees of the second and third degrees, to No. 2. Resolved, That on the payment of the regular fees to Neilson Encampment, No. 2, it is hereby authorized to admit Patriarch Walker the same as if he had taken the degrees in said Encampment. HENRY S. SANDERSON, On motion, the report was accepted, and the resolutions were adopted. On motion, it was Resolved, That so much of the report of the Grand Sire as refers to the issue of dispensations to lodges and Encampments, be referred to the Committee on Petitions. Rep. Small, of New York, offered the following preamble and resolution, which was read. Whereas, This Grand Lodge from time to time have thought proper to appoint committees to settle difficulties existing in the Order in the state of New York; And Whereas, the said committees have been unable to effect the object for which they were appointed; And Whereas, there is a regular constituted Grand Lodge in said state, who have full power and jurisdiction over all subordinate lodges in said state: Therefore Resolved, That it is inexpedient for this Grand Lodge to take any further action on the present difficulties in the state of New York. Whereupon, Rep. Hopkins, of Pennsylvania, offered the following: Resolved, That so much of the report of G. Sire Perkins as refers to the lodges in the state of New York, the resolution of Rep. Small, of New York, and the petition of certain Past Grands of Albany, state of New York, be referred to a special committee to consider and report. The yeas and nays being called, were as follows: YEAS-Rep's Hopkins, Wildey, Mathiot and P. G. Sire Wildey-4. NAYS-Rep's Marley, 2 votes; Small, 2 votes; Hewitt, Moore, Sanderson, McCulley, and Bain, 2 votes-10. The motion was therefore lost. Rep. Small, of New York, moved to refer the preamble and resolution offered by him, together with so much of the Grand Sire's report as relates to the same subject, to a special committee, which was decided in the affirm ative. |