The Sun.
London, England, 1822-09-19 00:00:00

NORFOLK.

On Monday, the 9th inst., the first stone of the new. Shire-
hall, 'about to be erected in the garden on the north-east side of
the Castle-hill, Norwich, was laid by JERE3IIAH Ivzs, Esq.
assisted in the ceremony by the Provincial Grand Lodge of
Masons in Norfolk.—Every thing being prepared for the occa-
sion, about a quarter after two in the afternoon, the masonic
brethren, adorned with all the insignia of Masonry, and headed
by the banners of the Lodge, walked in procession to the,north-
east corner of the intended building, where the Grand Master
of the Lodge, .JtREMIAII.IVEs, Esq. requested ,his friends
to join in giving directions for laying the first stone. He then
requested the architects employed to order the stone to be
raised, which being done, the Brethren were required to take.
off their hats, while • the Chaplain of the Lodge offered up a
prayer for the success of the undertaking. The Rev. GEORGE
DAY, as Registrar, then deposited in a cavity in the under-
neath stone, the coins "of his present Majesty's reign. The
Grand Master, having previously levelled 'the mortar which
was to cement the stone with a silver trowel, the stone was
lowered and fixed in its place, and the Grand Master, by a
plumb, a level, and a square, satisfied himself that the work
was correct.—The Chaplain then read the following inscription,
which was cut on the stone—

Anno tertio Georgii Quarti
Nono die Septembris, A. L. 5822, A. D. 1822.
Hunc Lapidem
In fundamentum Curiie Juridicx,
Adstante summo Latomorum
Hujus Provincim Sodalitio,
Thomce Gnlielnzi Coke Armigcri
Summi Magistri Provincialis
vicem gcrens,
Jeremiah Ives rite posuite.

RUSSIAN FREEMASONRY.

Ukase, for the Suppression of Freemasons' Lodges and other
Secret Societies; addressed by His Imperial Majesty to the

Minister of the Interior.
PETERSBURGII, AUG. 13.—Count Peter Pawlowitsch !
.The troubles and disorders arising in several states from the
existence of certain secret societies, one of which, under the
name of Freemasons, had at first the appearance of being esta-
blished for benevolent purposes, and others of which have al-
ways covertly been occupied with political affairs, have induced
some governments to keep a watchful eye on their proceedings,
and finally to prohibit them altogether. As my earnest atten-
tion, constantly deoted to the effectual preservation of the
empire from every thing which might tend to injure it, is more
particularly directed to that object at a time like the present,
when unfortunately so many states present to us the melancholy
example of most mischievous consequences still experienced
from the prevailing philosophic absurdities, I have thought fit,
for the public welfare, to order, with respect to the before-men-
tioned secret societies,, what follows :-
1. All Secret Societies, as well as Freemason Lodges, under
whatever names they may subsist, shall be shut up, and their
future re-establishment is prohibited.
2. All members of the said societies are required, as soon as
the present ukase shall come to their knowledge, to bind them-
selves, by a written declaration, never hereafter, under any pre-
text, to connect themselves, either within the empire or abroad,
with any secret society, however plausible may be the name as-
sumed by such society.
3. As it does not become officers in service to bind them.
selves by any other oaths besides that which the laws require
them to take, the Ministers and Heads of Departments in both
residences are desired to call upon all Persons under their juris-
diction, to makelt sincere declaration, as to whether they be-
long to any Freemason Lodge or other secret society within or
without the empire, and to state expressly that to which they
do belong.

4. A particular written document must be required from all
who are members of the before-mentioned societies, declaring
that they will ,discontinue all connexion with the same ; and
those who sefuse to subscribe such a declaration shall be dis-
missed the service.

5. The Commanders-in-Chief in the different Governments
and the Civil Governors are required to take especial care-
1, That under no protext whatever any lodges or secret so-
cieties be established or allowed to subsist ; 2, That all of-
ficers, on entering on service, shall pledge themselves in writ-
ing, according to the terms of Articles 3 and 4, that they be-
long to no lodges or secret societies, and will belong to none.
If this pledge be
\not given, they cannot be employed in our

service.

I am persuaded that you will neglect nothing that may tend
to the cbmplete execution of my orders, and that you will com-
municate this ukase to the other Ministers, in order that they
may all co-operate in the accomplishment of the same object.
ALEXANDER.

PETERSBURGII, Au°. 30.—The ukase for the suppression
of secret societies, besides being published in the Russian lan-
guage, has been communicated in translations to all officers,
and to the lodges of Freemasons. In consequence of the noti-
fication, all public officers here, and all members of mason
lodges, have already subscribed the required pledge, and trans-
mitted their declarations to the Minister. The agents of the
police have on their part lost no time in visiting the mason
lodges, in order to see whether all emblems and signs are
actually removed. Last week the Freemason lodges sold their
paraphernalia by auction.. The most perfect willingness has
every where been shown to obey the imperial injunction. A
considerable number of dismissals took place shortly before
the Emperor's departure.