The Sun.
London, England, 1823-07-17 00:00:00

FOR THE SUN.

Mu. EDITOIt—I Was sorry to observe that the Earl of
Istvrnfoot. opposed the introduction of a Clauie to exempt
"the Lodges 'of Free Alasons" from the operation of the Irish,
Unlawful Oathsililli. It is probable.his Lordship ditluot re-
coiled that his illustriOus predecessor, Mr. PITT, permitted a
similar Clause to be introduced into the 39 Geo. 111. c. 79,
sec. 5, A.D.- .for psevendng treasonable and seditious
practices. The followiogire ,the words of the Clause:—
" And whereits certain Societies have been long accustomed
to be holden,in this kingdom under the denomination of Lodges
of Free Masons, the meetings whereof have been in great mea-
sure directed to charitable purposes ; be it therefore enacted,
That nothing in this Act shall extend to the meetings of any
such Society Or Lodge which shall; before the passing of this
Act, have been usually holden under the said denomination,
and in conformity to the rules prevailing among the said Socie-
ties of Free Maions."

not aware that the conduct of the Irish Lodges has been
such as not to entitle them to a similar exemption in their fa-
vour, or that they have ever been guilty of any thing which
merits suppress-bin, which must be the effect of the fill in ques.
tion. They have never been found lending themselves to any
political or factious purposes, and 1 cannot help thinking that
this blow which has been aimed at theM appears too much to
result froM the same kind of feeling which lately led P,) the
suppression of Freemasonry in Russia and some other despotic
countries, and in the lonian Islands.

, _
On Tuesday, the Ist inst. the ProvinCial Grand Master for
Hampshire, Sir Win. C. lie Crespigny, Bart. ALP. held a
Grand I.4odge of the 'Province at the New Rooms, Urea-r.,w,
Portsmouth. The Lodge was close tiled as early ae 9 A.m.
when it was opened with a solemn prayer by the P.O. Chap.
lain. The Grand Master immedietely proceeded to install his
Officers for' the ensuing year :—ltobert Shoe( A tcheson, Esq.
P.O.S.W. ;W. Pritchard, Esq. P.G.I!W. ; I err, P.O.
S.D. ; Br. Phillips, P.G.I7D. ; Br.: Rey. .1. _Hopkins, sen.
P.O. Chaplain; Br. Bryant, P.G. Secretary ; Br. 'Maxfield,
'P.G. Director of Ceremonies;' Br. Laver, P.G. Superintendent
of Works ; Br. Goodeve, P.O. Registrar ; Br. Sibly, jun. P.G.
t )rganiet, pro teutpure ; Br. -Oily, eon. P.O. Sword Bearet ;
Br. Rudd, P.O. 17reasuree; Br. Beading, P.G.T. ,After
this ceremony was performed, the Grand Lodge retired to re.
fresh for twenty, minutes; on, being :re-ftesembled, the lire-
thren were formed into their respective Lodges, and wa Iced
in procession according to seniority, the juniors first, to the
church of St. Thomas, where a most excellent discourse (after
prayers read by the Rev. James Renville, Vicar of the parish),
Was delivered from the pulpit" by. the P. G. Chaplain, from
Epliesians and leth vOr‘faee then that you walk circum.
speedy in the course of which the Rev. Brother expatiated
largely on the excellence of the masonic institution, and the
various duties of the. brotherhood to the king—the country—die
laws—their neighbours--,themselves--.and mankind in gene-
ral.. The sermon, and the solenm and feeling manner in which
it Was delivered, made a deep impression on the whole congre-
gation, which Was numerous beyond recollection; 1200 tickets
of admission being previously delivered to 'Aches only.—After
service; the Brethren returned to the Grand Lodge in the
same order, and inunediately entered upon the remaining
business of the meeting, At 6p. in. the procession was again
formed, and proceeded, accompanied by thLir splendid banners,
of a most sumptuous dinner, provided by Br. Abso-
to the Beneficial Society 'Hall, Porteea, where the Brethren
the fruits in season, anti wine of
lianitiLna:erple,o orehewn:kisiictechdel
ts
atwtre
and after a day spent in true
the. Lodges separated, duly
Pvictimhtnit:t4llllgis'eei:sialoildil;°ednfrfliuslilYttlit:e'listir)o/;'f the fraternal institution, avid
delighted with the gentlemanly suavity and truly brotherly
conduct of • their highly respected Grand. Master, Sir W. C.
De Crespigny.'

• SUSSEX.
We have much pleasure in presenting our Masonic Brethren
with the Congratulatory Address of the Officers of the Provin-
cial Grand-bodge of Sussex, to his Grace the Duke of Rich.
mond, on his acceptance of the-office of Grand Master of that
Province.—We all annex his Grace's reply.
To the Most Noble his Grace. Charles Duke of Richmond,
Lenox, and •Aubigny, &c. &c. 'Right Worshipful Pro-
vincial'Grand Master for Sussex
Mey it please your Grace,—We, the undersigned, present
Provincial (hand Officers.of Sussex, with all due respect ap-
proach your Grace, to offer our fraternal and most unfeigned
congratulations on your. Grace's appointment as Grand Master
of t reemasons in this province.
We received the grateful information of this pleasing and
lorer,loped.for event with joy; and hail it as the harbinger of
.1
new era in the annals. of the, craft of Sussex.
The grand characteristics of our order we all know. are bro.
dimly love, relief, arid truth ; to which must be added mom-
litY• loyalty, and true, patriotism--these are ever inseparable
from real masonry--and though subordinate to the principal,
yet they firma resplendent halo round them. These qualifi-
cations We know y ur Grace to-possess to a high degree—tried
and proved M tLe field of honour, at the shrine of filial affec-
tion, and ie the temple of humanity, who more proper than
9preside over such as profess to hold up those
your
Gracees to the to preside.
and who. more proud than we to rank our-
selves„. under your noble banner ?
May Omnipotence, add health and length of days to the
blessings your Lordship „already enjoys, is the earnest prayer
. and wish of your °race's most humble and faithful servants
and brothers,

(Signed by the Officers.)
-• ANSIVEI4.
Right Wiirshipfal •Xleptity Provincial Grand Master, and
very NVorshipful P. (.. Secretary—l accept the Congratulatory
Address of the Provincial Onind Officers with feelings of plea-
sure, and I have to request you will communicate to them my
sincere and cordial wishes for their public and private welfare.
As an earnest of my good wishes for the prosperity of the
orshipful Deputy
rested the re-ap
craft in this province, and as a proof of
.rny private esteem as
well as puhlic approbation of your past masonic exertions. 1
have, Right W Provincial Grand Master, di-
g
pointment of all the Officers who served under
you in the Grand Lode of Susses:.
I have the honour to'remain,
R. W. and V. W. Sirs and Brothers,
Your obedient and humble Servant,
(Signed) RICHMOND.

Arco Mason DURHAM.
On Tuesday fortnight the Chapter de Lambton; No. 146,
of Royal Arc s-,
held a council in the Phcenix Hall,
Sunderland, to
elect their Officers for the ensuing year, when
the following companions t,.;re installed according 'to ancientcustom, viz:—Companion Wm. Nicholson, M. E. Z. ; Com. G
panion'Edwat4 naws, Li, ; Companion James Lindsay, .f. ;
Companion
Jill:VA Bewail, Scbe., E ; Companion VI, illihm
liaglee, Scbe., N.: Companion David Hopper, Principal
' &pr.; Companions John fliddleton and F. Staeord, Assis-
tant Sni"" and Companion John Hogg, Janitor. It being
the Festival at John the Baptist, the companions partook of an
excellent supper, and the, evening was spent in the greatest
conviviality and decorum ' .

We are still without intelligence of any im-
portanee from France and Spain: We have given
extracts from the Paris and Bayonne Papers;
but they relate to affairs of minor consequence.
Marshal IVloNcuy at length names General
DONNADIEU, but ,prudently abstains from
taking any, notice of what that General has
.been doing, during the month that has
elapsed since he was last heard of. Mar-
shal however, having nothing to
say of the pest, endeavours to make up for the
deficiency by promising great, things for the
future, and announces the immediate advance of
his forces upon Barcelona. 'Tie French are ac-
knowledged to have lost ten thousand men since
they entered the Peninsula.

'We yesterday recapitulated some of the facts
of public notoriety, which completely falsified
the aasumption put forth by the Russian Mani-
festo, viz. that the disturbed condition of Spain,

previous to the war, was such as to require im-
periously the interference of Foreign Powers
for its restoration to tranqnillity, and its deliver-
ance from an unprincipled and anarchical faction.
We also stated that there was collateral evidence,
not less respectable and authoritative than thatof
the French Government, which went to establish
the slime important fact, and to prove, at least to
the entire satisfaction of all Fnglishmen who had
not lent themselves to the furtherance or the am-
bilious designs of France, that Spain was not iu
that condition of crime and convulsion which
could alone furnish a pretext for foreign inter-
fereuce in its internal affairs, and that it had izut
done any thing which could be construed into
such an offence against France, or any other
foreign Power, as could justify au Attack upon
the Spanish nation, much less an attack for the
avevied and uttellyletiefeniible purpose of over-
throwing its form of Government,—a Govern-
ment which all the Powers of Europe had for-
mally recognized !—The collateral evidence
to which we have now to advert is that furnished
by the ENGLISH GOVERNMENT, as distinctly,
unequivocally, and repeatedly, given by the'
principal Members of the English Cabinet,
in their places in Parliament and elsewhere,
and in the diplomatic papers submitted by them
to Parliament, relative to the unsuccessful
negociations for the maintenance of peace.--
From these incontestable sources, the important
facts were promulgated to the world, that the
Spanish Revolution had been completed with
exemplary moderation,—that its progress had
been distinguished by less of violence and blood.
shed than any other revolution in modern times,—
that it had originated in the violation of a solemn