The Sun.
London, England, 1835-09-12 00:00:00

DANGER OF ITS CONTINUANCE AND ILLEGALITY.

The Committee further submit whether an institution
presided over by the brother of his Majesty, having Peers
and Members of Parliament as office•bearers, having,
lodges extending to almost every part of the United King-
dom, and also to the colonies, should be allowed to continue,
particularly when lodges are established in so large a por-
tion of the army at home and abroad, having the counte-
nance of a field-marshal at their head.
The number of Orangemen in Ireland is 220,000, as
stated by the deputy grand secretary for that country, and
these chiefly with arms in their possession ; and if the
Orangemen in Great Britain and the colonies amount
only to a half that number, the House will judge how dan-
gerous such an association, bound together by religious
ceremony and sanction almost equal to that of an oath,
might become under possible circumstances of the country.
A great political body thus organized in the ranks of the
army and in every part of the British empire is a formida-
ble power at any time, and under any circumstances ; but
when your committee look to the political conduct of the
leaders of the Orange societies in England and in Ireland,
and particularly to the language of the late addresses to
the public and in the correspondence with the grand offi-
cers of the institution, and consider the possible use that
might be made of such an organized power, its suppression
becomes imperatively necessary.
The nature of the organization of the institution and the
dangers from its existence may appear, when the House is
informed that the master of every Lodge is required to meet
the deputy grand master of his district every half year, and
deliver to him a return (a copy of which will be seen an-
nexed) of the number of members and of the proceedings
of the Lodge during the past half year ; he is required also
to pay at the same time the dues of his Lodge. Both returns
and cash are then remitted by the deputy grand master of
the district to the deputy grand secretary in London, who
lays their accounts and returns before the Grand Commit-
tee for their examination, and that Committee reports
thereon to the Imperial Grand Lodge, whatever may be
of importance for their consideration. Lodges communi-
cate sometimes direct to the Grand Lodge, and the Grand
Lodge sends copies of all its proceedings and orders perio-
dically to every district master and to every lodge.
Your Committee think it right to place before the House
the words of the Statute, the 39th Geo. 111., c. 79., re-
garding corresponding societies. Section 9, " Any society
composed of different divisions or branches, or of different
parts, acting in any manner separately or distinct from each
other, or of which any part shall have any distinct presi-
dent, secretary, treasurer, delegate, or other officer,
elected or appointed by, or for such part, or to act in
any office for such part, &c. ;" and it will be for the
House to determine whether the present organization of
Orange Lodges in connection with the Imperial Grand
Lodge comes within the words of that Statute ; and, if so,
whether the law officers of the Crown should not be
directed to prosecute the grand officers of all these Orange
Lodges without delay.
September, 1835.

The length of the paved streets in England and
Wales is 20,000 miles ; that of the roads which are not
paved is 100,000 miles. The extent of the turnpike roads is
about 30,000 miles.