The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1855-08-26
SECESSION AMONG THE MAsoNs
Manifesto OF Holland Lodge, No. 8.
Address.

/
| ADDRESS.
| To OUR MASONIC BRETHREN
| Imperative necessity, coupled with an honest de-
sire to add our humble efforts to allay the dssen.
sons which for the past eight years have destroyed
| the reputation of the Masonic fraternity OF this
State, has induced Holland Lodge, No. 8, to cast
aside the allegiance to which she has hitherto been
subject and to declare herself free and Independent
Of all control and authority save such as the an
Gent landmarks and usages OF the order have pre-
| scribed
In presenting our reasons for this step, which, at
a superficial glance may be regarded as hasty and
| incOnsiderate, we would ask that our brethren
| should with us, calmly and dispassionately ex
| anime the causes which have led to the unhappy
differences in this State for feel satisfied that
should they subject the matter to critical analy-
sis, they will agree with that all efforts to heal
the difficulties in the Order will be futile, so long
| as the present organization shall exist This
| qures further proof, than the simple statement,
| that six years have elapsed, since the unfortu-
nate division Of the Grand Lodge, and, although
strenuous efforts have been made BY individual
accomplished at this moment the time for q
reunion of the various bodies claiming to be grand
lodges seems to be further removed than when the
first difficulty occurred in lS4S. The suit which has
been pending for the last five years, at the cost of
our charity fund.- is no nearer close than when
first commenced, and the expenses which have
already been incurred warrant the conclusion that,
ere decision can be had in the case, the entire ac
cumuaton Of years will be wasted, and the widows
and orphans, who have the strongest claims our
sympathies, will be deprived Of that support toward
which their husbands and fathers contributed. So
long this suit shall continue, the Masonic ratein
ty will be divided, and we must continue to present
an example OF differences among brethren in an
order in which "no dissenson should ever exist"
We know of no means which can be adopted to
remove the stigma which for many years has been
attached to us, save the course we now propose: TO
fall back upon the platform upon which the Masons
Of England stood prior to the formation Of a
grand lodge. We can decide upon no measure to
relieve the widow and orphan, and to dispense
charity with liberal hand, except to husband our
resources, and to guard with careful watch the
Thousands which are now wasted in supporting
grand lodge, whose disbursements for expenses
so large that charity is scarcely heard thought
of.
There are considerations beyond these which have
induced us to break the shackles which have for
years bound and our city brethren. While We
acknowledge that SO long as the Grand Lodge was
governed in accordance with the st,ict rules Of Ma
sorry, and her acts were in unison with the true
principles of the craft it were better for the govern
iment of the members of the fraternity she should
exist, yet when she assumed to herself powers and
authority incompatible with the spirit Of Masonry
powers which set at naught and annulled the an
cient landmarks Of the Order-we claim that she
violated the compact, freed the subordinate lodges
from their allegiance, and placed them back on
their original platform as free, sovereign and indie
pendent bodies. We aver, therefore, that we have
perfect right to recede from the compact, resume
an independent character, and adopt such measures
as will best promote the interests Of Masonry.
The taking of the final question on the new con-
stitution at morning session, when the city lodges
were almost entirely unrepresented, the closing of
the Grand Lodge by Deputy Grand Master Willard,
in the absence Of his SUPERIOR its subsequent reopen
ing by its proper officer, the open violation Of the
Just rights OF the minority, the silent submission OF
the city brethren to the power which so unwar-
ranahly exercised its tyranncal jurisdiction over
them for the next four years must be familiar to the
memory of every Mason in the State.
q .1...s.. 40 A..
clique that it controlled majority vote, all fur
Their attempts at concealment of its designs were
abandoned, and series of resolutions, known as the
Perry amendments were adopted. The effect
of these amendments was to deprive Past Masters
of the rights they had ever held since the formation
of the Grand Lodge IN ISL.
The junior Past Masters who had been retained
under the Perry amendments" have been de-
priyed of their membership, and our aged Past Mas
ters who although not entitled TO vote, had never
been denied the privilege of a seat in the Grand
Lodge, are now only admitted an act of courtesy
and those who in the dark days Of our trial stood
placed on a level with the Mason of yesterday, and
compelled to leave the floor Of the Grand Lodge
with the youngest tyro in the order.
The quarterly sessions Of the Grand Lodge, which
since our organization have been held in the City of
New York are abolished and the power to grant
warrants or dispense charity has been taken away,
to be used only at the Annual Communication when
the clique" can be present. We have understood
(but we know not Ii it be true) that one of the
principal reasons for this invasion of rights,
was an objection on the part of the clique" to
our donation of 81 500 to the Grand Lodges OF
Louisiana ard Alabama, to aid in alleviating the
miseries which overwhelmed our brethren in the
cities OF New Orleans and Mobile in the fearful pes
thence Of 1853.
As il is fact well established that the City
Lodges, although numbering not more than one
fourth Of the lodges in the State, contribute more
towards the funds Of the Grand Lodge than all the
other Lodges combined, the right to dispense por-
ton of their own contributions should not have
been questioned and had the clique" been
governed hy true Masonic principles, and had they
recognized their obligations to relieve their suffer
ing and afflicted brethren they certainly could
not have made this pretext for their unwarrantabe
course.
The adjustment Of the Grand Stewards Lodges,
instituted as a committee of the Grand Lodge TO
examine its monetary affairs, to dispense charity,
and to hear and adjust all matters of difference aris-
ing in the city Of New York, which were referred
to il by the Grand Lodge Is another serious cause
of complaint. As its powers were restricted, IL
could not lie dangerous to the interests OF the
,cliaueu and we can only account for the war
against il by assuming that its destruction formed
portion OF the original plan of attack against the
city.
was alleged, of unmasonic conduct and facts
elected at his trial before civil tribunal gave
weight to the charges preferred against him at
quarterly communication of the Grand Lodge
these charges were referred to d committee elected
~
tent and lengthy examination of his case, the COM
mittee reported unanimously against him, and
coupled with the report resolution that he be ex
| PEELED from all the rights and privileges OF Ma
sorry.
Those Who were present at the presentation OF
that report may well remember the strenuous efforts
| made even by the presiding officer, to shield him
| from the punishment due to his offence. After a
protiaced session OF three nights. he was expelled
Contrary TO all precedent, contrary 10 masonic law
| and masonic justice, at the June communication,
through the efforts of the ''cque, he restored
without even the form Of trial; and thus was fost
| ed upon the fraternity as member good and true
| an individual with whom the respectable portion viii
| hold no intercourse. And why this departure from
| ustice! What induced masons high ia Office in the
| Grand Ledge to advocate his cause! The question
| is easily answered.
| His testimony was required in the suit now pend
| ing between the two parties claiming TO be the
Grand Lodge Of the state of New York, and his evil
| dence would have been shaken had he appeared
before the court Of justice an expelled mason.
| We have heard the remark made by more than one
Of the party interested in that suit, that there was