The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1868-12-30
RECONCILIATION AMONG FREE
MASOES.
Settlement of the Difficulties he.
tween tMc Grand Lodges of VIr-
gInIa and West Virginia.

From the Richmond Enquirer, December q.
The Grand Annual Communication
of the Grand Lodge, which closed its
session in Richmond last week, trans
acted some important business.
The question of paramount interest
for the decision of the Grand Lodge
was the settlement of the difficulties
between the Grand Lodges of Virginia
and West Virginia. Shortly after the
commencement of the war, the subor-
dinate lodges in West Virginia, all o.
which had, of course, been chartered
by the Grand Lodge of Virginia, insti'
tuled Grand Lodge and worked I'M
der it until after the close of the war
When this event occurred, the Grand
Lodge of'West Virginia was an illegal
body, having been instituted by lodges
holding charters granted by her. Ne.
gotiations for settlement of the diti-
Guilty were commenced in 1865. A com.
mission WAS appointed by the Grand
Lodge of West Virginia to conduct
them.
At the annual communication of the
Grand Lodge of Virginia. in 1867, an
able committee was appointed to inves.
tigate and report TO the last annual
comm -nicatiOn all the facts in the case,
and to recommend such action as it
thought best for the Grand Lodge to
pursue. The committee performed It's
duty and reported the following terms
OF settlement; First, that majority OF
the subordinate lodges in the turisCic-
ton of the Grand Lodge of West Vir-
ginia should give their adhesion to the
Grand Lodge of West Yirginiay second,
that the subordinate lodges in West
Virginia should pay to the Grand Lodge
of Virginia all their dues from the time
of the institution of the Grand Lodge of
West Virginia to the annual communi-
nf nd Of trSo
in 1865; and third, that the subordinate
lodges of West Virginia should surren-
der the charters granted them by the
Grand Lodge of West Virginia.
Deputy Grand Master Martin and
Grand Junior Warden White were pres
ent as n commission from the Grand
Lodge of West Virginia, and accepted
the terms proposed in the report of the
committee. They requested that their
subordinate lodges might be permitted
to retain possession of their charters, in
order that they might be placed in their
archives. 1t was acceded to. The report
of the committee was unanimously
adopted, and the right hand of fellow
ship was extended TO the Commission
OF West Virginia.
Deputy Grand Master Martin made
an eloquent speech after the report was
adopted, and said the action of the
Grand Lodge of Virginia would send II
thrill OF joy to the hearts of the people
OF West Virginia, for it would show
that spirit of fraternal regard yet ex-
listed between the people OF the South
and those of the North. He accepted
cheerfully the terms proposed by the
committee, and SAID he thought they
were fraternal and liberal.
The disputed territory of Jefferson
and Berkely counties is TO remain with
i'll the jurisdiction of the Grand Lodge
of Virginia, until the Supreme Court
shall decide the question as to whether
these counties are in Virginia or West
Virginia. Altogether, the proceedings
of the Grand Lodge were perfectly har-
monious, the utmost good feeling and
lralernal regard prevailing throughout
The session.