Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1868-12-30
RECONCILIATION AMONG
FREE MASONS.
Settlement Of the Difficulties RsGween
the Grand Lodge Of Virginia end
West VIRGINIA

Settlement Of the Difficulties Between
the Grand Lodge Of Virginia end
West Virginia.
From the Richmond Examiner. December p
The Grand Annual Communication of
the Grand Lodge, which closed its ses-
sion in Richmond, last week, transacted
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 Vir>.
girginia. Shortly after the commences
ment CT the war, the subordinate lodges
in West Virginia, all of which had, of
course, been chartered by the Grand
Lodge of Virginia, instituted a Grand
Lodge and worked under it until after
the close Of the war. When this event
occurred, the Grand Lodge OF West Vir-
GINA was an illegal body, having been in
stituted by lodges holding charters grant
ed by her. Negotiations for settlement
Of the difficulty were commenced in 1865.
A commission 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 investigate
and report to the last annual communi-
cation all the facts in the case, and TO
recommend such action as it thought best
for the Grand Lodge TO pursue. The
committee performed its duty and re-
ported the following terms Of settlement:
First, that majority of the subordinate
lodges in the jurisdiction of the Grand
Lodge of West Virginia should give their
adhesion to the Grand Lodge of West
Virginia second, that t1e subordinate
lodges in West Virginia should pay to
to the Grand Lodge of Virginia all their
dues from the time Of the institution Of
the Grand Lodge Of West Virginia toNhe
annual communication of the Grand
Lodge Of Virginia in 1865 and third,
that the subordinate lodges Of West
Virginia should surrender the charters
granted them by the Grand Lodge of
Virginia.
Deputy Grand Master Martin and
Grand Junior Warden White were
present as commission from the Grand
Lodge Of West Virginia, and accepted the
terms proposed in the report Of the com
mittee They requested that their sub,
ordinate lodges might be permitted to re-
tain possession Of their charters in order
that they might be placed in their
archives. 1t was acceded to. The re-
port of the committee was unanimously
adopted, and the right hand Of fellowship
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 a thrill of
JOY to the hearts Of the people Of West
Virginia, for it would show that a spirit
OF fraternal regard yet existed 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 within the
jurisdiction of the Grand Lodge of Vir.
GINA, until the Supreme Court shall de-
eide the question as to whether these
counties are in Virginia or West Yir-
ginia. Altogether, the proceedings of
the Grand Lodge were perfectly harmO-
NOUS, the utmost good feeling and frater-
nal regard prevailing throughout the ses~
sion