The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1870-11-16

not accomplish all that we wished, could we not
erect such q building as would meet the actuai
necessities OF tue Craft, and furnish ample anu
convenient accommodation for the Grand Louge
and subordinate lodges This question received
our most careful consideration, anu aiUeI muOn .
examination OF the ground, AMI many luselVieMs
with Mr. Deversax. an architect OF TINS cltyt we
finally instructed him to prepare detailed pians
and Specifications for building 10 oe erecteI III
rear Of the present hall, and SO auapteu ~ ~ .ia ma
the two could be used together. Ihe pians aso ana
snecifications are suomi ted with the report Ine
estimated cost OF such building Is ABOUT S2S OOo
The co onmittee after adopting the plan SUBMIT
ted resolved to advertise for thirty Gays lor est
mates and TO negotiate lot oas oi SIcovo' w. o
mum, on mortgage OF the properly OF tue efana
Lodge. .....,.. 49,
and effleIent aid OF Brother W. G. DeSaussQre, OF
the committee, to whom we are much indeoted
for this and other valuable assistance. the loaE
was effected and $4,000 borrowed At ten per
ment payable on the a5th day Of August, 1873, and
the balance In seven equal successive lnsta,
ments, with the right reserved 70 the Iraua
Lodge after the first payment 70 @ ar1pnrement n
was closed and the mortgage eNecuted' anu VIC
money received. -
This amount. together with the subscription OF
the lodges made up the amount necessary ~. .1,e
work. and the committee congratuatea tneiu
selves that the project Of new nall, SO long ue.
layed, was at last 10 be realized II is with great
regret that the committee are compelisu W all
nonnce that their hopes were disappointed;
The action of the committee was seriously 90
iected to by many of the Craft. so far as The
committee are aware the objections were, nrse,
to the plan adopted by the committee. aad
second, 10 the architect employed by the commit.
tee to prepare the plans.
With regard to the architect employed. that IS
matter Of SO little Importance, and upon wnlcn
individual opinions may so reasonably dlner, tIat
we do not feel 1t necessary tU say anything more
than that In the se.ection we exercised our ocst
Judgment uninfuenccd by any Personal consld'
eraiionS.
With regard to the plan itself: it was urged that
the committee had departed from the plan
authorized by the Grand Lodge; that whaI was
contemplated by that body and by the subordinate ~
lodges, when they subscribed 10 the loan, was Tue
purchase of q new site, and the erection thereon
OF temple worthy or the power and dignity OF
the Order. and that the substitution by me COM
mttee OF q u ere addition to the present building
was not.in accordance with the 1nStructlons ol
the Grand Lodge or the wishes OF the Cralt hct.
ing upon these views, some cf the lodges revoked
their subscriptions.
heobjection was unquestionably well taken
The idea OF the Grand Lodge was the erection OF q
spacious temple on new sue anu tIa1 WIS S he the
Grand Master when the aid OF the subordinate
lodges WAS requested, but IL had become appa-
rent to the committee that they could not carry
out the idea. The want Of means onerea dI nn 1n'
ed, not voluntarily, but from necessity. me real
question for the committee was narrowed uoWn
10 this :'shall the project OF a new hall De entlrey
abandoned, or shall we adops anu carry ouI
plan which is within our means
Believing that a fair and full explanation OF me
facts, and Of the motives which had influenced
the committee would remove an oSsec,rUps; @ are e
dens OF the city lodges on the lItn september.
The committee attended the conference, and SO,
Iclted statement ofall objections, and gave all
the information and explanations necessary. me
result OF the conference was the adoption by the
committee Of q resolution TO resclnd the resolu;
lion adopting plan, and to CAL lot adullonAi
plans and estimates, and also Tor esfmateS on tne
plan submitted by Mr. DeyereuXaaN plans anu ha
the Goth October. Advertisement to THIS eheet
was made In the Charleston, Columbia anu Green
vile papers.
the lodges which had subscribed, with the en-
ception OF two. adopted resolutions sustaining
the action Of the committee and renewing their
subscriptions. ~.
additional plans had been handed 10, AMI only
one estimate on the plan Submitted by Mr.. DeSe'
reuX.
held in Less than twenty days, the comlntttee
deemed IL advisable to take no definite action by
which the Grand Lodge would lie rrevocaoiy
committed TO rhe. action or the Gommittee eSo tSo
Simply 10 TepOEl plOSSCu"SS,
Grand Lodge In the fullness OF lis WISDOM 20 ue'
termine what should be done.
The committee have reported their proceedings
thus fully because they desire that their entire &C
tiou and the reasons which influenced them snouiu
be fully understood. What the Grand Lodge itself
NAV assume the responsibility Of doing IS one
thing. What the committee, as mere agents and
trustees, could properly and prudently 40, is
another. Throughout the entire proceedings, the
committee have had but one object Id view
faithfully to discharge the trust committed TO
them. II has been at times 8 painful duty, lor u
has forced. them 10 oppose the wishes anu
opinions OF those for whom they eDtertalneo
the highest respect, and with wnom tney are III
daily association. but the committee could not
forget that they represented the entire Cralt. anu
were bound TO watch over the interests OF all.
The committee may have committed errors, Dut
there /, great comfort In the reflection that rot'
ing ha, been done which 3 irreparable NO ue'
triment has come to the Graud Lodge from the
action OF the committee, but the Whole snpJect,
without hindrance or qualification, IS before the
Grand Lodge where all differences OF opinion can
be fully discussed, all errors corrected, ana acoa'
clusion reached which will be satisfactory 20 me
entire Graft. Respectfully submitted,
JAMES SCoNNER,
TX. BLAKE,
Fl. ". SCHROEDER,
B. r. CAMPBELL.
". G. DESACSsCRE,
F. A. CoSSOR,
r. S. BRUSS,
\. LEVIN.