New national era. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1870-1874, 1871-04-06
COlOred Men as Mas0ns.

We copy the following from the New York
Sun:
For many years colored Freemasons have
been recognized in New Jersey. and the colored
lodges have often been visited by the white
brethren. One of their lodges holds charter
or warrant from an ancient Grand Body of
Pennsylvania, and the other from Prince Hall
'nodge, of Boston, with an antiquity far more
ancient than that of the Grand Lodge of New
Jersey but, nevertheless, their lodges are not
recognized by the Grand Body of the JERSEYS,
and for several successive meetings of the
Grand Lodge their supplications have resulted
In fraternal kicks in place of grips and friendly
tokens, and such legal talent as Past Grand
Masters Trimble, Whitehead Cannon, and
Van Wagner could muster, has been neces-
sary to ward off the facts and figures and dates
presented by the colored delegations.
At the last session Of the Grand Lodge in
Trenton, game was played that would have
done credit to All Sin or any other peculiar
Chnee. A number OF new applications were
regularly received for the warranting of new
lodges. 1t now leaks out that Alpha No. II6.
OF Newark, was formed by MaSons dimmited
Tor the purpose of settling the long vexed cues
uon oil black Masonry in New Jersey. Thir-
teen of the Masons belonging to the old coIored
lodge of Newark have been regularly proposed.
and, as isunderstOod, are to be initiated. passed
and raised in Alpha Lodge, and so on until
the black brethren having all been transferred
to the new lodge, the old colored lodge is ex-
tinguished
The Masonic authority, the Landmarks,
c0ngratulates Nj. w. Bro. Pine, the Grand
Master of New jersey, and understands
that the warrant was granted for the new
iodSe with the ultimate condition of its
being composed entirely of colOred brethren.
1t Is believed that this disposition of the case
Will solve the enigma of colOred Masonry
hitherto considered clandestine and it is pro
bable that Bro. Pines great step will perfect
the universally of the fraternity and establish
the right of cOlored Masons throughout the
United States, as, if in regular standing in New
Jersey, they must be admitted wherever they
apply without question of color.
The Landmark says it is a bold stroke, and
undou btedly premeditated step by the Grand
Master most deliberately taken, and that he
mas only done what somebody else would have
had to do at some future time.
But the subject has assumed large propOr-
tons, and in Newark there is much excitement.
A meeting has been held and an effort is to be
made to induce the Grand Master to suspend the
work OF Alpha Lodge, No. lie. Masons were
procuring the signatures of the Masters. Past
Masters, and Wardens of Lodges in the jersey
towns.
Singularly, Democrats favor black masonry
more generally than the Republicans, the
former being led by Judge Near of Trenton so
that politics has been ignored. A conference
OF those opposed is to be held in Newark, and
deep feeling Is prevailing among the sons Of
ham. The fourteen black candidates are to
be balloted for in Alpha Lodge in about week;
but as few members composing the new Lodge
are said to have organized it for the very object.
they are not likely to be swayed from their pur
pese and if the Grand Master backs down he
will show less frmness of character than
hitherto he has exhibited in his Masonic duties