The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1872-06-10
Rirl1nrond 1ispatfh.
.-o~n,y JUNE 10. 1872.
For the Dispatch.

For bfeiaN''H
M Dear Dispatch In your ,ss s.'e y -
dav morning last you notice a " PROCESSION,
- an,rIses wc,leenducted and orderly.
,r,;.h ,r,ssed through our streets on yester.
.dov decked off with aprons, collars, sashes,
&C.. and Won designate them as - Cosoreo
Odd-5sHo,cs viii your courtesy permit
me to correct the error into which you have
falleng -
There are no cosorcd 0dd-Felto,cs IN nc
Iypifed STATES or recognized by the ui TIL,
lodge of the United States. The Ens "s 81
Odd-Fcllows may have granted CHARTERS W
negroes i'm the United states. } say Soy, s
have granted charters TO that race Wv.
the act would have been gross l NV, 49,, y,
;nr;sd;ct;on and consequently Wouid caiise
ths T odyes 60 chartered TO tie regarded a.
,Us,,oI sIn,,.,o.s and cfdn0eshne. !He ntI
Gent societies on the secret pf,ic'lae 'oip
which odd Fellowship claims 70 nave ae-
scended admitted only descendant menloe.S
of tree races. The Afracdn race, or aeseen n.
ants OF Canaan, the son on Nean. WIS y.
curse pronounced by God bimscii serc'h
..aIe fsee Genesis, tx. claptcrl, doomed 10
,,,rneiuol sinrery or seryilc life. They never
were admitted into the ancient associations,
being excluded by perpetual SLAVERY. Ihey
1vere hearers of burdens. If admitted ny
the modern lineal successors Of those ancient
societies. such admission would yitiate the
line of descent from free races and destroy
the succession. There are, there can DC, no
negro Odd-Felio'os.
I'VE have negroes calling themselves FREE
Masons and making occasional pubic dis-
plays. Permit me, Mr.. Editor. to say mere
are mn marc Free Ad$OaS in the tnltcd
S,a,es or elsewhere. Some sixty or seventy
wears ago sca-captain, from Boston, trading
TO London, by false representations ootaincd
from the Grand Lodge Of hfasons OF Eng
land a charter to open and hold Lodge VI
Masons in the city Of Boston. ON ms return
homie he opened, by authority OF tins charter,
an African Lodge in that city. Whcther Tue
African Lodge in New York received us eA-
istcncc OF this sea-captains bogus Boston
concern or not. VIC cannot at this moment
remember, not being convenient to our
notes.
Tbc sca.captain's concern in Boston called
itself a Grand Lodge, and issued charters $50
caIIed) to various localities i'll the United
States. The charter obtained by the Sea-cap-
tain has by the negroes been carefully con-
cealed, and the authorities of the Grand
Lodge of Massachusetts baYe been denied a
sight of it. In this way negro Masonry was
introduced into the United States. The
Grand Lodges of Massachusetts and New
York have pronounced the bodies in their
jurisdictions "iIegaI, spurious and clandes-
tine" forLiddng all intercourse with, or
acknowledgment of, these bodies. From
this impure source has einanated all that
ciain,sto be " african Free Masonry" in the
United States. 49,. .
First. The action referred to above, even
if had'under English charter, was ilieSii and
in violation of positive and Interchangeable
statute Of Masonry; it was gross and unma-
sonic invasion of the jurisdiction Of Grand
Lodge, and of consequence all persons made
Masons under such authority were spurious
and ciandeStinc.
Second. BY immemorial statute 10 man.
unless of free horn and of free race, can be
made Mason; therefore, from time imme-
mortal negroes have been excluded, and must
ever be excluded, from the Fraternity.
There is no human power or authority that
can change the statute founded on the Divine
decree. Negroes cannot be made Free Ma
sons. There is great ignorance on this sui
;jcct among members of both these societies.
Isend you this hastily-written notice to
excite inquiry and examination. Its inser-
ton in your paper will crafty many friends
and patrons. NORTH OF PoToMAC.