Correspondence.

CORRESPONDENCE .

We do not hold ov . rselves responsible for the opinions of our Cor . respondents . We cannot undertake to return rejected communications . AH Letters must bear the name and address of the Writer , not necessarily for publication , but as a guarantee of good faith .

TREDEGAR LODGE OF INSTRUCTION , No . 1625 . To the Editor o / TnE FREEMASON ' OnROXiCLE . BEAR SIR AND BUOTIIER , —I note with some regret that in your report last week of the meeting of this Lodgo of Instruction on the 23 rtl ult ., a difficulty arose about a proposed voto of £ 5 to the Royal Masouic Benevolent Institution . I feci confident our esteemed Bro . Barnes must be labouring nnder somo misapprehension of the circum .

stances he allude 1 to , or ho would not have raised any opposition to the vote . I fancy he and the brethren of the Tredegar Lodge of Instruction will find I am right in stating , that Bro . Terry will be only too happy to hand over the Eastern Star proxies to tho new Tredegar Lodge of Instruction , when evidence has been furnished to him of the amalgamation of the two Lodges , or rather of the

transformation of the Eastern Star into the Tredegar . I think Bro . Terry is justified in asking thus much . If any difficulty hereafter arise—and difficulties occasionally interveno evon in the best-regulated societies —and the Eastern Star Lodge of Instruction shonld be revived under tho auspices of its parent Lodgo , Bro . Terry might find himself in a predicament . I do not say such an ovent is at all likely to happen ,

but it is right that a brother holding an important office should guard himself against all eventualities . Tho revival of the Eastern Star Lodge of Instruction , though it may be in the highest degree improbable , is far from being impossible . If it should be so revived , how about Bro . Terry and the proxies then , unless ho ha 3 some written evidence to show how he has disposed of them and on what grounds ? Yours fraternally , LlTERA . SCRIPTA MANET .

THE RECENT ELECTION FOR THE BOYS ' SCHOOL .

To the Editor O / T HE FREEMASON ' S CHRONICLE . DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , —Logomachy is a very poor substitute for an argument to vindicate the claims of a sorrowing widow and a forlorn orphan . If , however , any parties will now unite to secure votes to place the boy Cox in the Masonic School at the next election , my anxiety and exertions will be amply repaid .

I do not discover as yet how " an unknown , " and yet" well known " writer , has , by his pen , added anything relevant to the distressing case , and if evidence was wanting to substantiate the allegation of being " vituperative , " tho letter of tho writer , in last week ' s issue , abnnrlantly snpplies it . He is kind enough to style me "learned : " but I confess I do not nnderstand what Londinensis \

means . Lovdiniensis is something intelligible . But let us pass to the inexorable logic of facts ; premising a few criticisms on the verbiage of logical assumption , conceding the superiority of the writer as a dialectician in the use , but not in the detection of the fallacy of pctitio prlncipii , or begging the question ; for the writer ' s first letter proceeded on the fallacy , that all tho gentlemen who recommended

the case were hound to record all their votes to this candidate , young Cox , and to no other ; which the writer well knew that local circum . stances and other obligations prevent . I must be excused if I- consider a conclusion drawn from such assumed figures or premises to be illusory : or , as common folks say , " throwing dust in people ' s eyes . " When the expression of an opinion is couched in language as the

result of deliberation of a superior judgment , that , I call an " assertion ; " or an affirming or maintaining , viz ., that my suggestion " would not be wise ; " and the reason assigned—I did not write pretext—was that the parties who had backed up the case had been remiss in their duties . This was really implied , if not expressed ; otherwise upon tho assumed calculation ( which I venture to submit

was groundless ) the boy ' s success was certain long ere this time , so that the blame rests , as imputed , entirely with his supporters , which I emphatically deny , and can prove tho contrary . There were , as I 'learn , five or six other cases for the Devonshire brethren , claiming their support . They brought up' 889 votes a fortnight ago , to bring an orphan girl , the daughter of an excellent

Mason , now deceased , into the Masonio Girls' School , and wero successful . Neither the Rev . C . J . Martyn nor myself has been inattentivo to this case . We are supporting him " thoroughly . " We are corresponding with some influential Devonshire brethren on the case . I had reason to fear that the poor distressed widow , driven b y force of cirenmstances out of Devonshire to " Glebe Cottage , Stanstead , Sud .

bury , Suffolk , " was " out of sight , out of miud , " even if Frater Lon . dinensis were fortunate enough to escape this unhappy predicament . But she is not altogether , thank goodness . One of tho Devonshire brethren writes to me , "What can wo do in the case of young Cox , without much extraneous aid ? We are doing all we can with our comparative few votes . There are five other Devonshire cases like it . I admit that the case of Cox is most deservinsr . " The D . P . G . Master

of the Province writes to me : — " I know the case of Cox well : it is most deserving ; but we must get in the poor orphan girl Clase this ime . " Tho Province of Devonshire , therefore , is " not indifferent " to this case ; and surely neither Brother Martyn nor myself . Will our excellent brother " Frater Loudinensis" render his superior logical skill and tact to our aid ? We shall bail them , with his powerful assistance and influence , as omnipotent auxiliaries .

Correspondence.

I must not forget to ask him how an inconclusive argument can bo relevant to tho cogency of reasoning ? In other words , can there be a logical conclusion , whero there is a fallacy in ono of the premises ? Or , can such illicit process be otherwise than irrelevant to argument , and to the benefit of the case ?

I am afraid that my brother a " harmless letter is of a negative charactor , in tho interest of Georgo Samuel Cox . I ask for powerful , numerical , positive aid ; for votes to be sent to the Her . C . J . Martyn , Molford Rectory , Suffolk , or to myself , for tho election in October next . Oue thing is very certain , that I havo aroused onr good

brother to ono weighty consideration most worthy of his very serious undivided attention , " that it will not add to our reputation for Masonio Charity , if it bo known as a matter of fact , that a poor orphan is nob to bo aided on the merits of his case , but solely on account of hia being the protege of the influential and woalthy . " What this has to

do with the Boys' School , is his concern , and that of every Life Governor ; but , better still than all banter , cavil , or logomachy , let us havo tho benefit , for immediate application , of his superior dia . lectics , comprehensive organisation , and influential support to bring in young Cox at tho next election for admission of candidates into the Royal Masonic Boys ; and then wo will accord him the first and

leading position in tho triumph . Hoping that my cognomen will not detract in any wise from securing the blessing of one ready to perish , and that every voter to tho Boys' Masouic School who is not pledged , will now come to tho rescue of Georgo Samuel Cox , by forwarding to ns or pledging their votes in his favour at the next election ,

I am , faithfully yours , DANIEL ACE , D . D ., P . M . 1232 , P . G . C . for Lincolnshire . Laughton Vicarage , near Gainsborough , 30 th April 1877 .

District Grand Lodge Of New South Wales.

DISTRICT GRAND LODGE OF NEW SOUTH WALES .

( ENGLISH CONSTITUTION . )

AT the Special "Meetiug held on Thursday , the 8 th February 1877 , there were present : —Bros Ernest 0 . Smith D . D . G . M . ( in tho chair ) , John Williams P . D . G . M ., Owen S . Evans S . D . G . W . / A . Gardner J . D . G . W ., Wazir Beg M . D . LL . D . D . G . C ., W . H . Simpson D . G . Treas ., T . S . Bullaul D . G . Reg ., R . Leworthy D . G . S ., W . D . Banks sen . D . G . D ., N . J . Robii son D . G . S . of W ., J . S . Gordon D . G . D . of C , J . E . Grahame D . G . Asst . D . of C . H . J . Wager D . G . Purs ., S . A . De Lissa D . G .

Tyler , several District Grand Stewards , Past District Grand Lod ge Officers , other Brethren , and representatives of the following Lodges : —Australia No . 390 , Harmony No . 556 , Cambrian No . 656 , Robert Burns No . 817 , Balmain 868 , United Service No . 937 , Unity 169 , Cumberland 1568 , St . Leonards Samaritan ( U . D . ) , and Princo of Wales ( U . D . )

The District Grand Lodge was opened in form at 8 p . m . After prayer by tho District Grand Chaplain , the D . D . G . M . requested the D . G . Sec . to read a letter received from R . W . Bro . A . T . Holroyd ; also copy of letter addressed by him to the Grand Sec , tendering his resignation of the office of District Grand Master . The D . D . G . M . stated that the Meeting was called for the purpose of

nominating a Brother to succeed Bro . A . T . Holroyd , as D . G . M . of the Colony . R . W . John Williams , Past D . G . M . proposed His Excellency Sir Hercules Robinson , the Representative of Her Majesty in the Colony , io fill the Office . He was sure , shonld the Governor be elected , it would be a great advancement to the Craft , and Masonry in general iu the Colony . P . M . Westcott seconded the nomination . The D . D . G . M .

said he was not really aware if the Governor was a Freemason , and if so , to which Constitution he belonged , but accepted the assurance of Bro . Williams , that the nomination of the Governor was made with his knowledge and consent , and with his intention to act if elected . Bro . Williams announced that the Governor was a Scotch Freemason , and that he would be pleased to accept the office of G . M .

P . M . Seuior argued that it was not necessary that a candidate for the offico should be a member of any Lodge in the Colony . After somo further discussion , the D . D . G . M . very much regretted to say that so far as they had proceeded , he was of opinion that the Governor was not qualified , but before deciding , ho shonld like to hear tho opinion of some other brethren upon the subject , though he feared that nothing

could be advanced to alter his opinion . P . M . T . A . Strickland objected to the nomination ; it appeared to him that , as any brother who was a candidate for the office of W . M . of a Lodge , mnsb have served as Warden for twelve months , and must be ourolled in the Books of the Grand Lodge of England , it was equally necessary that a candidate for the District G . M . ' s chair should be so enrolled , and

more than that , he should be a Past Master , who had rnled a Lodge . All knew that if a New Lodge was to be constituted , tho Petition to tho Grand Master must be signed by at least seven brethren whose names aro on the Registry of the Grand Lodge of England , so that it stands to reason if the rule is so rigidly enforced in the case of the Masters , Wardens , and Founders of a New Lodge ,

it must be intended to be enforced in the case of a candidate for tho highest position amongst us . In his opinion , we ought aud cannot go beyond the bounds of our own Constitution for a ruler , « TKI he would say more , that none but a Past Master should be eligible . P . M . R . P . Abbott M . P . quite agreed with tho remarks of the last

speaker , and held that as no brother onght to be accepted as a can . didato for the chair unless ho had served the office of Warden , and been Master of a Lodge , he considered that , therefore , the Governor was not qualified to hold the office . He fully admitted the ability of the Governor , still , by the Book of Constitutions , " eminence and ability in tho Craft" wa 3 essential , and this should be considered