Agents.

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- —? AMERICA : Bro . J . FLETCHER BRENNAN , 111 , Mainstreet , Cincinnati , Ohio . CANADA : Messrs . DKVRIE & SON , Ottawa . CAPK OF GOOD HOPE : Bro . GEORGE BRITTAIN , Cape Town .

CEYLON * : Messrs . AT . L . SKEENE & Co ., Columbo . CONSTANTINOPLE : Bro . J . L . HANLT , Levant Times ' EAST INDIES : Allahabad : Messrs . AVTMAN BROS . Bi / culla : Bro . GEO . BEASE . Central Provinces : Bro . F . . T . JORDAN . Kurrachee : Bro . G . C . BRATSON .

Madras : Mr . CALEB FOSTER . Mhow : Bro . COWASJEE NUSSERWANJEE . Poona : Bro . AV . WELLIS . GALATA : IPSICK . KAHN , Perchembe Bajar . PARIS : M . DEOIIEVAUX-DUMESNIL , Rue de Harlay-du-Palais , 20 , near the Pont Neuf ; Editor Le Franc-Macon . And all Booksellers and Newsagents in England , Ireland , and Scotland .

Births, Marriages, And Deaths.

Births , Marriages , and Deaths .

BIRTHS . GREENLAW . —On the 3 rd August , the wife of the R . AV . Bro . Colonel Greenlaw , D . G . Master , British Burmah , of a daughter . SIMPSON . —On the lGth inst , at 5 , Russell-square , the wife of the A ' . W . Bro ., the Rev . R . J . Simpson , P . G . Chaplain of Kngland , of a daughter .

DEATHS . DALV . - On thc 29 th ult ., Bro . D . B . Daly ( Dalhousie Lodge , 885 ) , aged 44 years . D'SOUZA . —At Eagle House , Highbury-hill , N ., in the 28 th year of bis age , David Henriques D'Souza , jun , second son of D . H . D'Souza , Esq ., ot Falmouth , Jamaica .

Answers To Correspondents.

Idtstutrs xa Corasuunirimfs

? All communications for Tnn FUEBMASON should be written legibly , on one side of Ihe paper only , and , if intended for insertion in the current number must be received not later than 10 o ' clock a . m . on Thursdays , unless in very special cases . The . name and address of every writer must be sent to us in confidence

G . B . —AA ' e are pleased to receive your letter , and shall be glad to appoint you our agent for the Cape of Good Hope . By this mail we are sending Tin * FREEMASON to all the lodges both at home and abroad and will specially address a copy to your brother at Port Elizabeth . M . DI ' CIIKVAX-DUMI-SNIL . —Letter received , and contents noted . *\ Ve shall be glad to receive " Lo Francmagon "

regularly in future . TEMPLE CHUCIS . —AVe will send you a proof of your article , hut the language used is too strong for our columns , and requires modification , especially as there aro signs of improvement in tlie quarter indicated , and we have reason to believe , that the whole grievance has arisen in the first instance through a i . ardonable misconception of the facts .

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CjjcJfrcemmu, SATURDAY , SEPTEMBER 23 , 1 SG 9 . THB FcitKiiisoM Is published on Saturday Mornings in timo for tho early train- * . Tho price of TUB Fit HUM * * is Twopence por week ; quarterly nub scrip tion ( including postage ) 3 s . 3 d . Annuel ! ¦ bK . ripiion , 12 s . Subscriptions payable in advance . AU com ¦ unieaUons , letters , & c , to bo addressed to the EPITOR , 3 &¦ 4 , Little lirilain , K . V . Tho Kdiior will pay careful attention to oil MSS . entrusted to him , but cannot undertake to return I hum unless accompanied by postage ttumps .

Can Such Things Be?

CAN SUCH THINGS BE ?

THE good , old-fashioned spirit of despotism is not yet extinct , on the contrary , it exhibits a charming vitality and irrepressible vigor in certain out-of-the-way localities . It deals still in the old description of arguments , albeit the

clumsy arquebus of a Charles IX . is now exchanged for the more refined revolver , but tho effect is mainly the same , and is decidedl y the reverse of being pleasant . To most Englishmen , the vast plains of central

and southern America , bounded as they are by mighty chains of hills , and dotted hero and there with trackless forests , arc a veritable terra incognita , and the little we reall y know about the natives of those beautiful but barbarous

Can Such Things Be?

regions is not calculated to increase our desire for a closer acquaintance . All the fallacies of a grovelling superstition which they retain as mementoes of their Spanish descent , and all the evils of wild , uncurbed

licence which they derive from their Indian blood , combine to render these half-castes the most despicable and blood-thirsty race on the face of the earth . Their government is an

undisguised anarchy—their religion a caricature of Christianity—while their laws are an agreeable admixture of feudal savagery and modern fillibusterism .

In most of these happy communities , which are dignified with the name of republics , it is not unusual to find a small colony of civilized beings , who , it is almost unnecessary to state , are either Europeans or citizens of the United

States , and these individuals form the connecting link between the semi-savages and the commercial world . Example and precept are , however , alike thrown away upon a people who are possessed with the seven devils , as Carlyle phrases it . of

"Idleness , lawless Brutalness , Darkness , Falseness—seven devils , or more . " The healthful spirit of constitutional liberty—the glory of serving the common weal—are unknown in these so-called republics ; nothing but the rule

of the sword prevails , varied , as we have hinted before , with an occasional reference to the supreme arbitrament of a six-chambered Colt . Yet , even into these unhappy regions a ray of light has penetrated . Freemasonry , with her

teachings of true " liberty , true " equality , " ancl true " fraternity , " has essayed to pierce the Egyptian darkness of the scene and to elevate those tyrants and slaves in the scale of humanity . At present , we are constrained to add , the

success of the attempt has been only partial , and to furnish an illustration , let us relate what happened in the most infinitesimal of those republics—Costa Rica , to wit—on the evening of St . John ' s Day , 18 G 9 .

In the town of San Jose there is a Masonic lodge , " Caridad , " or Charity , by name , which was founded in Ls 65 , and up to the date mentioned pursued its labours not exactly iu peace , but still without open molestation , owing doubtless

to the fact that its membership was chiefly confined to the principal foreign residents . But the malevolence of the Government at length burst forth ; instigated by the priests , nnd moved even by paltry sentiments of personal revenge , the

functionary who wields the baton of Minister of AA ' ar determined to make a grand coup . He assembled his myrmidons and sent them forth breathing fire and fury against Freemasons

in general , and the lodge of Charity in particular , the members of which were then holding their Annual Festival under the gavel of the Rev . Brother MacNab , a British subject . The outrage which followed is thus described in the narrative

sent by the Master and authenticatedby thescal of thc lodge . " On the outer door of the house being opened by somo members who were leaving , three officers ofthe army , and the Chief Constable of San Jose , rushed in followed by a number of soldiers

and watchmen * revolvers were pointed at several Masons , and all were ordered to leave the house at once ; any natives ( of whom none were present on that evening ) were to have

been conveyed to prison . Representations were made to the authorities by thc respective Consuls at this place , and some apology or explanation demanded ; nothing has been received except an intimation that a reply would bo sent in due

Can Such Things Be?

time . Bro . MucNab being about to proceed to England , is hereby empowered and requested to lay the facts herein referred to before the officers

of any lodge he may visit , as it is considered desirable in the interests of Masonry that the utmost publicity be given to proceedings of this nature . "

And so say we emphatically , although doubtless the revelation will not be peculiarly agreeable to the truculent official , the Minister of War of this model republic , under whose orders this outrage was perpetrated , and who , we are

informed is at present in England seeking a loan to enable the anarchs of Costa Rica to lord it over their serfs with " six-shooters " for some time longer . Verily he ought to be supplied with British gold to buy British bullets

for the slaughter of our countrymen , and especially we bespeak for him the good offices of all Masons who may be interested in the negociation of loans , and who mig ht be inclined to doubt the security offered by such an amiable bandit .

Those who recollect the reception , more warm than friendly , experienced by a certain warrior called Haynau , some years ago , would perhaps be inclined to suggest a like treatment for this nameless tyrant , but Freemasons are a more

lawabiding and long-suffering class ofthe community . It is well , however , to remind these ruthless despots , that the whole Masonic brotherhood views their proceedings with abhorrence and protests against their lawless deeds .

It is well to remind them that although Freemasons fight not with carnal weapons , they can wield the mightier power of enlightened public opinion throughout the civilised globe—that the

moral force ol truth , the unconquerable instinct of right and justice , are enrolled upon the side of the Craft in this crusade against cruelty and fraud .

AVe can strike a blow against these violators of our Masonic sanctuaries in their most vulnerable part ; they want money , and would fain persuade European financiers of the stability of their rule , and the security offered by their sway .

A deed like the atrocity committed at San Jose upon inoffensive and unarmed men , will go far to dispel the delusion that freedom exists in those priest-ridden lands ; nay , it proves that not even tho dread of reprisal can restrain the

Costa Ricans from wreaking their vengeance on the citizens of powerful states . Let us also assure our persecuted brethren that their cry has been heard , and awakens mingled feelings of indignation and sympathy in the breast of every Freemason , and , we may add , of every honest man .

In our advertising columns there is a notice of the meeting of the Provincial Grand Lodge of Jersey , to be held on the 29 th inst . AVe understand that deputations from Guernsey and Brittany will attend to witness the

installation of Bro . E . C . Malet de Carteret , as Provincial Grand Master , and the procession will be joined , as a guard of honour , by the 1 st North AVest Regiment of Militia , of whioh Bro . do Carteret is Lieut .-Colonel .

AA ' are informed that the "Confidence Lodge of Instruction" has been removed to Bro . Forster ' s , '' Ilailway Tavern , " Feiicluircli-street , and that the lodgo will resume its meetings on AVednesday , the ( ith of October , a . ' , 7 p . m ., on which occasion Bro .

-las . Brett , P . M ., P . Z ., and A . G . P ., will work the ceremonies of consecration and installation , and it is to be hoped the brethren will rally around Bro . lirett , who is ever ready to give his valuable services and time iu imparling instruction to the brethren , whether in the Craft or Itoyal Arch degrees .