The Masonic Mirror.

Bro . Wynne thought it would be much better to leave it to his lordship to make some such proposition at some future time . ( Oh , oh I ) Bro . the Rev . G . R , Portal—My lord , before tin ' s matter comes to a vote , I think it is very important that , if possible , we should arrive afc a unanimous decision ; because , if the mutter is settled by anything like a narrow division , Bro . Gray Clarke will be robbed of a very great part of the gratification ivhich such a vote ought to give him . ( Hearhear ) . I am certain there is but one wish on the part

, of Grand Lodge , viz ., to act kindly to Bro . Clarke ; and I can assure those who have brought forward this motion , that Grand Lodge will not be anything like unanimous when it is pressed to a division . Bro . Savage has not put the point quite fairly when he says that the question for us to consider is , whether this £ 300 or £ 350 is a fair remuneration for a gentleman of Bro . Clarke ' s abilities and demeanour . The question is , ivhether , ivhat was enough eighteen months back is not enough now ? If the salary is insufficientivhy did he accept it ? ( Ohoh !)

, , Is the Board of General Purposes to say ( only one year ago ) , thafc after thoroughly investigating the nature and extent of the duties of the Grand Secretary ' s office , they are of opinion that it is neither •'•' necessary nor desirable thafc any increase should be made in any of the existing salaries , " and now to contradict it ? They did nofc make that report in ignorance of the subject , but after careful investigation they reported that all the officers ivere sufficiently paid . AVhat then has happened betiveen that time ancl this which can justify them in now saying that Bro . Clarke is not well

paid 1 is there some newly discovered mine of efficiency in him , or some arduous duties not before thought of ? I need not recall tho past , but I may remind Grand Lodge that Bro . Clarke iu his correspondence with Bro . Harington , of Canada , so wrote as to induce that brother to reply— " Your letters to me are so personal as very much to embarrass matters , & e . ( Hear , hear ! and cries of Order , order ! Question , question I ) This is the question—is it u proof of Bro . Clarke ' s efficiency that the only way in Avliicb . lie conducts a delicate correspondence is to offend those whom wc ought to be solicitous to conciliate . ( Cries of Oh , oh ! Question ,

question !) This is the question , ancl I shall take care that it shall not be burked . ( Laughter ) . For myself , I attach more credit to the carefully drawn report of twelve months ago than to that of three months ago , and I shall put my confidence in the former rather than in the latter . ( Hear , hear ) . Bro . M'lutyrc said it ivas unfair ancl nucandid to oppose both these reportsthat which saicl a year ago that tho salaries ought to remain as they were , ancl that which now proposed to increase them . As to depriving Bro . Clark of the opportunity of " asking" to liave his salary raisedhe thought it ivould nofc press very

, heavily on his feelings if they raised it now instead . ( Laughter ) . One brother who complained now of the increase as diminishing the funds available for charities , told them on the List occasion that they ought to be just before they ostentatiously gave their money to charities . For his own part , he ivould let their justice and generosity go hand in baud together . Bro . the Right Hon . Lord Panmure , D . G . M , said—My lord , I am nofc going into Lhe merits of this question , but 1 wish to notice one point which ivas raised by

Bro . Portal . Every other brother has borne testimony to the high and honourable character of the Grand Secretary , and no one , with the exception of Bro . Portal , lias attempted to cast any slur on the conduct of Bro . Clarke , in the execution of his duties . ( Hear , hear ) . I must say , that I am surprised at the grounds on ivhich Bro . Portal has blamed the Grand Secretary . ( Hear , hear ) . He has blamed him . for letters ivritteu in a controversy which is now , I am happy to say , dead and buried —( applause)—in a controversy in ivhich , though fche letters were penned by

the Grand Secretary , they were letters written by the desire of the Grand Master himself —( hear , hear)—letters of which tho Grand Master was substantially the author , and of which the Deputy Grand Master also was cognizant , and of which Bro . Clarke is no more to blame than the pen with Avhich he wrote them . ( Hear ; hear ) . II there is anything to blame in these letters , let Grand Lodge visit it on those ivho were the authors of them , and responsible for them . ( Hear , hoar ) . Let the blame rest oii the proper shoulders . Having made this explanation ,

I shall not enter into tho merits of the case , though perfectly satisfied that the motion to increase Bro , Clarke ' s salary is not only a proper motion iu itself in