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C OLONIAL BOABD with directions to report upon them ; and the very bad grace with which the Executive consented to their being ultimately laid before the Craft . As it turns out , it is most fortunate for the credit of the B OAED that this pohit was insisted upon , since every one has now an opportunity of comparing the Report with the papers upon which it was foundedand deciding

, for himself upon its merits ; and we venture to think that the verdict of public opinion will be somewhat different from that of the select committee of London Lodges , the wearers and expectants of the purple , who are dignified by the name of the Grand Lodge of England . We presume there is no question as to the

duties of a hoard or committee charged with the compilation of a report upon certain papers . They have first to give such an abstract of them as that the most salient points may at once appear ; and next they have to put forward such suggestions and remarks as seem naturally to arise from their perusal . If this is the duty of any

ordinary committee appointed by a larger body , be it a railway company or a joint-stock bank , it is doubly so of the COLONIAL BOABD , which by its constitution is declared to have " authority to take cognizance of all matters relating to the Craft , " as well as to " recommend to the G . L . whatsoever it shall deem necessary or advantageous to the welfare and good government of the Craft . "

This being so , we proceed to examine whether the statements and suggestions of the BOABD are borne out by the documents upon which they profess to be founded . The first clause which raised the indignation of the partisans of the Executive was that respecting the concessions of the G . M . to the P . G . L ., in which it was stated , that it is admitted on all sidesthat had these

, concessions been made at ah earlier period , they might have been amply sufficient to satisfy the demands of the Canadian Masons . " What say the papers ? Bro . Rici-iABDsoN , P . G . S ., writes , " The concessions proposed are made at too late a period to be acceptable to the Canadian Craft . " Bro . BEACH , M . P ., on Iris return

from Canada , states as follows , " They acknowledged that the concessions were large and gracefully bestowed , but that the time had gone by . They would have been considered ample , but that it was now too late . " We do not think that any fair person can deny that the BOABD truly and accurately reported what appeared

in the papers referred to them . Why then should the Report be objected to ? Because , forsooth , it would be a reflection upon the G . M . ! Now supposing that the G . M . were responsible for the errors which have resulted in the secession of Canada , we believe he would lie the last man in the Craft to wish a false Report to

be drawn up ( and it amounts to that ) out of deference for his feelings . It -would have been far better to have put the papers in the fire ; and to have said at once , " Any investigation into the causes of the Canadian discontent cannot but reflect in some measure upon the Executive ; and as the G . M . is supposed to be responsible , out of deference for his feelings , we will make no investigation at all . " This would have been an honest

course ; but to pretend to investigate for the purpose of mforming G . L ., and to garble the truth out of deference to the feelings of anybody , is the very reverse . It is curious , however , to observe how the responsibility is shifted on and off the G . M . as suits the purpose of his advisers . When they are called in question , the answer is ready" the G . M . is responsibleyou are attacking

, , him : " when he is hold responsible , we are as glibly told by his adherents , "the G . M . has nothing to do with it , it is Ms officials who have neglected their duty . " The D . G . M . —while enunciating views upon the duties of a committee , which we commend to those appointed by his Lordship ' s own House—took a much more manly line

of objection to this clause of the Report ; he said it was by no means certain that any concessions at any time would have prevented the secession , but that in his belief there had from the very first been a desire among a considerable minority for independence . We believe this to have been in some measure the case ; at the same time

the papers show that , whatever may have been the wishes of a minority , the majority were for a long time anxious for union with England . The P . G . S . writes : " The D . G . M . begs me to express his deep regret , that the proposed concessions had not been made prior to the formation of the Independent G . L . which is now

, in full and successful operation ; had such been done , he has no doubt that the proposed alterations in the constitutions in regard to Colonial Lodges would have been sufficient to allay all dissensions , and to have prevented a severance of the Canadian Lodges from

then- mother G . L ., —now he fears unavoidable . " And Bro . BEACH : " They [ the Canadians ] appeared to be very desirous of maintaining then' allegiance to the G . L . of England , if such could be done without injury to the Canadian Masons . " And the P . G . M . of Quebec , in his dispatch to the G . M . which we published in our last number , says : " Had the remonstrances and

representations relating to misgovernment , or rather neglect of government—which has been felt to be a growing evil for some time past , —been courteously attended to in some way , it is exceedingly doubtful if such an event as throwing off allegiance would ever have been thought of : I feel sure it would not , for old country feeling is

very strong . " To proceed with the Report . The next clause to which exception was taken was as follows : " It appears to be the duty of G . L . to spare no effort to restore that province to a condition of Masonic efficiency , union , and harmony : the steps that may now be necessary will

doubtless in due course be pointed out by the P . G . L . " To this Bro . HAVERS objected , as a dictation to G . L . of its duty ; while he afterwards most inconsistently complained that no specific remedies had been suggested by the BOABD . Y \ e cannot imagine what dictation or undue assumption of authority there can behi pointing out the

, general principles which ought to guide G . L . in their future treatment of Canada ; while we think the BOABD acted most wisely in refusing to recommend any scheme whatever , till they knew what the Canadians themselves thought would most conduce to internal union in the