Tennessee. In this State the Grand Lodge has continued to advance the welfare of the Order steadily and healthfully. The Report presents a gratifying view of the state of Odd-Fellowship. The Patriarchal branch of the Order has been established in this jurisdiction during the year by the organization of two Encampments, the one located at Nashville, the other at Columbia. The undersigned has to regret the continuance of differences of opinion between the Grand Lodge of the State and the Encampments. It is important for the interests of the Order that the matter of difference should be formally considered and settled, to this end the undersigned submits the correspondence on both sides of the question. Wisconsin Territory.-Reports have been received from Iowa and Milwawkie Lodges of this Territory, both of which ask a remission of dues. Republic of Texas.-Advices were received at this office in October last that the Grand Lodge of this Republic had found it necessary to suspend her operations owing to the distracted state of the country arising from its difficulties with the Mexican Government, since when no further information has been officially received. The undersigned has however, the pleasure to say that from private sources he has learnt that the Grand Lodge has resumed her functions and is now in active operation. Canada. The Order having but recently been introduced into this Province, no correspondence has as yet been had with the authorities. of the Lodge organized at Montreal. The Journal of the last Session was printed and distributed early after its adjournment, and it is believed was regularly received in all quarters of the jurisdiction. The undersigned has the honor to acknowledge the receipt of the proceedings of the Grand Lodges of Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Virginia, South Carolina, Alabama, Ohio and Kentucky, also the constitution and by-laws of Ridgely Encampment No. 1, Nashville, Tenn., Campbell Encampment No. 1, Wilmington, N. Carolina, all of which accompany this communication. Pursuant to a resolution passed at September Session, 1841, the undersigned appointed several agents in different sections of the United States for the sale of the Diploma, whose names and respective places of residence were reported in his last Annual Report. He regrets to report that he has yet failed to obtain reports from these officers upon the subject of their trust-exception however must be made of the agents in Kentucky and Maryland. The Brother appointed from Pennsylvania, to whom was entrusted ninety-two of these documents, under testimonial of the highest respectability of his integrity and probity, has informed the undersigned of the amount of sales which he had made, with a statement that the amount received had been lost by means of a robbery which was committed upon him—a commission was ordered by the M. W. Grand Sire to inquire into the truthfulness of the allegation, which was forwarded from this office to P. G. J. N. Clarke, of Pittsburgh, whose report thereon is herewith submitted. The expectations of the Grand Lodge in relation to the products of the Diploma have signally failed, and it is important that some legislation be had to close all the present agencies and to suggest some more efficient means of disseminating that document. Dispensations according to law, under the direction of the Grand Sire, have been issued from this office upon proper and constitutional applications for the same. FOR GRAND ENCAMPMENTS. To the State of Connecticut, at New Haven. To the State of South Carolina, at Charleston. FOR SUBORDINATE ENCAMPMENTS. To the State of South Carolina, Eutaw No. 2, Columbia. 66 Ashley No. 3, Charleston. To the State of Massachusetts, Massasoit No. 1, Boston. 66 66 66 New Jersey, North Carolina, North Carolina, 66 Georgia, Trimount No. 2, Boston. Monotomy No. 3, West Cambridge. Bunker Hill No. 5, Charlestown. FOR WORKING LODGES. To Wisconsin Territory, Milwawkie No. 2, Milwawkie. Charters have also been issued as directed at your last Session, to the several bodies to which they were respectively granted. The various applications and official reports of the Deputies acting in the premises, are herewith submitted, and it will be the duty of the Representatives upon confirmation of the temporary grants, to authorize charters to be issued in lieu of the dispensations under which the Lodges and Encampments created in the recess are now working. It is very respectfully suggested that such a form of a Warrant to authorize the constitution and working of a Lodge or Encampment when ratified by the Grand Lodge of the United States, might be adopted as to supercede the necessity of issuing charters-all the powers and privileges necessary to these departments may as easily be delegated by the one instrument as by superadding a charter, and thus the expense of blank charters, the frequent delay incident to the safe transportation of charters to distant places, and the necessity of obtaining the signatures of all of the Grand Officers which it is sometimes inconvenient to obtain, might be wholly avoided. In concluding this Report, the Corresponding Secretary has great pleasure in congratulating the Representatives upon the unparalleled prosperity which has crowned the labors of a devoted Brotherhood during the year which has just past. Peace, Harmony and Love pervade the Order. Twenty-four of the States of this glorious Union, the Republic of Texas, and the Province of Canada, now acknowledge your jurisdiction. It has been the oft repeated opinion of the undersigned that the Independent Order of Odd-Fellows was destined to cover the earth, proclaiming peace and good will to man, upholding Virtue, and restraining the march of Vice. If the Grand Lodge of the United States at its present session, will give the further impulse, no human power can stay the sublime triumph which awaits the effort. Respectfully submitted, JAS. L. RIDGELY, G. C. & R. Sec'ry. Office Cor. & Rec. M. W. G. L. Md. I. O. O. F. BALTIMORE, Sept. 18, 1843. EDITOR'S TABLE. OUR readers have heretofore been informed that among the many interesting subjects which would be submitted to the Grand Lodge of the United States for its consideration and definite action, that of the con. tinuance or discontinuance of the "Official Magazine" was one of paramount importance, as well in view of the divided opinion among the State Grand Lodges as to the expediency and propriety of the connexion of that body with the work, as from the apprehension that its maintenance would tend to embarrass her finances and thus to impair her usefulness as the great head and front of Odd-Fellowship in America. The question has been met, discussed and after argument it has been settled that the work shall be continued as the "Official Organ" of the Grand Lodge of the United States. We subjoin the report of the respected Committee to whom the subject was referred, from which it will be perceived that an essential change has been made in the management and direction of the Magazine for the ensuing year. How far the expectations of the Committee or the hopes of the Representatives who voted with them on the subject will be realized by the new plan which has been struck out, it is certainly at this time difficult to determine. Of one thing we are certain that from a constituency numbering over thirty thousand members, four thousand subscribers can be obtained, if the work is properly conducted and efficient exertions are made by those to whose agency its circulation is confided. The present scheme, is like the former one under the management of a general Agent, a mere experiment, and if it also should fail, it will be the duty of the Grand Lodge to sever the connexion which now subsists between her and the Covenant. For our own part, we have in consenting to occupy the position which has been assigned to us, assumed a great responsibility-of this we are perfectly aware, and did we stand alone unaided in the enterprize we confess we should at once have promptly declined the proffer made to us by the Committee. We were perfectly willing to meet the Committee in the spirit of their report, that the conductor of the work should look to his own efficiency and industry as the sources of his hopes of individual reward and emolument, and that the Grand Lodge should be relieved from all charge for Editorial services unless the yield from the Magazine would afford it, yet we had some fears that Brethren could be found, whose services were indispensably necessary to carry out this project, who would be capable and willing to come to our aid. We have great pleasure in informing the friends and patrons of the Covenant that these fears have been removed: arrangements have been made to give the work a fair trial for its selfmaintenance, and to give to the present scheme for its support all those advantages the absence of which in the former system it was supposed, produced its embarrassment-a distinguished P. G. Master resident in the South has cheerfully consented to co-operate with the Editor in the conduct of the literary and editorial management of the Magazine, and the Senior Past Grand Sire in the Order has with equal promptness responded favorably to the invitation addressed to him to renew his connexion with the "Čovenant" in the capacity of its Travelling Agent. Our Associate Editor, P. G. M. Albert Case of South Carolina, brings talent, taste, energy to our aid, and our distinguished Brother Wildey in addition to his value as an experienced officer in the Order, has engaged to visit in person every Lodge and Encampment in the United States to solicit their patronage to a work, the continuance of which he conceives to be of great value to that Institution to which he has devoted many years of his life. Under these auspices we again present the "Official Magazine" of the Grand Lodge of the United States to our Brethren, promising on our part to leave no effort unemployed to make its pages interesting and instructive, and trusting to a devoted fraternity for a liberal patronage. Rep. Hurlbut of S. Carolina, from the Committee on the Official Magazine made the following Report, with accompanying Resolutions: To the Officers and Members of the R. W. Grand Lodge of the United States, I. O. O. F. The Committee on the Official Magazine, to whom was referred so much of the Grand Sire's and Grand Secretary's Report as relates thereto, have considered the same and beg leave to report― No That from the loose and inaccurate manner in which the accounts of the Magazine have been kept, they have experienced great difficulty in coming to any conclusion upon the subject of its financial condition. regular account current of receipts and expenditures has been furnished your Committee, and they are informed that none has been kept. The General Agent produces a Subscription Book in which appear credits to such subscribers as have paid. The Printer produces his account current of receipts from various sources, and his charges. This Bill may seem more properly to belong to the Finance Committee, but has been handed in to this Committee to aid them in forming a judgment. And now your Committee can only give an approximation to the truth. The balance against the Covenant at the last session was Which, with the interest, appears below as due T. $925 12 Wildey, agent. For this year 1843, the debts are Appropriation to Editor for 1842 Deduct paid at last session Appropriation to Editor for 1843 $1000 100-900 1000 |