The State is small, containing not more than 270,000 white inhabitants, and if we are not misinformed, not far over forty Lodges, some of them small, and but recently organized, yet in a few months afterwards, forty-one of the Lodges had contributed in the ratio of 100 cents per member, and the handsome sum of $1,697.37 was paid over to the Mount Vernon Association. This result led the friends of the cause to build confidently upon signal assistance from the Masons in our country, who, besides being interested in the cause as citizens and patriots, must be peculiarly attached to the memory of their illustrious Brother as Masons, to whose fraternal hearts the purchase and preservation of Mount Vernon should be pious labor of love and gratitude. But thus far we have been greatly disappointed; their action has been very partial, and not worthy that large and influential body. In no State, so far as we can learn, but the one honorable exception mentioned, have they acted as a body. We take pleasure, however, in reporting here, the contributions which have been received from the several States up to this date, the names of the several Lodges and members having been republished from time to time in the Registry of the Record:

From Masonic Lecture and donation of $25 from Gov. Wise,

100.00

The contributions thus far of a body estimated at 300,000 members, of whom 26,192 are in the State of New York.

10.00

. $6,063.62

From the above statement, it is seen that the Masons, as an Order, have not fulfilled the high expectations entertained of them. This withholding of the hand, in an acknowledged good work, is greatly owing, we are informed, to the prejudices existing towards the proprietor of Mount Vernon, from whom the purchase was made, and if this be so, that objection no longer remains as a barrier to the expression of that reverence which we are convinced lives in the heart of every true Mason towards the resting place of their great departed Brother. We would, therefore, call their attention to the fact, that the whole purchase money is raised, that $20,000 besides is now in the possession of the Association-consecrated to the sacred purpose of arresting decay, and of restoring the house and grounds to their former condition. But, that the place is still in the nominal possession of Mr. Washington, and must remain so until the patrotism and generosity of our countrymen and countrywomen contribute an additional sum adequate to its annual maintenance free from any embarrassments. We refer them to the Report of the Regent on this subject, issued some weeks since. All contributions now, therefore, will go to the accumulation of a fund needed to enable the Association to sustain prudently and becomingly the high trust it has assumed as the guardians of the precious dust that reposes on the banks of the Potomac. They would not that another birth-day of American Independence should pass unsignalized by that great event, and yet, for the power to do it, they will need to be sustained by every patriotic heart and hand, yet held back from a practical sympathy with their noble work! And will they be disappointed in you, Masons of America? Never! We do not fear it!

LORD BROUGHAM A MASON.-Lord Brougham's name appears in the records of Fortrose Lodge of Stornoway, under date of 20th August, 1799. Henry Peter Brougham, Charles Stewart, Robert Campbell, and Putney Stroud, who were all raised to the degree of Master Mason on that date, constituted a party who visited the island of Lewis in a yacht known as the Mad Brig, and the circumstance of their becoming Freemasons in a place so remote as Stornoway then was, originated no doubt in one of their wild freaks. It is a stock anecdote of the Lodge that when Lord Brougham was being initiated, he at first emphatically but reverently demurred to one of the conditions, offering cogent reasons for remaining free, and completely posing, for the moment, by his volubility and powers of argument, the simple-minded brethren, who, however, eventually succeeded in inducing him to proceed.-London Freemasons' Magazine.

FREEMASONRY IN TURKEY.*

IMPORTANT INFORMATION.

R. W. BRO. HYDE CLARKE, who, as our readers are aware, is at present in Turkey, on an important mission, has furnished us with the following information, in a correspondence under date of Jan. 11th, ult.

At Smyrna, the differences among the Craft, have been adjusted by him. He has restored the ancient Swiss Lodge, and he has been charged by the Brethren to obtain a warrant for a new Lodge from the Grand Lodge of England.

The so-called Grand Lodge of Turkey is abolished, and the archives of the spurious Lodges surrendered to Brother Hyde Clarke. He has been in constant conference with the members of the High Degrees in the arrangement of Masonic matters. By his authority as S. P. R. S. he has been able to stay disorder and promote union. The consecration of the new Lodge and R. C. Chapter, by the Ill. Bro. is anxiously expected.

At Constantinople, he visited the Craft in his official capacity, and the Brethren conferred with him on the extension of Masonry in Turkey, and on various points of discipline.

It will be seen that our distinguished Brother is actively engaged in advancing the interests of Masonry, and in the midst of arduous professional duties, he can find time to cause an illegitimate organization to disband, and its subordinates to surrender to him the records of their transactions. It must have required a great degree of firmness, tempered with mildness and intelligence of a superior order, to effect and consummate such important objects. Brother Hyde Clarke is one of the most intelligent Freemasons the Order can boast, and is possessed of rare attainments, and talents of the highest order.

OFFICERS OF THE GRAND CHAPTER of New York for THE ENSUING YEAR. James M. Austin, of New York, G. H. P.; Sylvester Gilbert, of Ogdensburgh, D. G. H. P.; Augustus Willard, of Greene, G. K.; Geo. N. Williams, of Syracuse, G. S.; John O. Cole, of Albany, G. Sec.; Wm. Seymour, of Albany, G. T.; Rev. Salem Town, G. Chap. ; Rev. H. C. Vogell, D.D., Associate G. Chap.; Edgar C. Dibble, of Batavia, G. C. of H.; Wm. Connolly, of Albany, G. R. A. C.; Alonzo Crosby, of Albany, G. Sentinel.

* From the Mirror and Keystone.

THE ORIENTAL RITE.*

In our last week's issue we published an article written by our respected associate, under the above caption, informing our readers of the establishment of the Oriental Rite, in the city of New York, which Rite commences at the thirty-fourth degree, and numbers degrees consecutively upward to ninety-six.

We agree with our associate, who says: "We are, it is known, no great friend to the accumulation of rites. An earnest Mason, we think, can find enough to occupy his mind within his own Order-and by this term we mean Symbolic Masonry." We have always held that Symbolic Masonry was all that was necessary-that the accumulation of degrees was a real injury to the Institution, and that the degrees that were practiced one hundred years ago, which were the E. A., F. C., and M. M., including the Royal Arch, were the only proper degrees of Masonry. All others have been created within one hundred years. In relation to the Oriental Rite, our associate remarks that he believes it to be that of Memphis." He adds: "Its members have cut adrift from their moorings-absolved themselves from their allegiance to the old world, and sail hereafter under their own flag." This we presume to mean that they have declared themselves independent of the parent body, and set up on their own hook.

It may, perhaps, be well to look back to the organization of this rite in New York, and its parent stem in the old world. It is a little more than four years ago, a certain Marconnis de Negre, a Frenchman, visited New York, who professed to be the possessor of a Masonic system styled the "Rite of Memphis," numbering ninety-five degrees; and that he was invested with another, making him the possessor of ninetysix degrees. He professed to possess authority to institute this new system any and everywhere. He had also, in manuscript, everything necessary to the proper working of all these degrees from the E. A., we believe, upwards to the 96th. His first advances to legitimate Masons were received coldly, as it was rumored that he had instituted in the city of New York a Symbolic Lodge to work the three degrees of Masonry among the colored population of that city. This rumor was speedily discovered to be true.

We had brought this Marconnis de Negre in communication with a highly distinguished, worthy and intelligent Brother in New York, who, at first interview, entertained no favorable opinion of him, and a sub

From the Mirror and Keystone.

sequent meeting confirmed him that the propagator of the Rite of Memphis was not worthy of Masonic confidence. The discovery that he had established a subordinate Lodge in New York among the children of the African race, broke off all communication with him, and we supposed that he had gone to his native France without accomplishing more than the organization of that one Symbolic Lodge, but we were mistaken. In that goodly city are always to be found some who are fond of novelties. The idea of a rite of Masonry embracing ninety-six degrees!-what a chance was here for display, for office, for business; this chance must not be overlooked.

It was not long afterwards that we ascertained that some of the officers and members of the Grand Lodge of New York in the Empire city, had become invested with the ninety-six degrees of the Memphis Rite, and that the system was fairly in operation in that goodly city, under the auspices of the distinguished Marconnis de Negre. We not only informed the Brethren that the said Marconnis de Negre had organized one Lodge, at least, of Symbolic Masonry among the colored population of New York, but we believed the fact was generally known to the Freemasons in that city.

It may be fair to presume, leaving all other inferences to our readers, that if the chief officer of the Memphis Rite claimed the right, and actually did establish a Symbolic Lodge, that the right to the first three degrees is claimed by this rite. It is also fair to presume that as he did institute a Lodge of Craft Masonry among the children of the African race, that be would have instituted such Lodges among the white population if he had had the opportunity to do so. The severance of the connection with the parent head in the old world does not change its principles.

We can conceive of nothing more injurious to legitimate Freemasonry, than the establishment of these various rites; and although we have no objection to others following the bent of their own inclinations, provided they do no injury, yet as we believe the accumulation of rites and degrees is a positive injury to Freemasonry, we cannot but regret that the Craft in the city of New York have established this Oriental Rite, with its ninety-six degrees.

The above was written and in type before we received the article of our associate, giving a list of the officers of this newly-organized rite. The humble Freemason will read with astonishment the high sounding titles given to the officers. We do not agree with our associate that "this rite is destined to take high rank We believe that among us."

21-VOL. V. NO. VII.