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law, a withdrawal card may be declared void,
for good cause existing at the time of granting the
card, but not discovered until after it has been
delivered.
in the same report they say, that the necessi
ties of the case may sometimes require a N. G. to
install his successor, and he is therefore compe
tent to do so in the absence of the Grand Master,
or his Deputy, and all P. G’s. The report was
adopted. .
The same committee reported against allowing
the name and number of defunct Lodges to be
oiven to others at the expiration ot three years.
The report was adopted, and the law on that so j
ject remains as laid down in Sec. S, Art. 3, Div.
3, of the Digest.
The same committee reported, in reply to an
inquiry whether the existing laws require a bro
ther desirous of resuming membership in the
order, to deposit his card in the nearest Lodge to
his residence, that there is no direct law on the
subject, but from the analogy ot the case, the car and
should be deposited in the Lodge nearest his
place of residence ; but should trie re be several
Lodges at equal, or nearly equal, distances from
his residence, the option in which to deposit his
card would undoubtedly remain with him. The
report was adopted.
On the report of the same committee the fol
lowing resolution was adopted:
Resolved , That while this Grand Lodge recog
nises the right of State Grand Lodges and En
campments to instruct their Grand Representa
tives in matters pertaining particularly to said
Lodges and Encampments, it also deems the doc
trine of instruction in matters ol interest to the
entire order throughout the jurisdiction highly in
expedient.
And from the same committee, the following
resolution :
Resolved , That it shall bo the duty of the Scribe
of each Subordinate Encampment to furnish to
the Secretary of each Subordinate Lodge a list ol
the members of said Lodge, who are also mem
bers of such Encampment, and that it shall be the
duty of each Secretary to advise each Scribe,
within a reasonable time, of the granting of a
withdrawal card to any member of his Lodge,
who is also a member of such Encampment; and
also of the suspension, expulsion, or reinstatement
of any such member.
Section 21, Art. 3, Div. 3, of the Digest was
amended by inserting the words “or revived”
J O
after “ new” in the fourth line.
The Committee on the State of the Order re
ported, that a Grand Master has not only the
right to examine the books of a subordinate, but
as an incident to that power, he has the further
right to make extracts himself, or by one appoint
ed by him for that purpose. But the Grand
Lodge alone has the, power to require from the
subordinates copies of their proceedings.
The Grand Sire, in his report, recommended
to the Grand Lodge the adoption of a uniform
Constitution for State Grand bodies. The sub
ject was referred to a select committee, and they
reported in favor of the measure. Their report
concluded with a resolution “ that a committee of
three be appointed to prepare and report at the
next annual session of the G. L. L T . S. a form ol
Constitution for all Grand Lodges, and also a
form of Constitution for all Grand Encampments.”
The report and resolution were considered and
rejected by a vote of 37 against 35, but a recon
sideration was afterwards had, and the Grand
Lodge adopted the resolution by a vote of 51
against 26. A protest was entered by a few Rep
resentatives. The committee consists of P. G.
Sire Hopkins, Grand Secretary Ridgely and P.
G. Sire Glazier.
The Committee on the State of the Order, re
ported that State Grand bodies have unquestion
ably the power to adopt a uniform system of con
stitutions for their subordinates, and the subor
dinates will be bound to conform to such consti
tutions. The report was adopted.
The same committee reported, that “officers
of subordinates are merely the executive agents
of those bodies, and have no power to use the seal
unless so ordered by the subordinates, or in ac
cordance with positive enactments ot the several
Grand bodies under whosejurisdiction they work.”
The report was adopted.
The same committee reported, “ that the dues
to a Lodge accrue weekly, and only for the con
venience of the Lodge .are paid at stated periods.
It is therefore at any time the right of a brother
to pay his dues —but the committee are also of
opinion that, in case a brother has neglected to
pay his dues for such length of time as to be de
barred by the rules of his own subordinate from
drawing benelits while sick, he cannot be permit
ted while he continues sick, to come in and pay
his dues so as to entitle himself to benefits —since
an injury would be thereby inflicted on such mem
bers of the Lodge as are regular in payment of
their dues; the brother by his own act has com
mitted wrong, and it would be improper to per
mit him to derive benefit from his own negli
gence.” The report was adopted.
It was “resolved, that a special committee of
three be appointed to report at the next session
of the G. L. U. S. a form of service to be uni
formly observed in laying corner-stones and ded
icating Odd-Fellows’ Halls.” The committee
consists of Rep. Smith, of Tennessee; Grand
Secretary Ridgely, and Rep. Parmenter, of Mas
sachusetts.
A committee, appointed at the communication
of 1847, consisting of the P. G. Sires and the
Grand Secretary, reported lull instructions m 110
work of the order. The repoit was care u }
considered and acted on in secret session. Ihe
whole work of the order is now in cipher, and the
danger of innovation is obviated. Immediately
after the action on the report above mentioned, a
constitutional amendment, lying over from flic
session of 1347, was taken up and passed. It
provides that “the unwritten work of the order
(meaning the signs, gups? Ac.) shall in no
wise be altered or amended except by unanimous
vote of the G. L. U. S.; and the written work of
the order (meaning the lectures, charges, &c. &c.)
shall in no wise be altered or amended except
with the concurrence of four-fifths of the mem
bers of said Grand Lodge.”
During the communication information was re
ceived from the Grand Lodge of Maryland,
through three of her P. G. Masters, to the effect
that the venerable founder of the order, Thomas
Wildey, was involved in pecuniary ruin. The
order in Maryland had devoted a proper degree
of attention to the consideration of the subject,
and a few of the prominent members of her Grand
Lodge had interposed their personal responsibili
ty to prevent the immediate execution of the pro
cess of the law. The Maryland branch of the
order might possibly have saved the property of
Mr. Wildey, by their own exertions, but as the
fact of his embarrassment became known only a.
short time before the session of the G. L. U. S.
they very properly determined to lay the. whole
matter before that body. The G. L. U. S. refer
red the Maryland communication to a select com
mittee. The committee endeavored to discharge
their duty faithfully. They inquired into the
fact of Mr. Wildey’s ruin, and they ascertained
that but for the generous interposition of a few
members ofthe order, his house would have been
sold over his head, and he would have been
turned into the streets to starve, or to become the
miserable object of a precarious charity. The
committee, out of an abundance of information,
then calculated the amount of his debts and the
value of his property. They found that, in hands
able to hold it, his property would be equal to
his debts. They then turned their attention to
his relief, and after much labor and consultation
with the near friends of Mr. Wildey, they pre
pared a scheme which they submitted to the G.
L. U. S. The Grand Lodge nobly responded, and
the recommendations oi the committee were
adopted by a vote of 63 against 8. The plan of
the committee, so adopted, provided for the im
mediate rescue of Mr. Wildey, but as the com
mittee did not believe that it was either necessary
or proper for the G. L. U. S. (whose resources are
annually diminishing) to make an absolute gift
!o Mr. Wildey of the sum required to save him,
they recommended such arrangements as would
amount to a loan to him of about SB,OOO, on good
security. But it was deemed proper, and so the
plan of the committee went on to provide, that
(lie fraternity at large should be advised in the
most authentic way, of the embarrassment from
which the G. L. U. S. had rescued Mr. Wildey,
and die conditions which had necessarily attended
the relief extended by the Grand Lodge. It was
confidently expected that the heart of the order
would feel the appeal, and that from all sections
of the country, contributions would flow in, the
incumbrances transferred to - the G. L. U. S. be
paid off, the property of Mr. Wildey he restored
to him, discharged from the claim even of his
new and friendly creditor, and the good old man
be sent in the evening of his life to repose among
the quiet scenes for which he longed. That ex
pectation has been utterly disappointed. The
action of the G. L. U. S. has been singularly mis
apprehended. But the Grand Lodge will enjov
the consolation of having saved the life of him
who gave life to her, for we use no inflated ex
pression, when we assure you that, according to
our honest belief, Mr. Wildey would have died of
a broken heart, but for the relief so honorably
afforded by the G. L. U. S. at the critical moment
of his fate. And the Grand Lodge may congrat
ulate herself that when she took her founder by
the hand and ministered to his necessities, she
was enabled to separate him from the humble
calling in which he had passed his life, and to
remove from her escutcheon the single stain left
there by Thomas Wildey. Nor need she fear that
she has established a precedent which will be
dangerous. Looking at what she has done in the
cold light of commercial calculation, a prudent
man would pronounce her investment judicious.
But when it is remembered that the man she
saved, laid her foundations, without money and
without price ; when it is recollected that but for
him her halls might never have known her mvs
teries, her orphans might have starved, her wid
ows might have perished; when it is borne in
mind that the title by which he is known and
honored not only in the proud country from which
w r e derive our fraternal institutions, but throughout
the civilized world, is that of “ founder and father
of American Odd-Fellowship when it is made
to appear that he fell into trouble, not by prodi
gality or sloth, but because the very position he
held in Odd-Fellowship made him a shining mark
for the applications of his distressed children, and
because he could never turn his back on such
claims; when all these things are taken into the
account, the scrutinizer will find that the G. L.
U. Ss, in the act we are considering, did nothing
but her simple duty. Arid those who tear the
danger of the precedent may rest satisfied that
when the grave shall close over Thomas Wildey,
no man will be left upon the earth, whose ser
vices to Odd-Fellowship can justify the citation of
this case as a precedent for similar relief.
Your Representatives have alluded to this sub
ject at greater length than they intended, but
they feel that they offer an apology which you
will consider ample, when the} r refer to the un
generous assaults which have been made upon
the whole scheme for the relief of Mr. Wildey,
and when they remind you of the deep personal
interest which they felt in this measure.
Among other occurrences of interest, a Repre
sentative appeared on the floor of the G. L. U. S.
from the branch of the order which flourishes
among the civilized inhabitants of the Sandwich
Islands* and a special envoy was commissioned to
scatter the germs of the order along the coasts ol
California and Oregon.
According to previously enacted laws, the mem
bers of the G. L. U. S. were divided into classes,
one to hold their seats for another communica
tion, the other to retire at the end of the commu
nication then in progress. When the lots of
Georgia were cast, P. G. M. Anderson drew the
two years term. The seat of his colleague is
therefore vacant. By reason of this and other
circumstances, the long connection which has sub
sisted between your late Representative and your
selves, in the relative character of officer and con
stituency, is forever dissolved. To him that con
nection has always afforded peculiar pleasure, and
now that he is seperated from it, he looks back
with deep emotion on the repeated proofs of your
generous confidence. Pie is forbidden hereafter
to serve you, and he can receive at your hands
no additional distinction, but he will carry with
him through life grateful remembrances of your
unremitting kindness, and earnest desires for the
prosperity of the Grand Lodge of Georgia, and
the happiness of her individual members.
Respectfully submitted,
BOBERT H. GRIFFIN,
JOHN W. ANDERSON.
The undersigned Representative, would fur
ther add to the report, the pleasing and gratifying
intelligence that a member of this jurisdiction was
elected Giand Sire of the United States. P. G.
M. Robert H. Griffin.
JOHN W. ANDERSON.
r I he Grand Lodge went into secret session,
and P. G. Warden Patten instructed the members
in the unwritten work of the order.
R. W. G rand Representative Anderson pre-j
seated, on behalf of the Grand Lodge of Mas
sachusetts, the first volume of their proceedings.
Roll of Lodges called.
Representative Knight of Franklin Lodge No.
2, presented an inquiry from said Lodge, which
was read and referred to the Judicial Committee.
Re p re sen tat ive Patt en of Un i ted Broth e r s Lod £e
No. 5, presented the manuscript by-laws of Hol
combe Lodge No. 30 ; also a resolution relative to
funeral regalia, which was referred to the Legis
lative Committee.
Representative Woodruff of Muscogee Lodge
No. 0, presented an inquiry relative to benefits,
which was referred to the Judicial Committee.
Representative Conley of Washington Lodge
No. 7, presented a communication from P. G.
Charles Catliu, which was received and referred
to the Judicial Committee.
Representative Oliver of'Williams Lodge No.
15, presented a request from said Lodge for a
copy of the proceedings of the Grand Lodge of
the United States, which was granted.
Representative Woodruff of Muscogee Lodge
No. 6, offered the following amendment to section
2, article 3. After the word “meeting,” in 7th
line, insert—“ At which time they may also elect
one alternate for each Representative elected,
who shall be empowered to fill all vacancies that
may occur from whatever cause.”
Also, an amendment to section 1, art. 5, by
striking out the word “officers” in the fifth line,
and inserting “Lodge is convened.”
These amendments were seconded bv Renrc
sentative Conley of Washington Lodge No. 7.
Representative Jossey of Warren Lodge No.
20, offered the following amendment to sec. ],
art. 9: Strike out “Savannah,” and insert “Ma
con.” Seconded by Representatives Webster, of
Muscogee Lodge No. 26, and Hyneman of Cen
tral Lodge No. 28.
The Executive Committee made the folio wine
report, which was received and adopted:
The Executive Committee report, that they
have examined the reports of the Grand Treasu
rer and Grand Secretary, and find them correct.
They have also examined the Grand Master’s
report, and find but two subjects which properly
come before them. Ist. The surplus funds. It
will be seen that the receipts of the Grand Lodge
have fallen off nearly four hundred dollars in the
last six months, and as we have no reason to sup
pose it will be increased the next, or that the ex
penses will be less, they therefore recommend
that all the funds on hand, after the expenses of
this session are paid, be invested, and would re
commend the following resolution:
Resolved , That the Grand Secretary be in- ,
structed to invest in the Central Railroad and 1
Banking Company’s 8 per cent, stock, all the
funds of this Grand Lodge.
Your Committee would recommend that the
constitution be rigidly enforced in relation to
Lodges not making their returns. Neglect i 0 ,1
so has caused a great deal of inconvenience °
the Grand officers in getting their returns re- !°
for the Grand Lodge of the United States and 7
the installing officers do their duty, there i 5 *
further legislation required.
The only subject in the Grand Repress
lives’ report requiring the attention of your(\
mittee, is the subject of uniform constitution”
and we believe that each State Grand Lo(B e ‘’
the best judge of their own wants. We th, -
fore recommend the following resolution :
Resolved , That our Representatives to the Grand Lodges
the United States be requested to vote against the nek'!
of a uniform constitution for the different Grand Lodge,
account of its being inexpedient.
J. R. JOHNSON, Chairman
The following reports were received from the Judicial Cu
mittee, and adopted:
The Judicial Committee, to whom wa3 referred thorn, t
. rial of certain members of United Brothers Lodge No. 5T*
O. O. F. relative to alleged abuses and usurpations of po w !
by R. P. Guyard, then the Noble Grand of said Lodge, J!
leave to report:
That the subject must be regarded in a double asp ort
First, as to the conduct of Brother Guyard as the presidinJ
officer of the Lodge ; and, secondly, as to his treatment of tjjJ
District Deputy Grand Master. The latter may first bt
• posed of.
Obedience to authority is the corner-stone of every w,
regulated institution, and without it our beloved order wo-;.
be broken into factions, and its usefulness utterly destroyei
These remarks at once exhibit the opinions of your Commit!
tee on the subject of the conduct of Brother Guyard to tb
District Deputy Grand Master. It is manifest that Brother
Guyard must have known the official character of Brother
Patten, and respect and obedience were due to him in the
legitimate exercise of his authority. That he did not dcrnai
the honors due to his rank, is a mark of his modestv, ai
should have elicited approval, rather than havo provoked insult
and resistance.
The charges against Brother Guyard, ns tlio Noble Grab
of the Lodge, are of a grave character, and unless rebuke;
and checked by the Grand Lodge would convert the office of
Noble Grand into an absolute tyranny. Ho is charged with
refusing to put the question to the Lodge when an appeal had
been taken from a decision made by him ;
With refusing to submit a motion to the Lodge regulars
made, because he deemed it unconstitutional;
With bringing before the Lodge, for reversal, that which
had been decided by the Lodge, and which it lmd refused to
reconsider;
With affixing the seal of the Lodge to a communication
over his official signature, without warrant from the Lodge;
And finally, with refusing to sign checks for the payment of
money ordered by the Lodge.
These charges are not denied, but, on the contrary, are
vindicated on the ground that the action of the Lodge was
unconstitutional. We do not say that cases may not ariseio
which a Noble Grand would be warranted in throwing him
self between the fundamental laws of our order, and the rash
action of a Lodge, but your Committee see no such necessity
in the present case. On the contrary, they 7 can find nothing
in the circumstances of the case, or the by-laws of the Lodge,
to warrant the conduct of Brother Guyard. Lt meets with the
unqualified disapproval of the Committee
Your Committee deem it proper thus to express its opinion,
in the hope that it may exercise a salutary influence on the
order, by restraining the exercise of unwarranted power on
the one hand, and inculcating obedience and respect on the
other. “SOLOMON COHEN, Ch’n.
The Judicial Committee, to whom was referred the com
munication of the Representative from Franklin Lodge No.
2, beg leave to report, that the decision of the Lodge relative
to the giving of benefits was correct.
Your Committee further report, that a member is entitled
to his scat in the Lodge, until he litis been excluded by sump
definite action of the body, but that the Noble Grand may re
fuse the semi-annual password to a member in arrears, if the
same be warranted by the by-laws, but not otherwise.
SOLOMON COHEN.
The Judicial Committee, to whom was referred the iuqn
ries from Muscogee Lodge, report:
That a suspended brother is not entitled to any of the ben
efits of tho Lodge, but that personal service and nttendunc?
may be extended to him, as a matter of favor and kindness.
They further report, that a by-law may suspend a member
from receiving benefits, hut can not act as a suspension in the
meaning of section 8, article 5, of the Constitution for Subor
dinate Lodges. SOLOMON j
Representative Woodruff offered the following preamble
and resolution, which were adopted :
Whereas, bv the action of the Grand Lodge of the United
States, at its fast communication, it appears that tho State j
Grand Lodges have power to permit their Subordinates to
hold meetings less frequently than once a week ; and where**
it also appears that in many instances, under this jurisdiction, ‘
it is inconvenient and almost impracticable for Lodges to mod ;
once a week—
Be it therefore Resolved , That the Grand Master be, and he
is hereby authorized in his discretion, to issue dispensations,
permitting Lodges to meet seiyi-monthly, or monthly, as' ll
each particular case he may deem most desirable; provided,
nevertheless, that no officer in any Lodge holding such a dis
pensation. be allowed the honors of a Past officer, until helm ß
served twenty-six nights in the particular offices, any tiling in
the constitution of subordinates under this jurisdiction to the
contrary hereof notwithstanding.
On motion, the Grand Lodge adjourned until half P ast **
o’clock, P. M.
HALF PAST 3 o’clock, P. M. t
SAVANNAH, JUNK 7, 1849. J
Tho grand lodge met pursuant to adjournment.
The following report from the Legislative Committee v.a
received and adopted :
Resolved, That the regalia of the I. O. O. F. be worn M
stead of the funeral regalia, as prescribed by this Grand I
on funeral occasions.
Respectfully submitted. B. CONLET. |
The following report from the Executive Committee. wK \
received and adopted :
The Executive Committee reported sundry bills i
amounting to SBO3 75.
The Grand Lodge then proceeded to the election of tits ; j
officers for the ensuing year, which resulted as follows :
P.G. E. PARSONS, M. W. Grand Master.
P. G. M. WOODRUFF, R. W. D. Grand Master.
P. G. .T. A. KNIGHT, M. IF Grand Warden.
P. G. J. N. LEWIS, R. W. Grand Secretary.
P. G. J. P, COLLINS, R. W. Grand Treasurer.
P.G. S. COHEN, R. W, Grand Representative.
The Grand Lodge then proceeded to the election of Str
ing Committees, and the following was the result: _
Legislative Committee. —P. G. Master Anderson, Chain 0 *! j
P. G’s Patten, Johnson, Webster, O. P. Felt, Hynenw DBa f
Davidson. p I
Executive Committee. —P. G. H. A. Crane, Cbairw B®’ 8 ®’ j
G’s Kempton, Carswell. Jossey, Bivins, Fish and J. *
Person.
Judicial Committee — P. G. S. Cohen, Chairman; **.
Adams, Posey, Wing, Callaway, C. S. Oliver and R L *
well. . |
The following report from the Judicial Committee*
received and adopted :