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to allow me to see the Charter of his Lodge, or to give me any information in relation to its history or present existence. It is proper for me to add, that my conversation with him was kind and gentle. I explicitly stated to him that I did not call officially, but as a friend, and at your request, with a view to ascertain whether Boyer Lodge was a regular constituted Lodge, such as the Grand Lodge of New York could recognize . . .

"The African Lodge has never been recognized by the Grand Lodge of this Commonwealth. Applications have several times been made by its members for admission to our Lodges, but they have generally, if not always, been refused. Mr. Hilton stated to me that he had once, through the influence of a friend, gained admission into one of our out-of-town Lodges. If so, the Brother who introduced him laid himself open to censure, and would have been dealt with, had the circumstance come to the knowledge of the Grand Lodge. That the course of our Grand Lodge, in reference to the African Lodge, is not the result of prejudice, it is only necessary for me to say, that, within the last month, a colored Brother from England has visited, and been kindly received, in one of our city Lodges.

"Such is the state of the case, so far as I am able to communicate it. The argument does not belong to me; but you will permit me to inquire, whether your Grand Lodge is prepared to recognize any real or pretended Lodge, existing within another jurisdiction, before it has been recognized by the Grand Lodge of that jurisdiction? Again, - does your Grand Lodge allow other Grand Lodges to establish Lodges within its jurisdiction? and is it ready to recognize Lodges so established?"

These three questions have been, by repeated decisions of this Grand Lodge, answered in the negative; and, according to the treaty stipulations entered into by this and other Grand Lodges of this continent, soon after the revolution, and the uniform resistance of any encroachment upon the sole jurisdiction of the several Grand Lodges down to the present time, these questions can be answered only in the negative.

The undersigned would further state, that the legality of the Body, called Boyer Lodge, No. 1, has been already twice reported on by Committees of this Grand Lodge, on the 3d of March, 1812, and on the 4th of March, 1829. In the latter report, the main facts were correctly stated and able arguments sustained, and the conclusion drawn, that Boyer Lodge, No. 1, can be regarded only as a clandestine Lodge. The undersigned can arrive only at the same conclusion, it being established beyond doubt, that the African Lodge, at Boston, was illegally established by the Grand Lodge of England, within the jurisdiction of the Grand Lodge of Massachusetts; that its name has been long stricken from the roll of the Grand Lodge of England; that its assumed authority to grant Warrants was unmasonic and fraudulent; and further, that the statement contained in the memorial of said Boyer Lodge, that it has been "regularly and legally constituted and installed as a Master Masons' Lodge, with a legal Warrant or Charter," is totally unfounded. All of which is respectfully submitted.

JAMES HERRING,

NEW YORK, June 2, 1846.

Grand Secretary.

In June, 1855, one Peter G. Smith, of Montpelier, Vermont, visited Boston, and "joined a Lodge of Masons." Upon returning to Montpelier, he attempted to visit a regular Lodge, but was refused admission. Mr. Smith then wrote to Boston, and received the following reply:

"No. 60 SOUTHAC STREET, BOSTON, September 6, 1855.”

"PETER G. SMITH, ESQ."

"MY DEAR SIR AND BROTHER Yours, bearing date August 14, came duly to hand. You say that the Grand Master of Vermont says that the colored Masons had their Charter taken from them, and that they are now working without a Charter. We reply that the charge is no doubt innocent, but it is nevertheless false from beginning to end. The original Charter is now in our possession, and always has been, and we worked under it until some time after the war between this country and Great Britain, when the colored Masons held a Convention, and declared themselves independent, the same as the whites had already done before. This was done on account of the difficulties of making the returns to the mother country. There has always been the best feelings, and our brethren all visit the Lodges, not only in England, but in all parts of the world.

"If the Grand Master of Vermont wishes any more light, we are prepared to give it to him; or, if he has a curiosity, he can see the original Charter.

"Yours fraternally,

"J. S. Rock,

"Corresponding Grand Secretary of Prince Hall Grand Lodge."

[To this letter Philip C. Tucker, Grand Master of Vermont, replied in a communication to Peter G. Smith, as follows: -]

"VERGENNES, Sept. 22, 1855.

"Mr PETER G. SMITH, MONTPELIER.

"SIR, I received yours of yesterday, enclosing a letter to you from Mr. J. S. Rock of Boston, this morning.

"As to the Lodge of colored men existing in Boston, calling itself "Prince Hall Grand Lodge," and such Lodges as acknowledge its jurisdiction, I have to say that my understanding on the subject is this:

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"I suppose it to be true that, on the 20th day of September, 1784, a Charter for a Masters' Lodge was granted to Prince Hall and others, under the authority of the Grand Lodge of England, and that the Lodge then chartered bore the name of African Lodge, No. 459,' and was located at Boston. If any other Charter was ever granted, at any other time, by the Grand Lodge of England, or any other Grand Lodge, to the colored persons of that city, it has never come to my knowledge.

"I suppose it to be also true that African Lodge, No. 459, did not continue its connection for many years with the Grand Lodge of England, and that its registration was stricken from the rolls of that Grand Lodge more than fifty years ago.

"I suppose it further to be true that this Lodge, No. 459, and all others which have originated from it, have always held themselves aloof, and have always refused to acknowledge any allegiance to the Grand Lodge of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

"I also further suppose it to be true that, on the 18th day of June, 1827, this same Lodge, No. 459, issued a Declaration, and had it published in some of the Boston papers, signed by John T. Hilton, Thomas Dalton, Lewis York, jr., and J. H. Purron (claiming to be Master, Wardens, and Secretary thereof), which Declaration contained the following language: 'We publicly declare ourselves free and independent of any Lodge from this day, and we will not be tributary, or governed by any Lodge than that of our own.' “And I still further suppose it to be true that, in the month of July, 1845, R.W. Charles W. Moore, the Grand Secretary of the Grand Lodge of Massachusetts, had a personal interview with Mr. Hilton, then Master of this said Lodge, No. 459, at which interview Mr. Hilton said, that they (the members of said Lodge) were 'entirely independent of all white Bodies, asked no favors of them, and would have nothing to do with them; nor would they admit a white Mason, if he should present himself as a visitor.'

"All these things are of record, and cannot, I think, be denied in any quarter. From them I form the following opinions :

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First. Even if a Charter for a subordinate Lodge, to be located within the United States, could be lawfully granted by the Grand Lodge of England, after the close of the American Revolution, and if such Charter could be lawfully recognized by the American Lodges, its vitality would necessarily expire when the grantor substantially revoked the grant by striking it from its records, and thus disavowing all connection with the grantee.

“Second. That the mere retention of a Charter, after its legal revocation, cannot preserve or retain any right, power, or authority in the original grantees or their successors, where the right to revoke is reserved, as it always is in all Grand Lodges, in the grantor.

"Third. Even if African Lodge, No. 459, had a lawful masonic existence June 18, 1827, the Declaration of that date was both unmasonic and revolutionary, and placed that Body as effectually beyond recognition by either the Grand Lodge of Massachusetts or any other Grand Lodge in the United States, as was the French Lodge of Virginia, or the German Lodges of New York.

“Fourth. Had African Lodge, No. 459, been in all things a lawful Lodge, after the declaration of its first officer, of July, 1845, that it would not admit a white Mason if he should present himself as a visitor,' it would have been both humiliating and degrading to have allowed the doors of the white Lodges to stand open for a reciprocity of courtesies which were thus gratuitously and roughly declared inadmissible, in advance of any request, offer, or wish to establish them.

"I have the highest masonic authority in Massachusetts for denying that 'the brethren' of the Lodge in question 'all visit the Lodges,' so far as the Lodges of Massachusetts are concerned. A Past Grand Master of the Grand

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Lodge of that Commonwealth, writing at Boston, in 1848, says: are no Lodges of colored Masons in this city or any other part of the United States that are recognized and acknowledged by the Grand Lodge of Massachusetts, or, to our knowledge, by any other regularly-constituted Grand Lodge in this country. It (the African Lodge) was never recognized by the Grand Lodge of this State, nor has there been any masonic intercourse between the two Bodies.'

"The same Brother, writing at the same place, in 1846, says, in referring to that Lodge: "Applications have several times been made by its members for admission to our Lodges, but they have generally, if not always, been refused.' Again he says, 'That the course of our Grand Lodge in reference to African Lodge is not the result of prejudice, it is only necessary for me to say that, within the last month, a colored Brother from England has visited, and been kindly received in one of our city Lodges.'

"I believe I am correct in stating that the two following propositions are recognized as sound masonic law in this country:

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"First. That no Grand Lodge of any State can regularly recognize a subordinate Lodge existing in another State, or its members, until such subordinate Lodge is recognized by the Grand Lodge of the State in which it exists.

"Second. That no Grand Lodge, either in these United States, or any other country, can legally establish a subordinate Lodge in any other State where a regularly-constituted Grand Lodge exists.

"From these views you will readily perceive why the Masonry of the United States does not and cannot either recognize 'Prince Hall Grand Lodge,' or its subordinates, or their members, as regular. To our understanding, the whole of these organizations are irregular and unmasonic, and exist adverse to masonic regulations and law. If, as Mr. Rock asserts, members of these Bodies are admitted to visit Lodges in England and all parts of the world,' that admission probably arises from the fact that the history and masonic positions of these Bodies are not so well understood elsewhere as they are in the United States.

"Mr. Rock expresses an inclination to ‘give the Grand Master of Vermont more light' on this subject. As he signed himself 'Corresponding Secretary of Prince Hall Grand Lodge,' I suppose him to possess all the 'light' which the subject has in it; and whatever that light may be able to reflect upon me of the truth of the past or the present, will always receive the respectful attention it may deserve from

Your humble serv't,

PHILIP C. TUCKER, Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Vermont.

[Communication from the Grand Secretary of the United Grand Lodge of England.]

FREEMASONS' HALL, LONDON, W.C., May 5, 1870.

WILLIAM SEWALL GARDNER, Esq., Most Worshipful Grand Master of Massachusetts.

M.W. SIR AND BROTHER,

I would have replied earlier to your esteemed letter of the 12th March, had not the information you required necessitated a

longer search than could be prosecuted at the moment. I regret that I can now afford so little information, as our records, excepting as to the proceedings of our own Grand Lodge, were not then kept in the accurate manner as is now the general practice.

As you are already aware, the Warrant for the African Lodge was granted in 1784, and was numbered 459; but the fee for the Warrant, £4 4s., does not appear in our Grand Lodge accounts until the 4th April, 1787. The following remittances were received for the Charity Fund from the African Lodge, viz. :

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In 1793, its number was altered to 370, and continued so numbered in our Calendar until 1812, when, on the re-numbering consequent on the union of the two Grand Lodges, the African Lodge was omitted.

I send you enclosed a verbatim copy of all the documents I can discover relating to the Lodge; but the petition for the Lodge is not forthcoming, Should any other documents present themselves, which is somewhat unlikely, I will send you copies, and have the honor to remain, M.W. Sir and Brother, Yours fraternally,

JOHN HERVEY,

Grand Secretary.

[Copies referred to in the above letter.]

RIGHT WORSHIPFUL SIR,- We now send you an account of the Lodges preceding since we sent our last, which was in August last, together whith ten Dollars for the Fund of the Grand Charity, by Captain Scoot, which he saith he hath deliverd to the Grand Secretary, but he hath no Recept with him for the money, We have initiated into the Lodge this year Samevel Beean, a Blackeman, and the Reverend Mr. John Merrand, a black Minester from home, but last from Beech Town in Nova Scotia. We shall make a colletchon on St. John's Day next, which we shall send by the first caarfull hand; the Lodge in generel behaves veriwell in there Station, so that ther no just complantes made against them. I hope I may all ways have the plesevr of sending a good account of the African Lodge. After whiching all Happyness to our Royel Grand Master, and all the Officers and Members of the Grand Lodge, I beg leve to subscribe myself your most obedient humbel servent and Brother,

BOSTON, June 4, 1789.

PRINCE HALL.

BOSTON, November 9. 1789.

To the Most Worshipful WILLIAM WHITE, Esq., G.S.

DEAR SIR,- These comes to acquant you that we have sent sundrey letters to our Right Worshipfull Rowland Holt, Esq., and to your Worship, according to my order in the charter; and whith those we sent you datted

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