General Grand Chapter, I issued an edict granting permission for the formation of a Grand Chapter of Royal Arch Masons for the State of Delaware.

And upon the 20th day of January, 1869, the legal representatives of the four Chapters in said State assembled in Convocation at Dover, and proceeded to organize in due form a Grand Chapter of Royal Arch Masons for said State of Delaware, and to adopt a Constitution for the government thereof. I availed myself of an invitation to be present at said Convention, and had the honor of installing the newlyelected Grand Officers, and I did then and there receive and welcome the said Grand Body into the family of Grand Chapters. Subsequently, to wit: on the 30th of January, 1869, I did, by special edict, order and direct that said Grand Chapter of the State of Delaware, be enrolled under the jurisdiction of the General Grand Chapter of the United States, and be hailed and recognized accordingly.

Another matter, referred to me at the last Convocation, was the appeal of M. F. Truett, from the action of Helena Chapter U. D., in expelling him from the rights and privileges of a Past Master Mason."

From the documents placed in my hands, I became satisfied that there had been great irregularities committed in the proceedings during the trial of the accused, which would have warranted the setting aside of the verdict; but my decision was based upon the principle that a Chapter U. D. being but a "temporary and inchoate body," which exists only during the will and pleasure of the Grand Officer who brought it into being, and which he may dissolve at any time, it possesses no power to try or discipline its members. It was therefore ordered, that the proceedings of Helena Royal Arch Chapter U. D., in expelling M. F. Truett from his rights and privileges as a "Past Master Mason," be set aside as irregular, and be declared null and void; and that said Brother be restored to all his rights and privileges of a Past Master Mason, and to the position which he held in his said Chapter at the time said charges were preferred against him.

Still another duty was entrusted to this Grand Council, viz: to "open correspondence with the Grand Chapters of Vermont, Rhode Island, North Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Texas, Kentucky, and Iowa, and to induce, if possible, such acts on their part as would tend to restore harmonious and Fraternal relations as constituent members of this body." Upon consultation, it was decided that the correspondence should be commenced, by issuing a circular letter, addressed to the Officers and Companions of the several Grand Chapters of the above named States, and also to those Grand Chapters which had, up

to that time, never been connected with this General Grand Chapter, viz: Pennsylvania and Virginia. The preparation of said circular was intrusted to M. E. Companion Robert S. Burns, Deputy General Grand High Priest, and that it was well done, is doubtless known to you all. Said circular is hereto appended.

Your presiding Officer has, from time to time, corresponded with the Grand Officers of several of the above named Grand Chapters, and he has the satisfaction of knowing that his labors to bring about a better state of feeling toward this General Grand Body have not been unrewarded.

On the 14th of October, 1869, I received official notice that the Grand Chapter of Florida desired to place itself under the jurisdiction of the General Grand Chapter, and had adopted a resolution whereby the Companions pledged themselves to hereafter, bear true allegiance and support to the said Body. Immediately upon the receipt of said notice, I issued an edict, ordering and directing that the said Grand Royal Arch Chapter of Florida be received and enrolled under the jurisdiction of the General Grand Chapter of the United States, and be hailed and recognized accordingly.

Upon the 26th of the same month, I received Official notice that the Grand Chapter of Iowa had rescinded the "act of secession,” passed in 1860, and had directed that the O. B. of allegiance to the General Grand Chapter should be administered to all the then members of Chapters in that jurisdiction, and that thereafter it be administered to all receiving the R. A. degree.

I would respectfully suggest by way of parenthesis, whether it would not be well to try the experiment of re-administering the O. B. to Companions in some other Grand Chapter jurisdictions, to see what effect it would have upon their minds and conscience.

On the 16th day of June, 1871, I received a telegram announcing to me the intelligence that the Grand Chapter of Vermont had again "wheeled into line," and had scinded the resolution of secession passed in 1860.

On the 29th of September, 1869, I attended, by special invitation, the celebration of the centennial of St. Andrew's Royal Arch Chapter of Boston. The occasion was one of great interest, and will not soon be forgotten by those who were privileged to take part in the cereIt will be remembered that this Chapter monies incident thereto. was one of those which originally formed and organized the Grand Body, which subsequently became the "General Grand Chapter of Royal Arch Masons of the United States of America."

On the 8th of November, 1869, I visited, by invitation the Grand

Chapter of Maryland. I was received with the greatest cordiality and kindness, and had the satisfaction of witnessing the truly fraternal spirit displayed by that Grand Chapter, in the unanimous recognition of the Grand Chapter of the District of Columbia, which had so recently formed a component part of the Grand Chapter of Maryland. As a natural sequence of the recognition mentioned above, Potomac Chapter No. 8, of Georgetown, D. C., which had, since the Triennial Convocation preceding, been apparently under the immediate jurisdiction of the General Grand Chapter, but actually forming a part of the Grand Chapter of Maryland, did, by my advice, apply to the Grand Chapter of the District of Columbia, to be received as a constituent member of that Grand Body. The application was favorably received and on the 27th of December following, I issued an order granting permission for said Chapter to place itself under the jurisdiction of the Grand Chapter of the District; and the Grand High Priest, M. E. Companion B. B. French, subsequently notified me officially, that said Potomac Chapter had been granted a warrant, and had been received and recognized as one of the Chapters, under that jurisdiction. And thus was happily settled a much vexed question, which had caused no little anxiety and trouble.

Very soon after the last Triennial Convocation, I granted Proxies authorizing the instituting, in due form, of Santa Fé Chapter, at Santa Fé, New Mexico; Virginia City Chapter, of Nevada, and Virginia City Chapter of Montana.

I have, from time to time, issued dispensations for the formation of the following Chapters:

On November 1st, 1869, to Daniel Bagley, as High Priest; Chas. F. Roberts, as King; Thomas M. Reed, as Scribe, and a constitutional number of Companions, to form and open a Chapter at Seattle, Washington Territory, under the name of Seattle Royal Arch Chapter No. 1.

On December 27th, 1869, to Geo. D. Foglesong, High Priest; Henry J. Rodgers, King; Jervis Joslin, Scribe, and the requisite number of Companions, to form and open a Chapter at Cheyenne, Wyoming Territory, under the name of Wyoming Royal Arch Chapter, No.

On February 14th, 1870, to George Coe, High Priest; Richard T. Miller, King; David H. Fogus, Scribe, and the requisite number of Companions, to form and open a Chapter at Silver City, Idaho Territory, under the name of Cyrus Royal Arch Chapter, No. 2.

On March 30th, 1870, to Augustus J. Thibodo, High Priest; Augustus Haas, King; Henry C. Riggs, Scribe, and other Companions, to form and open a Chapter at Boise City, Idaho Territory, under the name of Boise Royal Arch Chapter, No. 3.

On July 22, 1870, I issued a dispensation authorizing Honolulu Royal Arch Chapter, at Honolulu, S. I., to resume their labors under the warrant granted by this Body in 1859, and the labors of which had been suspended since 1861, but under the following conditions:

First. That said Chapter should immediately upon the receipt of said dispensation, make due return to the General Grand Secretary of the present membership of the said Chapter. Second. That on or before the third Tuesday of September, 1871, the said Chapter should return to the General Grand Secretary the said dispensation, and make due return of its labors since the date of its report in August, 1859. And, third. That said Chapter should petition the General Grand Chapter at this Triennial Convocation for a revival of the said warrant.

On July 27th, 1870, I granted a dispensation to a number of Companions at Shanghai, in the Empire of China, to form and open a Chapter under the name and title of Keystone Royal Arch Chapter No. 1, with the following as the first three officers, viz: William Cadwallader Blanchard, first High Priest; James Oliver Pendleton, first King, and Joseph Leonard Hammond, first Scribe. A majority of the seventeen Companions petitioning for said dispensation are citizens of the United States, resident at Shanghai, and are members of the Ancient Landmark Lodge of that city, which Lodge is under the jurisdiction of the Grand Lodge of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The petition was duly recommended by the two Chapters already established there; one under the English, and the other under the Scotch Constitutions. Subsequently, a vacancy having occurred in the office of King, by the resignation of Companion Pendleton, I appointed Companion J. L. Hammond to the office of King, and Companion T. W. Eckfeldt to the office of Scribe, in place of Companion Hammond promoted.

On January 10th, 1871, to Thomas P. Hawley, High Priest; Wm. Simpson King; Joseph Tyson, Scribe, and the required number of Companions, to form and open a Chapter, at Hamilton Nevada, under the name of White Pine Royal Arch Chapter No. 4.

February 13th, 1871, to Edward Smith Kearney, High Priest; James H. Blewett, King; Andrew B. Elmer, Scribe, and the Constitutional number of Companions, to form and open a Chapter at Walla Walla, Washington Territory, under the name of Walla Walla Royal Arch Chapter No. 2.

May 23d, 1871, to Samuel H. Bowman, High Priest; Charles H. Blake, King; Robert C. Carlton Scribe, and other Companions, to form and open a Chapter at Pueblo, Colorado Territory, under the name of Pueblo Royal Arch Chapter No. -.

These Chapters will, doubtless, apply at this session to be permanently organized under warrants. I cordially commend their petitions to your favorable consideration.

I have received applications for dispensations from Companions at Salt Lake, Utah Territory, and at Diamond City, Montana Territory, but not having been furnished with satisfactory evidence of the good standing of the applicants, I declined to issue dispensations.

I have been frequently applied to for my decision upon questions of Masonic Law and usage. I do not propose, however, to take up your time by rehearsing all these different interrogatories. Two only I deem of sufficient importance to be alluded to in this report. One of these refers to the mode of "Work" in a Chapter. And as it is made imperative upon this General Grand Chapter, by its constitution, "To see that the Ancient Work of the Order is preserved in the several degrees," I submit the question, and my decision thereon-together with the correspondence upon the subject-for your action.

The other was presented by a Grand Officer of one of the Grand Chapters which had claimed to have withdrawn from the jurisdiction of the General Crand Chapter, and was as follows: "Is the General Grand Chapter, to which we owe allegiance, in existence, and has it had a legal existence since 1859 ?" The question was prompted by the supposition that the Convocation of this Body held on the 7th of September, 1865, was a "Special Convocation," and that there was no authority to act upon the amendments then adopted, and under which new provisions all subsequent Convocations have been held. This supposition was strengthened by the fact, that our Grand Secretary, in the printed Proceedings, had erroneously styled the Convocation of the 7th of September, 1865, a "Special Convocation."

My decision was, that said Convocation of the 7th of September, 1865, was not a "Special Convocation;" but that it was the Triennial Convocation which would have been held at Memphis in 1862, had not the late war intervened to prevent, and which Convocation was, in accordance with Art. 1, § 1, of General Grand Constitution, postponed by the General Grand High Priest to a "subsequent time," and that therefore it was a "regular," Convocation, and that it was perfectly legitimate to act upon the proposed amendments to the Constitution. And further, that the present legal existence of the General Grand Chapter could be mainained upon general principles; for, 1st. The very fact of an organized existence, carries with it the right of continuance, and the power to do such acts as may be required to maintain such existence. 2d. That the change of time and place for the meeting of 1862 was under stress of circumstances, for which the General Grand Chapter was in no wise