one could hardly resist the solemn impression that his spirit hovered over, hushed and awed the vast throng into a mournful silence, to sobs, grief and tears. In the meridian of life he has gone; of his public career I will not speak, for I should only repeat what you all know; his manners, talents and endowments it is unnecessary to describe, for who, in all Illinois, has not seen the people's tribune, Stephen A. Douglas.

FRANCE.

PRINCE MURAT having fixed the 14th of October for the election of Grand Master of the Masonic Order of France, the following letter was written by the private secretary of Prince Napoleon, M. Fauvety, venerable of a Lodge, to be communicated to the members of the Grand Orient of France :

Sir-You have done me the honor to ask what are the intentions of H. I. H. Prince Napoleon with regard to the election of Grand Master of the French Freemasons, about to take place. I hasten to inform you that the prince, having thought proper to give in his resignation after the election of last May, has authorized me to declare to the deputies of the Lodges of French Freemasons that he wishes them to give their votes to some other candidate. I am happy to add, in the prince's name, that while ceasing to be the representative of the Order, his Imperial Highness nevertheless considers it a duty incumbent on him to give his utmost aid to an institution from which he has recently received so signal a proof of confidence and sympathy.

Paris, Oct. 6.

Accept, &c.,

EM. HUBAINE.

Obituary.

[From the address of G. Master of Illinois.

BROTHER WILLIAM C. HOBBS.

THE composite column in our Grand Lodge has fallen! His early years were employed in teaching. From 1847, until his death, he resided in Bloomington, and was initiated in Bloomington Lodge, No. 43, May 26, 1847, passed June 23, and raised July 10. He attended the session of the Grand Lodge the same year, and was appointed Senior Grand Deacon; the following year he served as Senior Deacon of his Lodge, represented it in the Grand Lodge, and was elected Junior Grand Warden. He discharged his duties with great fidelity and remarkable ability, and retained an ascendency and influence in the Councils of this Grand Lodge seldom vouchsafed to any retiring officer.

He served as the first High Priest of Bloomington Chapter, No. 26, and was the first Generalissimo in Elwood Commandery in Springfield. He was a polished gentleman and a polished writer, scrupulously neat; with his intimates, cheerful, affable and agreeable; in general society, reserved, but polite. No man could be more beloved by those who knew his whole heart, for his hand and heart were ever open to the cry of the needy, the wail of the orphan, the petition of the poor or the oppressed. In spite of repeated losses, he always found something for the way-worn preacher, the indigent Mason, and the indigent Mason's child. While no widow, no child remain to heap flowers upon his tomb, there are several edu cated young men and women, now engaged in useful pursuits, who owe all their prosperity to his bounty. The Masonic rites at the funeral of our deceased Brother, in February last, were impressively performed by his early pupil, Past Grand Master Pickett. It is understood that he died poor. Such being the case, I trust this Grand Lodge will show its gratitude for his eminent services, by assisting his Lodge and Chapter in erecting a suitable monument to his memory.

MASONIC CHIT CHAT.

Vagrant Lecturers.- We are pleased to no. tice that the new Grand Master of Illinois, M. W. F. M. BLAIR, of Paris, is following the course of his predecessor in the adoption of energetic measures for the suppression of vagrant lecturers within his jurisdiction, the greatest evil our Grand Lodges have just now to contend against. He has just issued an important circular to the Lodges, embodying a complete organization of his jurisdiction, by the appointment of one Lecturer for the State at large, with thirteen district lecturers, as assistants; and requires the Lodges to

MASONIC FUNERALS.-The Grand Master of Rhode Island has issued an official edict, requiring that "on the burial of a Mason, by any body of Royal Arch Masons, or Knights Templar, in this jurisdiction, it shall be the duty of the Master, or other proper officer of the Lodge of which the deceased was a member, or within whose jurisdiction the funeral is held, to open a Lodge of Master Masons, and perform in the same, that portion of the Master Mason's burial service, appointed for the Lodge." The Grand Master evidently feels the incongruity of interring a Brother by rites not known to ancient Masonry and call." reject all lecturers and teachers" except ing the ceremony a Masonic burial. Masonry recognizes but one Masonic service, and the Lodge only as the proper body to perform it.

DIFFERENCES AMONG BRETHREN.-The M. W. Grand Master of Rhode Island, in an of

ficial circular to the Lodges under his jurisdiction, ordains that-"All Masons and Lodges of Masons are hereby forbidden to appeal to the public or to individuals not Masons, either orally or through the public press, or in any other manner, on any question or matter affecting the Masonic character, standing, or good name of any Brother, or body of Brethren, or the Constitution or polity of the Fraternity. And we do hereby require and strictly enjoin each and every Mason, or body of Masons, within our jurisdiction, that they bring their grievances, if any they have, be. fore the constituted Masonic authority having power to hear and determine the samepatiently to await their action and meekly

abide the decision made."

Godey's Lady's Book for November is one of the richest and most beautiful numbers of the series. The " Fashion Plate" is particularly fine as a work of art, as is also the frontispiece, "The New Boy," a fine steel engraving of eighteen figures. The other embellishments, which are numerous, are of a correspondingly high character and the literary contents are in keeping with them. On the whole we think it one of the

best numbers of the year. Published by L. A. Godey, 323 Chestnut street, Philadelphia.

those thus appointed. He also reminds the Lodges that "the Trestle-Board was many years since adopted as the working Manual in the State," and expresses the "hope that every Lodge will have a copy on its stand."

Ohio. A correspondent writes from Co. lumbus, Oct. 21-" Our Grand Lodge closed its session on Thursday, 17th inst., after a harmonious session of three days. Rules were adopted for the government of Military Lodges. The following officers were elected: Geo. Rex, G. M.; Howard Matthews, D. G. M.; Thos. Sparrow, G. S. W.; Lucius C. Jones, G. J. W.; John D. Caldwell, Sec.

IGA subscriber in Ohio writes us as fol. lows-"Your Magazine is the best Masonic

periodical in the country, and I will endeavor to get more subscribers for it in this city." If one half our present subscribers would do the same thing, our subscription list would soon assume its proper dimensions.

The proposed Masonic Convention at Louisville, Ky., to consider the affairs of the country, is, so far as we can learn, generally disapproved by the leading Masons, (and Masonic bodies so far as they have acted,) of the country.

ILLINOIS-The following are the Officers of the Grand Commandery of Illinois :

H. A. Johnson, Chicago, G. Commander; F. K. Hulbard, Morris, D. G. C.; Wm. H. Turner, Chicago, G. G.; D. W. C. Martin, Alton, G. C. G.; P. A. Armstrong, Morris, G. S. W.; H. W. Hubbard, Joliet, G. J. W.; John C. Rybolt, Pekin, G. P.; R. H. Foss, Chicago, G. T.; H. C. Ranney, Chicago, G. R.; Jas. H Hibbard, Alton, G. St. B; J. R Gorin, Decatur, G S. B.; J. W. Spalding, Galesburg, G. W.; L. K. Osborn, Chicago, G. C. G.

FREEMASONRY in France at the present moment is in a very remarkable and perplexing condition, arising, not from any fault of its own, but from the inexplicable and unwarrantable interference of the civil authorities. In 1852 the Brethren, at the request, if not by the order of the Emperor, elected for their Grand Master the Prince LUCIEN MURAT, who immediately entered upon the duties of his office, giving to them his personal attention, and discharging them, if not always to the entire satisfaction of the Brethren, with an apparent zeal and honesty of purpose. As disinterested observers, we are inclined to the opinion, that on the whole, his administration for the period during which he presided over the Grand Lodge, was productive of favorable results to the Order in France, and the recent failure to re-elect him was an unfortunate occurrence. The Brethren in Grand Lodge, however, taking a different view of the matter, at the annual meeting in May last nominated the Prince NAPOLEON as an opposition candidate and elected him to the office of Grand Master. This gave rise to an angry dispute between the rival candidates, which, but for the supposed interference of the Emperor, might have terminated fatally to one or the other. The result, however, was that the successful candidate resigned, or rather, we think, that the election was set aside, on the grounds of informality in the proceedings, and the meeting of the Grand Lodge was adjourned to the 14th of October ensuing, when it was supposed the Prince Napoleon would be again elected without much opposition, the Prince Murat having declined to be considered a candidate. On the 6th of October, however, (only eight days before the meeting,) the former, through his private Secretary, Mons. Hubaine, notified the Lodges

that he should not be a candidate, and desired the deputies to give their votes to some other Brother. This, under any circumstances, would have been a disappointment to the Lodges, who had looked forward to the placing of the Prince at their head, as a matter of importance to their future prosperity, if not as a guaranty against official interference; but it was particularly embarrassing to them that the late date at which the Prince had signified his intentions, rendered it impossible that the information could be communicated to the four hundred and seventy Lodges within the jurisdiction, in season to enable them to decide on a suitable Brother to fill the vacant chair. They were not left long, however, in this dilemma, for on the 12th October, two days before the meeting, the Prefect of Police, doubtless by command of the Emperor, issued the following order:

:

"Nantes, 12th Oct., 1861.

"Sir-I have the honor to call your attention to the following order received from the Prefect of Police, Director of Public Safety :

"In view of information received at this office and in the interests of the public peace

"All Freemasons are forbidden to meet for the purpose of electing a Grand Master before the month of May, 1862.

"For the Counsellor of State,

"BARON DE GIRARDOT,

"Secretary Gen'l.'"

The effect of this edict is to leave the Grand Lodge virtually without a head, though the Prince Murat is still legally the Grand Master; but it is not probable that he will have anything further to do in the matter, unless otherwise commanded by the Emperor, who seems to have taken the entire control of the Order into his own hands; nor is it probable that any meeting of the body will take place before October. The Lodges will in the meantime continue their meetings as usual, unless the Prefect of Police, or his Master, shall think proper to remove all opportunity for discussing the peculiarities of the condition in which they are placed, by issuing another edict closing them up altogether. Such an order would be entirely consistent with the suspending the Grand Lodge, and is not at all improbable.

On receiving the edict of the 12th October, given above, the delegates from the Provinces, who had already arrived in Paris, to attend the expected session of the Grand Lodge, addressed the following Protest to the Secretary of the Interior :

"Monsieur le Ministre-A majority of the representatives of Provincial Lodges, obeying an invitation which they had every reason to suppose correct, since it emanated from their Masonic government, have only heard since their arrival in Paris of the interdict forbidding Masons from assembling for the purpose of electing a Grand Master. They regret that the notice has reached the Lodges so tardily

and after the departure of their representatives, but they would not think of complaining, had they merely lost their time and money and had any other reason been assigned than the interests of the public peace.

"Permit, then, the Masons come to Paris to represent their Brethren in so serious a matter as the election of a Grand Master, to protest against an allegation tending to foster the belief that a Masonic assemblage can by any possibility interfere with the public peace.

"We deem it a duty, sir, to protest to you, in our own name and in the name of our absent Brethren, against all reports tending to represent French Masonry as capable of being associated with disorder. Respect for law and order is the essential characteristic of our institution, and he must cease to be a Mason who could for a moment forget it. We have the honor, etc."

A correspondent of the New York Albion, writing from Paris, notices the offensive edict in the following terms :

"The French Freemasons are now in a very extraordinary fix. In the Spring they turned out Murat and elected Prince Napoleon for their Grand Master. Murat declared the election of the rival void, and the Emperor coming to his aid, made Prince Napoleon resign, and adjourned the election till the autumn. The other day, as you were informed, Murat summoned a Grand Lodge for October 14, to proceed to the election, and Prince Napoleon's secretary, in a published letter, stated that his Imperial Highness, for the reasons which led to his former resignation, did not wish to be again chosen. But it being fully ascertained that the Freemasons will not have the pretender to the throne of Naples (Murat) at any price, the Emperor, at the last moment, comes forward again to give him another respite. Only yesterday (two days before the day fixed for the nomination) the telegraph was set to work to order the prefects of all the departments to warn Freemasons not to come to Paris. The Craft is prohibited from meeting to elect a Grand Mas ter until May, 1862, and the reason alleged for the prohibition is that the election would endanger public tranquility.' This is a most miserable pretext. A more peaceable body of men than the Masters of the different Lodges of France, cannot be conceived, and the idea of their meeting, with their aprons and trowels, in the Grand Lodge of the Rue Cadet, being a danger to the public peace, is perfectly ridiculous."

The opinion of the writer of the above would seem to be that the Emperor wishes to retain the Prince Murat as Grand Master of the Masons in the empire, and in order to afford time for the opposition to exhaust itself he has postponed the election for a year. Against this theory we have the positive declination of the Prince himself, though this would not probably be of much account against the wishes of the Emperor. It is, indeed, difficult to conceive the motive or the reasons for the interference of the civil authorities in the election. Had the edict closed up all the Lodges, and thus suppressed their meetings as "secret societies," the apology for it might have been that it was demanded by "reasons of State." But no such excuse can be offered as the matter now stands. If danger is to be apprehended at all, it is from the four hundred and seven Lodges scattered over the Provinces, and not from the election of a