The first 3 items in this statement marked * show the application of the $1000 loan. $4148 63 Thus the above statement shows that the whole amount of claims against the official Magazine at this date without deductions is $4148 63. Now, to meet this amount, which must be met or this Grand Lodge be dishonored, what are the resources in the Covenant itself? From the Report of T. Wildey, General Agent, it appears that there was outstanding and due on the 21st September, 1842, the sum of From the Report of W. Curtis, present Agent, the sum of Making in all Let us allow for perfect security one half of the debts of 1842 and one third of the debts of 1843 be considered bad, and there results a fund to be relied on of Thus it appears that the debts exceed the means to be relied on by $4586 75 2456 00 $7042 75 $3930 59 229 60 If, as it seems to your Committee, that the charges of the Printer be reduced to a proper standard, there will be no deficit at all. His contract is for $204 per No. for 3000 copies-but he charges in his bill at the rate of $225, which makes an addition of $21 per number, making for the year the sum of $252. In justice to the Printer, your Committee must say, that this matter of extra charge was referred to a Special Committee at the last session, which committee has never reported. The question of the continuance or discontinuance of the Official Magazine, is one of grave importance to the Order and requiring serious deliberation. The arguments on either side are strong. For the continuance is the analogy of all bodies of a similar nature-the advantage of an authentic periodical to which all members of the Order may refer as decisive exposition of our principles, practice, and the decisions of our highest tribunal. It will tend to confirm uniformity, to repress sectional and party feelings, and will be very unlikely to provoke prejudice and ill-will by hasty and ill-tempered discussion. On the other side it is argued, that an enterprise of this kind conducted by a corporation can never compete with private spirit and the desire of private pecuniary gain. It is true that individual interest will ever be more keenly alive to the prosecution of its own advantage-that the services of an agent are never so fully rendered to a large body as when under the eye of a single proprietor. Had the Covenant been private property, your Committee are satisfied that it would have been valuable. To effect this end, your Committee would desire to see a system provided which would include the advantages both of the public authority and private activity. Your Committee are deliberately of opinion, upon serious and careful deliberation, that this can be done. They therefore propose that the Editor of the Official Magazine be appointed General Agent, with full power to collect the sums due in any manner that may seem good to him, with direct and immediate responsibility upon him for all moneys received by him and disbursements made-and that he shall be allowed 25 per cent. on all outstanding debts, and 20 per cent. on all new subscriptions, which shall include all expenses of sub-Agents. That he be directed to exercise accurate scrutiny over the expenses of publication, and see that they be strictly kept within the contract. And your Committee are of opinion, that even with its present list of subscribers (over 1,100) the work can be sustained, and as soon as the system proposed goes into operation, that it will be a source of revenue. They therefore submit the following resolutions. S. A. HURLBUT, Resolved, That it is for the interest of the Order, that the Official Magazine be sustained. Resolved, That the Editor of the Official Magazine be constituted General Agent of the same-that he shall make out and keep a full list of all subscribers, and accurate accounts of the expenses and receipts of the work-that he shall receive 25 per cent. on all outstanding debts collected by him, and 20 per cent. on all new subscriptions, which shall include all expense of collection-and shall be authorized to use his discretion in the mode of collection, being directly responsible to this Grand Lodge for the faithful application of such funds as come into his hands. And that the said Editor shall have control of the printing in conformity with the contract already entered into. The question being upon the passage of the resolution, the yeas and nays were required and appeared as follows. Yeas-Guild 2 votes, Brown, Wilson, Treadwell, McDonnell, Marley, Sanderson, Neilson, Segar, Campbell, Hurlbut, Seymour, Kezer, Marshall, Shaffner, Stewart, Coleman, Sherlock 2 votes, Wildey, Kennedy-22. Nays-Vn. Sickell, Harris, Stokes 2 votes, Skinner, Webb-6. The Great Procession on the 18th of September at Baltimore. To gratify the wish expressed by many subscribers to present together the whole ceremony and proceedings which took place in Baltimore on the interesting occasion, we defer until our next a description of the greatest procession of our Order which has ever taken place since its original organization. The November number will contain the programme of procession (abridged) designating the resident and visiting Lodges and Encampments, the Orations, Prayers, Odes, Anthems, Ceremony and Record of Dedication with its attestation and a detailed description of the events of the day. The perfectly original, beautiful, chaste, rich Oration of G. M. Chapin upon the Supremacy of Principle, and the masterly Dedicatory Address of Rep. Hurlbut are gems of rare value. We are requested by Rep. A. Heyer Brown of New York, to say that "upon unpacking his trunk after his return home from the session of the Grand Lodge of the United States, he found two suits of Encampment regalia," which by some mistake found their way therein, and believing them to be the property of some of the Representatives, it will afford him great pleasure to forward them to the rightful owners at any point which they may designate by addressing him at Albany, State of New York. TO THE AGENTS OF THE COVENANT. The undersigned having been appointed Agent of the R. W. Grand Lodge of the United States for the "Official Magazine," he respectfully and earnestly requests that all Sub-agents will promptly close with him. their accounts for the years 1842 and 1843 at an early moment-and he trusts that all delinquent subscribers will forthwith pay over the respective amounts due by them. After the close of the year a list will be published of all subscriptions which remain unpaid, and the work will be discontinued to such subscribers. JAS. L. RIDGELY. R. W. GRAND LODGE OF THE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA, Charleston, 12th September, 1843. Dear Sir and Brother:-At a regular annual communication, held on Wednesday last, the 6th inst., the following Officers were installed, for At the same time the following Preamble and Resolutions were unanimously adopted. "During the year just brought to a close, the interests of our Order have been advanced, in increase of its usefulness, the accession of citizens of high respectability, and the addition of Lodges in different parts of our State, now actively engaged in extending the principles of benevolence and charity. Nor has this period been to us alone, a season of prosperity, our sister State of Georgia, and the Territory of Florida have added numbers to the Order, and sustained its reputation. This success has been owing principally to the influence of the principles, which constitute our motto. Yet it has derived no small assistance, from the efforts of him whose term of office, as G. M. has just expired. Ten Lodges of different descriptions have been added to our Order, some of them promising to rival the most favored of our country. Most of these have been opened by P. G. M. Case in person. The rest owe their existence in a great measure to his efforts, and the large sum of $1000 has been paid by him to the R. W. Grand Lodge of the United States, the result of his efforts in the cause of the Order. Having thus discharged the duties imposed upon him by us, with such fidelity and benefit to the Order, it is meet that we should for the future encouragement of our officers, express our satisfaction and gratitude. Thefore "Resolved, That the thanks of the Grand Lodge be presented to P. G. M. Case, for the zeal he has displayed during his term of office, for the good of the Order, the energy and perseverance, with which he has discharged the duties of his office, and the dignity and impartiality he has exhibited as the presiding officer of this body. "Resolved, That a committee of three be appointed to procure a suitable medal, to be presented to P. G. M. Case, by the M. W. G. M. in the presence of this Grand Lodge as a token of our regard for his services. "Resolved, That a copy of these resolutions be presented to P. G. M. Case, and be forwarded to the Covenant for publication." Yours in F. L. and T. To Bro. RIDGely, JOHN A. GYLES, R. W. Grand Secretary. R. W. Grand Secretary of the Grand Lodge of the United States. OUR city, on Monday, (September 18th,) presented throughout a greater part of the day, a scene of animated and brilliant display, composed of the various lodges of the Independent Order of Odd-Fellows of the city, our State and portions of the States of Pennsylvania, Virginia and the District of Columbia, assembled on the occasion of the dedication and consecration of the magnificent Hall of the Order just completed on North Gay street. At an early hour they began to assemble under their respective Marshals, on the line of North Gay street, and by 10 o'clock the column was completed and commenced the march, in the order and according to the arrangement annexed. The procession, composed as it was of the members of an exclusive society, distinguished for the beneficent purposes of its organization, and directing its energies to the amelioration of every kind of human suffering within its defined sphere of action, was well calculated to elicit an eminent degree of moral respect; while the significant and peculiar character of its various emblems, its rich regalia and glittering insignia, its gay banners and the joyous strains of the music, of course attracted universal attention, and drew out our citizens, their wives and families to the streets, thronging the pavements upon the line of march with countless crowds of men, women and children arrayed in holliday clothes, and with their faces dressed with the gladness and the joy, the scene was so well adapted to inspire. We presume that the occasion, and those associated therewith, were regarded with the same sentiments, by all observers. The quiet and unpretending manner in which the Order of Odd-Fellows has pursued the even tenor of its labor of love, has been in every way calculated to beget, on the part of those who do not even participate in the benefits thereof, an eminent degree of respect and genuine esteem.-Combining within its extended and rapidly extending sphere, men of all political and religious sects and denominations, it is impossible |