Mark Coleman Wallace PhD Thesis - University of St Andrews

Appendix 5:
Grand Lodge of Scotland Minutes Regarding
Charter-Granting Privileges
The following minutes are extracted from the Grand Lodge of Scotland records
from November 1799 to March 1803. They reveal not only the sense of urgency
present among the Grand Officers during the conflict over charter-granting
privileges, but also the extent to which the Scottish Grand Lodge relied on the
English Grand Officers to assist them in the matter.
25 November 1799
Right Wosrhipful Brother Inglis Master of St Luke’s Lodge Stated that he had
considerable doubts whether under the Act passed in the present Session of
Parliament entitled “An Act for the more effective suppression of Societies
Established for Seditious and Treasonable purposes,” the Grand Lodge had
powers to Grant New Charters. He Therefore Moved that a case be made out
and laid before The Lord Advocate of Scotland for his opinion and advice upon
the Subject. And should His Lordship be of Opinion that the Grand Lodge
under the above Act had not Powers to Grant such Charters he moved that the
Grand Lodge should Solicit his Lordships assistance in an application to
Parliament (should this appear necessary) for remedying this defect as well as
for vesting certain Powers in the Grand Lodge which would naturally benefit
their poor.
3 February 1800
It was then stated that the committee appointed by the Meeting of 25 th
November last in compliance with the order of that meeting had directed the
Grand Clerk to draw up a Memorial and case which they had laid before the
Lord Advocate of Scotland for his opinion respecting the Question whether the
Grand Lodge had powers under the late Act of Parliament to Grant Charters of
Constitution and Erection and that the Lord Advocate had given a clear opinion
that the Grand Lodge had no powers under that Act to Grant New Charters and
that it would be necessary to apply to parliament for such alterations of the Law
as might appear necessary. And after reading the memorial and case with the
opinion of the Lord Advocate there on it was stated by the Right Worshipful
Bro. Inglis Master of St Luke that he as one of the committee appointed for that
purpose had waited on the Lord Advocate at the Consultation, that tho his
Lordship had not so Expressed in his opinion yet his Lordship had appeared to
him and the other Brethren of the Committee that should the Grand Lodge deem
an application to Parliament necessary he would most cordially give them every
assistance in his power towards obtaining such alterations as might tend to the
advantage of the Grand Lodge and the Good of the country.
Brother Inglis therefore moved that full and ample powers should be
given to the same Committee to take such steps as they think proper by