E. H. ADDINGTON

14 OUTLINE OF THE RISE AND PROGRESS
The Tableau® of the original lodges are now very rare, but a sufficient
numoer of them have been preserved to show that the membership of the
lodges, at that date, was composed of the most intelligent and respectable
citizens of New Orleans, including the founders of almost all the old Creole
families in the State.*
CHAPTER II.
FORMATION OF THE GRAND LODGE.
By the act of Congress passed April 8, 1812, to take effect on and after
the 30th Of the same month, Louisiana was admitted into the Union as a
sovereign State. The Territorial form of government had always been
distasteful to the French population: they claimed thai;, by the terms of
the treaty of cession, Louisiana should have been admitted as a State and
not as a Territory, and their dissatisfaction had been increased by Gov.
Claiborne, shortly after his arrival, writing to the President that the Louisianians
were not capable of self-government—a statement which had been
repeated on the floor of Congress. The assembling of the Convention to
adopt a State Constitution (Nov. 4, 1811) was therefore hailed with joy
by) the French population, which was but feebly responded to by the larger
portion of the American residents.
This change in the political status of Louisiana had a corresponding
influence upon Masonry, and measures were concerted for the formation of
a Grand Lodge. Perfect Union Lodge No. 29 had the honor to initiate the
movement, and in response to a circular issued by its W. Master, P. F.
Dubourg, each of the lodges sent three delegates to a meeting held at its
hall, situated in the Suburb St. Mary, corner of Camp and Gravier streets,
on the 18th of April, 1812. The lodges represented and the names of the
delegates are as follows :
PERFECT UNION NO. 29—P. F. Dubourg, P. Pedesclaux, Thos. Urquhart.
CHARITY NO. 93—Dom. Rouquette, J. B. D6jan, Cyprien Gros,
LOUISIANA NO. 1—J. B. Farrell, J. Watkins, James Martin.
CONCORD NO. 117—J. B. B. Baque\ H. Mathieu, G. Hubert.
PERSEVERANCE NO. 118—J. B. Pinta, N. Visinier pe>e, J. B. G. VSron.
HARMONY NO. 122—Maunsel White, James Hopkins, David Wright.
POLAB STAR NO. 129—J. Pinard, Ch. Roche, J. B. Modeste Lefebvre.
After presenting their credentials, the delegates organized themselves into
a "General Masonic Committee of the State of Louisiana to provide for
the establishment of a Grand Lodge in the city of New Orleans;" P. F.
Dubourg was nominated President, and J. B. G. Veron and David Wright,
secretaries.
•Anterior to the formation of the Grand Lodge, and from that time down to the adoption
of the constitution of 1850, each lodge published an annual Tableaux, sending a
copy to the Grand Lodge and also to the other lodges in the Jurisdiction. These Tableaux
gave the name and number of the lodge, the date of its charter and by whom granted, and
contained the names of the officers and members, with tile age, place of birth, Masonic
grades chronologically arranged, and occupation of each. This practice has become
obsolete, and it is to be regretted that these Tableaux were not more carefully preserved
as they contain much valuable information.*