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recurrence Of olmilar enormities. It would, moreover, be but a just PrOpitiation tO the wounded feelings of thOse-and there are doubtless many such-whO honestly believe that freemasOnry authorizes crime.

 lam, very respectfully. your ob't serv,t, To Messrs. Fl. B. Petter aud Otkers.

 TGesdoy. Sept. 2s. 1881. Gentlemen, Returning home to-day, Gen. eral Porter has submitted to me your letter of the 10th instant, and his reply. I take Occa- sion to say that fully concur in the advice and opinion therein given by him.

 My humble belief that free masonry is at this time quite useless, was fully expressed in an address in behalf of the Monroe Lodges some two years ago. Subsequent rehcc- ton has convinced me that the institution neither can or ought to be maintained any longer, because the possibility of it's doing good is more than counterbalanced by the evil tendencies to which under the circumstances of the times it is inevitably liable.

 Very respectfully your ob't serv't.

 w. B. ROCHESTER. To H. B. Potter and others.

 Bufalo, Sept. IS, 1881. Gentlemen-After some hesitation as to the propriety of our making any reply to that

  plates a disclosure of what we know of MT. Clay's opinions on the subject in question. we have concluded. that as in the conversations we have had with him he never imposed any restraint upon us, we should be doing no vio- oIence, 10 declare our knowledge of those O- pinions; accordingly. we state. that so far as any interchange of opinions has occurred betw cen us. his correspond with. and have, in fact, corroborated those entertained by us. Whenever his sentiments on the suhjec have been expressed they have usually been drawn from hun by the introductory or the general topic of masonry, but uniformly expressed with that frankness which he is accustomed to display an all occasions. That he has nei- ther made nor authorized any public annun- citation of those opinions. is not surprising to those rho are familiar with the characteristic d-licacy of his feelings which would forbid his doing any act that might be construed into an effort on his part, to advance his well earned popularity by indirect means.

 Very respectfully. Sc.

 P. PORTER.

 W.B. ROCHESTER,. To H. B. Potter and others.