And we do hereby declare that the proceedings of said Grand Lodge in the State of Texas by which brother N. W. Cuney is the Grand Master of to commence from Jan. 19th, 1875, and we do hereby authorize and empower our said Worshipful Brother N. W. Cuney of Galveston, Texas, and his associates in office to install their successors first being duly elected and chosen to whom they shall deliver this warrant and invest them with all the powers and dignities to their offices respectfully belonging and such successors shall like manner from time to time install their successors, such installation to be upon or near the St. John the Evangelist or St. John the Baptist's day during the continuance of this Grand Lodge. Given by the authority of the Most Worshipful National Grand Lodge of North America under the signature of the Most Worshipful National Grand Master of the Most Worshipful National Grand Lodge of North America this 19th day of Jan. 1875. Richard Howell Cleaves, M. W. N. G. M. Seventeenth Question--Did you ever have any correspondence with Wm. D. Mathews, Grand Master of the Compact Grand Lodge of the State of Kansas relative to the organization of the so-called Grand Lodge of the State of Texas that was organized Jan. 19th, 1875? Seventeenth Answer--Yes, I had some correspondence with Wm. D. Mathews, Grand Master of the King Solomon Grand Lodge of the State of Kansas relative to the subordinate Lodges that took part in the organization of the Grand Lodge of Texas, Jan. 19th, 1875. That was the time that the Grand Lodge of Texas was organized when N. W. Cuney of Galveston, Texas, was elected Grand Master. Leavenworth, Kan., Nov. 21, 1903. Mr. John G. Jones, 33, Grand Secretary of the M. W. St. Johns Grand Lodge of Illinois, Dear Sir and Bro--Your letter reached me last week at my home in Leavenworth, Kan., and in giving you the information that you desire the Lodge at Austin, Texas, was the first Lodge of Colored Masons organized among the Colored men in the State of Texas, it was on April 10th, 1873, it was chartered by the Most Worshipful King Solomon Grand Lodge of Kansas of which I have the honor of being its Grand Master. That was the only Lodge that was in good Masonic standing in our Grand Lodge when the Grand Lodge of the State of Texas was organized. The Lodge at San Antonio, Galveston, and Houston Texas was also chartered by our Grand Lodge of Kansas, but none of these last named three Lodges was in good and regular standing in our Grand Lodge. So you will notice that the Grand Lodge of Texas only had one warranted Lodge when it was established. Yours Fraternally, WM. D. MATHEWS, Grand Master. REPORT ON THE ORIGIN AND THE IRREGULARITY OF FREEMASONRY AMONG COLORED MEN IN THE STATE OF TEXAS AT THE NATIONAL MASONIC CONVENTION HELD IN CHICAGO, SEPT., 4th, 1877.