A propos de Charleston, en Caroline du Sud

Il y a plusieurs inexactitudes dans la note de Pierre Noël.
‘En 1777, la Grande Loge provinciale (“Modern”) se recréa en « Grand Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons of South Carolina»…’ ce qui est illustré par la lettre suivante (référence UGL, 28/E/9):

The Right Worshipful
The Grand Secretary of the Grand Lodge of England

Charleston Sth Carolina Jany 9 [,] 5788
Right Worshipful Grand Secretary
We do ourselves the Honor of inclosing you a Petition to the Grand Lodge of England, praying that they would be pleased to appoint and Commission our Worthy Brother John Deas Esquire, Grand Master of South Carolina and to request that you will have the same presented.
The several Lodges in this State acknowledging their Jurisdiction to the Grand Lodge of England having on the Festival of Saint John the Evangelist Unanimously nominated him in Grand Lodge to be their Grand Master, of which nomination Brother Deas from his great Zeal and Attachment to the Craft, and Esteem for the Brethren has approved of, and herewith signifies his Acceptance, which with this, will be presented to you by Brother Fraser an eminent Florist and Botanist, who is on his return to Great Britain with a Collection of new discovered Plants & has been at a great Expence and fatigue in collecting the same.
We beg leave to recommend him to your Notice, and as he purposes to make but a short stay in England, We shall therefore be glad to receive by him on his return here the Deputation now requested by Petition – the Expences attending which Brother Fraser will discharge.
During the late War, Masonry has been a little hurt in this State, particularly in their Finances, And in addition to which we are sorry to observe that within these Three years past there has been introduced into this and the Northern States a kind of Schism in the Craft, by a set of [f° 2] Masons who stile themselves “Free and Accepted Masons established in this State (according to the Old Constitution revived by Prince Edwin, at York, in the Year of our Lord 926 and of Masonry 4926)” or in other words Ancient Masons – they have disclaimed all authority to the Grand Lodges of Scotland from whence they acknowledge they derived, And have set up for themselves An independent Jurisdiction – in Consequence of which they formed themselves into a Grand Lodge, appointed a Grand Master – and proceeded so far as to give their Charter for constituting a Lodge of Ancients in the State of No: Carolina. One of there [sic] Lodges by name of the St Andrews Lodge N°: 40 dissented and protested against their Proceedings in the Election of a Grand Master – a Copy of their Protest we also inclose you.
Another Sect has started up who arrogantly stile themselves “Knights & Princes of Free Accepted perfect and Sublime Masons within the jurisdiction of the Grand Elect ineffable and sublime Lodge of perfection” between them both they are now endeavouring to sow the Seeds of Feuds and Animosities Amongst the brethren, who they call Moderns.
We have been informed that they have gone so far on the admission of a person into their Lodges, As to tender an Oath to promise & declare that he will never visit a Modern Lodge or suffer a Modern to visit their Lodge.
This being the situation we stand in makes us again request that the Deputation might be sent us as early as possible, As on the appointment of so Worthy and eminent a Brother to preside over us as Grand Master will we flatter ourselves be the means of restoring the Craft [f° 3] to its former Lustre and consequence.
We shall be glad to hear from you, also to have the sentiments of the Grand Lodge respecting those Sects lately started up – And to be informed how we shall govern ourselves towards them.
We shall be further obliged to you, for a List of the names of all the Lodges in Europe, Asia, Africa and America who acknowledge the Jurisdiction of the Grand Lodge of England.
Inclosed you’ll receive the names of the Lodges in this State who acknowledge the Jurisdiction of the Grand Lodge of England which you will be pleased to have Registered in the Grand Lodge.
You will please to insert at the top of the Petition the name, Titles, & of the Grand Master of England.
We are Sir and Brother
Your true and faithful Brethren
John Troup D: G: M:
B. Beekman S: GW
John Heath JGW
John Sandford Dart GT
Ja Ballantine GS
Ja Lynah G.S.B
Michael Kalteeson

The list of lodges mentioned toward the end of the above letter is also extant in London :
A List of the several Lodges Constituted in the State of South Carolina by the Provincial Grand Masters thereof by Deputation from the Grand Lodge of England from the Year 5736 ‘till the Year 5784.

N° Name When Constituted
1 Solomons Lodge, Charleston …………………………………5736
2 St George Lodge, Dorchester …………………………………5738
3 Prince George Lodge Winyaw …………………………………5743
4 Union Killwinning Lodge Charleston ……..3d May………………….5755
5 Masters Lodge, Charleston ……..22d March………………5756
6 Port Royal Lodge, Beaufort ……..15th Septr………………5756
7 Jacksonborough Lodge Ponpon ……..19th March……………..5765
8 Marine Lodge Charleston ………22d December…………5766
9 Tyrian Lodge Saxegotha Township
10 Military Lodge ………25th Feby………………5778
11 St Johns Lodge Charleston ………31st March…………….5784

NB.
The Minutes of the Grand Lodge from the Year 5766 when the Tyrian Lodge N°9 was Constituted being by accident lost, is the reason why the date of its Constitution was not, nor could be ascertained in the above List.

Elle prouve que la Caroline du Sud reconnaissait encore à cette date l’autorité de Londres.

D’autre part, la Grande Loge ‘Antient’ fut fondée en 1787 (et non en 1788) par cinq loges.

On trouvera les détails et références dans un article que j’ai publié dans le volume 15 de la revue Heredom (Suprême Conseil des Etats-Unis, Juridiction Sud) en 2007.