An 1848 Buffalo NY 3-page Sons of Temperance Letter regarding the Buffalo "Adelphic Division" asking questions of the Grand Worshipful Provincial in Geneva.

Edmund Vedder in Buffalo is writing to John Graham in Geneva

Content:

"Buffalo, Sept. 20th 1848

"John S. Graham, Esq., G. W. P., S. of T., Worthy Brother

[I believe that "G. W. P." is "Grand Worshipful Provincial"]

"On the evening of August 25th 1848, Adelphic Division, No. 412 was instituted in this City.  From the fact that at the time of the institution of this Division, more than one half of the regular term, commencing on the first of July, and ending the first of October, had elapsed, several questions of doubt have arisen, and a Committee was last evening appointed to make inquiries of you in respect to the matter, of which I am one, and on whose behalf, and under whose instructions, I address you.

"We wish, first, to inquire whether Article 8, of the Constitution of Subordinate Divisions, has application to the first elected officers of a new division?  Many persons suppose that as that article speaks of a term, and half a term, and the residue of a term, and the consequences to officers of being elected before or after the expiration of half a term, it has no reference to any other cases than those in which there are whole terms, and in which there may be half terms, (which word half involves the idea of a whole to make a half out of) and in which there may be a residue of a term, (which word residue implies there was a greater quantity; else there could not be a residue) and that it does not apply to the case of the first officers of a new division, who serve all of the time that it is possible to serve before the commencement of a new term -- and that, therefore, the term first elected officers of the Adelphic Division, though on the commencement of the October term they will not have served for as many weeks as constituted a half of a regular term, yet to them it is all of the term that they have had, or could serve, and they have served it all & that to them it is the same as a whole term, and they are entitled to all the honors of a whole term, by reason thereof.  Others are of a contrary opinion - will you inform us which view is correct?

"We wish, next to inquire whether, if the W[orshipful]. P[rovincial]. who was elected at the institution of Adelphic Division, and of course has served as such only during the time above specified, takes the chair of P[ast] W[orshipful] M[aster] at the commencement of October term, he will be entitled to the honors and privileges of a P[ast] W[orshipful] M[aster] who becomes such regularly in an old Division, afer having served his regular term as a W[orshipful] A[rchitect] and his two terms prior to that in subordinate offices?

"We wish, thirdly, to inquire whether we may elect our first elected officers over again next term?  And if so, for how many successive terms we may to re-elect the same officers?

"We wish to inquire, lastly, of the time during which Adelphic Division has been instituted prior to the next term, is not to be regarded as a whole term, what is it to be considered?  And do the three terms mentioned in the first clause of SS1, of Article 9, of the Constitution of Subordinate Divisions, mean three full terms besides the time that Adelphic Division has been instituted before the October term, just about to commence?

"You will much oblige the members of Adelphic Division if you will give a specific answer to the several foregoing inquiries, at your earliest convenience.  As our election will take place on next Tuesday evening, an answer before that time would be very important.

"Yours in L[ove]. P[urity]. & F[idelity]., Edmund B. Vedder 

A quick Internet Search about Mr. Vedder:
When Edmund Burke Vedder was born on 23 August 1817, in Buffalo, Erie, New York, United States, his father, Albert A. Vedder, was 37 and his mother, Maria Rumney, was 30. He married Sarah Maria Whitcomb on 25 December 1842, in New York, United States. They were the parents of at least 1 daughter. He died on 9 July 1890, in Buffalo, Erie, New York, United States, at the age of 72, and was buried in Buffalo, Erie, New York, United States.


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