The Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1809-1841, 1830-12-23

supdue those icelngs.-l ola tncn say u
The Court. that olher men might trifie will
their obligations "a much ashley pleased
but for myself | could say, that the obi
cations had entered into as a mason, il
themselves considered, were recognized
by me 10 be binding upon my conscience
aud as much so in their character aud Oh
jsci, rs any had taken here, or elsewhere
that for the wilful aud waDton violation o.
them believed ] should have TO answer
hereafter as severely as ] should for the
violation ofany other obligations had vo..
unisr,ly entered into; that ! never would
willingly. knowingly, and teunioniy. vio.
late those obligations: would subject my.
self patiently tn any. and every kind OF
punishment, yes, would perish utterly and
forever, rather than 10 wanionly violate
any obligation that my conscience charg
ed me 10 respect, nnd.hold sacred; cannei
therefore, unless here, and before J
could finish the sentence, mr.. Hazard, who
was near to me, seemed 10 anticipate my
conclusion, or it may be flor ] have mo-,
conversed with him on that subject since. J
fearing thot my feelings might appear 10
carry me wide of the duty required OF me
by law, observed, "you say you arc willing
10 do whatever the law requires Of you.
that's oil you ought to do,"-towhich | read.
ily g. unhesi'ntinglv replied. eeriainly--ccr
tainiy Sir ,ichaitprr The Court 8; The lac ofihe
land requires me 10 do, Mai aiicays hare
been (. hope Iai'oays shall beptrfscily ready
and ,rii!ing 10 comply ,c,h. One Of the
Court. think Judge Freedom, then OBJ
served, mr.. Cransion you will listen bttcn
lively to mr.. Pearce ns he reads the oath.
take your own time to answer, and point
out the difference ns you may be able To-,
between that oath. and tho one yon have
taken. Mr.. Penrcc continued 10 read
slowly, along perhaps eight or ten lines,
and then asked. what do you say tn that
sir? Witness: Part Of 4, is new 10 me en-.
tirely Mr.. Pearce: what part? being told.
he continued reading. e. ] occasionally 10
say IN answer, that such and such pgfts
pointing them out al the tines were new
10 me: particularly TINT part Of the oath he
read which spoke Of signs being thrown,
and ofkceping a brothers. secrets. murder
and treason mol excepted, as he read Mr.
Pearcc asked, wha, is the meaning Of your
obcying signs and snmmonses IL within
the length Of your cable tow? Witness
Tho language or terms arc fguraiive;
in my own view. IL is no matter what dis.
tnnee a mason might be from me-if he was
even on the opposite side Of The globe, and
was needy. aud made me acquainted with
his sitnniion. I should then be within the
length OF his cable tow ne ] understand
The matter Us mason (bnt my other ma
son is left at libcry to understand il differ
emily if he pleased g. should feel myself
bound 10 assist him if ! could consistently
with The claims others might have upon
me who were nearer home -one so should
conduct towards nny other person IN dis
tress, whether he was mason or not,
this is The extent Of all my masonic obliga
tions. Mr. Pearcc: ifa brother mason ha d
been guilty Of murder or my other capital
crime and communicated The fact 80 you.
would you tell of il if you were sworn as n
witness upon his trial? yes Sr.-I would,
90 iurther-for would not be The keeper
Of any such secret for any person whether
mason or not mason. ] would not receive
such sccret--And If no other person com
planned against b,m, would, and would
also assist in having the offender brought
10 punishment-I should br bound IN do
so as a good mason. Mr.. Pcnrce: II you
had taken an oath az mason not TO do
that which tho law required you 10 DO as
eiintss or otherwise, which oath would
you consider most binding, your masonic
oath or the other? Witness: Uhy no
man OF common sense. or hnring any pre-
tensions 10 honesty. rouid erer take, himself
or ndministe, 10 another. any such fool,
oath ntptr heard Of any sutb hing be-
fore in lodge, or any mh,re else. MIR.
Pearcc:-Well, bnt which Of those oa,hs
would you consider binding? Witness:
The cirH oath 10 be sure. Although in this
statement il was difficult TO avoid using
some part Of my testimony that ] consider
Of no material consequence in this com
munication, yet the greater part here fur
nished is highly material 10 the poiGt at is.
sue, and from which you viii certainly be
induced OF least To doubt whether "ALI
that was said by me as a WITNESS" and
which had q right and was bound TO con.
slider "mnferiGI' Ia me in this case, was
furnished you in the report which is said
TO have contained every thing material
and "nearly word for word" that was said
oy Counsel and the Witnesses also. have
not run nor rode about town, or in the
country, to obtain certificates Us TO the cor.
rec;ncss Of what I have stated 10 you in
relation TO this case. nor shall do so. sl.
though ] could very readily and without
leaving my Office obtain such certificates,
and from nnimpcacbsblc sources too. You
are, no deib,, fully sensible what prof,
less affair il would be TO tho public 10 con.
,lnuc this dispute in any way, much less.
in that in which Mr.. Turner has seen fl
TO commence IL, on his part.
II should be sssmenbercd that he was
no, generally known 10 be "ruE REPoR-
rrn." nor was IL Unnecessary 70 his rcpn-
istion ne Reporter" or IN amy other ca
pacily," that the authorship should have
been announced, by him. to the public. II
Vas only necessary for him to have disa
vowed, promptly nod With The csndor be
eofniuy a gentleman (whnsc mott, es and