Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1830-12-08


oaths contained single word that was
at all Incompatible with the duty Of Il
juror or citizen; and that the only cx-
prcssons in them liable even to miscon-
struction on account of their generality,
were those in which the mason promised
to obey all regular 81 gns and sumnonscs
sent or given to him; and those in which
he promised to be aiding and assisting
all poor and pcnnylcss brethren fellow
crafts, THEN widowso or orphans whcreso ev-
or dispersed round the globe. | was
then asked by mr.. Hazard to explain he
meaning and extent Of those expression 3
To which | replied very much as hav c
before stated, that as TO the summonsc 5
being sent or given, they had (if night
use the expression no out doors use or
application whatever, but had reference
and applied wholly to yielding obedience
TO the requirements of the Lodge, as Il
Lodge, and in the management of the
concerns of the Lodge. That never
knew Of signs or sunmonscs being band
cd about i'll the daily intercourse and
transactions of business concerns as be-
son. That during the seventeen years ]
had been mason | could not recollcct a
single instance Of giving or receiving a
masonic sign, or of having with masons,
any intercourse of the kind whatever
through that medium, except when in a
lodge, the usual place Of meeting; that it
was idle to talk of masons carrying on an
4 Al, |. 4 hot
it was all news to me ifit had ever been
80 carried on: And that as it respected
assisting n brother mason, the meaning
and extent of that obligation | explained
before, when | said that l was bound to
assist brother in distress whenever !
could do so consistently with all the 9TH
er obligations / might owe to society,
and in no other point of view whatever.
Now, ask Judge :hilds firstly, arheihcr
tie foregoing statement, Of The questions
put 10 me by Mr.. Hazard, and Of any an
swers thereto IS on is mol substantially COZ
rect? Secondly. ] ask Judge Childs,
nheiher Mc statement hare herein before
made ofhe questions pm 10 mc by NH.
Peerce, on n,y cross examination, as 'rit-
ness, and Of my ansrers thereto, IS or IS
not substantially correct? Thirdly. | ask
Judge Chids, mheiher the statement Ihare
herein before made Of whM 1 addressed 10
The Court by may of explanation, 'rhilst
upon the stand as q aritncss, IS on IS not
substantially correct! And to enable
Judge Childs to deliberate maturcly be-
fore he answers, | shall immc diatcly
furnish him with copy of these qucs-
tions, and of the preceding statements.
In the mean time, knowing very well
what answer Judge Childs must of ne
ccssity give to those questions, let me
again remark, that the testimony con-
taincd in my answers to the questions of
mr.. Pearce, and those put to me by mr..
Hazard, as above stated, was the most
material if not the only material part of
the testimony gave in the case: yet
the mhoic Of Mni testimony IS omitted in
the pretended report published in the
Rhode Island American of the 10th,
which report, (according to Judge
Childs,) "prcscnts nearly correct out
line of the case, and that no material
fact or argument is omiucd;" and con-
tains also, "he testimony oiMe ~ilnesses
nearly mord for arord." l feel veH
confident that Judge Childs will
think it worth his while as an act Of
| Justice to me, or from n consideration of
what is due to his own character, either
| to correct hiSiormer certificate or recon-
cilc these things. | have never before
been compelled to trouble the public a
bout my own private concerns; but on
the contrary have endcavorcd in all
! the various vicissitudcs through which
] have passed, (and some of them have
been painful indeed, to suffer patiently
and by mysclfin the bosom olnly family,
whatever has fallen to my lot to suffer.
| am a mason it is true, but have on no
occasion obtruded my masonic opinions
upon others, nor have others ever been
sensible of their influence upon my con-
duct in any other way than what has
been promotivc of their own interests,
and gratifying to all their best and rea-
sonablc wishes. After an intercourse OF
many years with masons, and as mason,
can with my hand upon my heart,
solemnly and rcvcrcntly declare in the
presence of God, that if there is any
thing in the objects and tendency of ma
sonry that is in any degree subvcrsive OF
the happiness and best interest Of the
world, or that does in any manner affect
the welfare ofthc community injuriously,
have yet to learn it. ltisnot my province
or wisht to institute comparisons, still may
be permitted to invite some individuals t.
look at the great body of masons in this
and in other countries, now and in all