Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1832-01-26

The grounds Of his objections were that II
contained statements, rejecting upon the
committee, and upon individual members
of the committee, which were false, aud
must, or, at least, ought to have been
known by the gentleman making the
, same, to have been false. He could not
consent to publishing any thing 80 vile
aud slanderous. 1t contains n rclteraiion
| Of the charges against masous and ma
sonry which have been retaied about by
the yilest vehicles of ant-masonry.
lie went INTO n consideration of the
origin of the appointment of the commit
tee and stated it to have originated from
the presentation of ii memorial from the
committee of an anti masonic cOnyentIO,n
holden IN December, 1899, composed Of
Benjamin +. iIalctt. William Sprague,
and John Brown, (of East Greenwich J
/ This report is IL rc-iterallon of the charges
Of that memorial and from Which ii great
part of it is copied and III winch some
! of our best and most virtu"ns citizens,
men who are cndearcd to socie'y by every
moral and religious virtue, and represent
! ed as being guilty of every species of
/ crime and taking engagements contrary
to every principle eofmorallty and religion,
! and every social feeling Of liie. 1t WAS
due to such men, and the public at large
that we should not give countenance and
circulation To such foul culumnies. IL
was due to the honor and dignity Of the
: House that they tukc no step to circulate
}, charges SO false, winch are conClu>Nely
proved by the testimony taken, Ia he vile,
, false and slanderous.
lie said these charges were published
and circulated by designing men, men
without either property or character.
+, Here Mr.. Hazard interrupted Mr.. SIM
Z mons and said let them lave all winter
, for they will surely die in the spring.
= Mr. Simmons resumed, and SAID he " as
a sorry that the gentleman, Mr.. SpraSue,
!, had consented TO play the part OF al
/ automaton to any other persons nnd es
{ pccially to such as he had described. li'
d always had Il high respect for the gentle
Z man, had been on the most friendly terms
: aud he was extremely sorry 10 bc Obliged
III discharge of his duty to the house t,
, make the statements hich he felt com
t PEELED To. do.
y Mir. Simmons here went into Il state
c ment Of the course pursued by the Com
t nittee in taking the dcposllIons of sh'
witnesses. He stated that the Commit
t tee consisted of six members, that five on
c ly acted, Mr.. Potter having been nnwci
;. had never met with them. That the hrs
: day they met, they took 10 tes'imon!
!. but agreed upon the course 1" be pursuc'
+ in taking dcpOSitions. 1t was then eN
y prcssy agreed that the masuns shoui'
5 answer all questions that related to thel
: oaths or obligations and winch went t
i show their understanding or explanation
Z of them. But with regard To their par
y tcular signs and ceremonies they "oul'
: not require them 10 answer Mr.
Sprague was present, and AS the Commit
c tee then supposed and believed agrees
= with the rest.
The committee proceeded the next da.
5 and every thing went on harmonlonsl
until the next week, when the committc
. first learned that MIR. Sprague did moi n
It gree with the committee IN not allowIn!
- masonic witnesses To be questioned II
II relation to their signs, tokens or cerc
l. monies, any further than was necessaI.
I to explain their oaths or obligations. ThI
disagreement or misunderstanding a
:. mong the committee, was, however, re
/. conclcd so far that the committee pro
d ceeded harmoniously ly through the takln
of the dcpositions, and until the DRAWN
d up of the report by the chairman. Th
C five members of the committee were "a
c present. 1t was twice read over III thcl
: presence, and sir. Sprague expressly as
II scntcd to the facts stated IN the report %
Z the chairman, so far as he knew, eXcep
j. rs to the testimony taken IN Newport Il
the taking of which, he was not present
> and which he had not read Dut MI
+. Sprague did not assent 10 the conclusion
IT drawn by the committee.
II lie never named to the committee tia
il he intended to make any separate report
until about five minutes before the com
II mittee came into the house with their re
J. port, when he stated that hc had re
d mort containing his views on the subJec
is which hc declined showing the commit
Tee III IL true 'i'hl ioi s"o'' '' ''
'r gentleman had manifested shyncss an'
:, the appearance of avoiding the commit
tee.
c When the rule prescribed by the com
+. mittcc first became public, one of tn,
= strongest, and leading and respectable
d Williamson said, in relation to the rule
II uou have done just right--thc rule is righ
and not uriil the principal part of t.ei
L testimony had been gone through Wit