The Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1809-1841, 1832-02-14

liam Sprsgue, Jun. made to the House 0
Representatives. As ii contains statement
and charges against the other members th
Committee OF the General Assembly, hav,
TO request that you would publish the enclos
ed certificate Of those who were associated
with Mr.. Sprague on that Committee. 'G
The report lin part made by the Commit
tee, contained detailed account df ftheir pro
ceedings, including the rules agreed upon b,
them, 10 be observed in the examination o
witnesses, on which Mr.. Sprague has founded
his exceptions. As 10 the facts reported, i
was stated by the Chairman to the House
that Mr.. Sprsgue had agreed to them so fol
as they were within his knowledge. Know.
ing all about that part of the report which re.
lated to the rules, he was upon hearing his
own report read in the House, involved in a
plain contradiction of the very facts he had
Just agreed to. He then denied that he had
Just agreed to them, and stated that Mr.. Cor
nell did not agree to the report, upon which
the certificate above referred to was produc
ed and read by the Chairman ofthe Commit
tee. make this statement in justice to the
rest of the Committee, ind myself, and not
from sny desire 10 place Mr.. Spragpe under
any additional embarrassment. For in justice
to him mus. say, that believe he agreed to
the facts stated in the report in honest sim
ceriiy, and was under the nccc ccssity of deny
ing il when he found in the report which ne
had (perhaps hastily made contradiction Of
them.
There is another fact which may have i'm
posed on Mr.. Sprague similar necessity for
making such report as he has made. He
was one oft Committee ofthree appointed by
The anti masonic Convention in September
last to report an address to the people of
Rhode Island and this address contains the
most direct and distinct charges, that are to
be found against masonry and masons in this
State. II was upon the responsibility Of this
committee that they were thus made and cir
cuiated. Twelve distinct charges are drawn
up fone Of those however related to the pro-
ceeding ofthe Assembly, J called BY them ar
ticles of impeachment. and which they say
the memorial Of former Convention 10 the
Assembly also contains. with pledge to
support them by proofb in addition to these,
among other charges in the address, Is one
that masons in this state have alicnys acted
secretly as a political party.
Having made these charges, Mr.. Sprague
must be considered the accuser, rather than
person proper to investigate them. And it
is probable some other person would have
been selected by the Assembly, but for the
circumstance that the name Of William
Sprague was TO this address, [by misprint it
is said instead of VIM. Sprague Junr. who
was appointed to report il. Isay it is proba-
BILE because the object Of the assembly un-
doubtedly was, to have fair and impartial
into the grounds for making
these charges. To effect this object it can
hardly be supposed that they would knowing
ly have selected the person who made them.
Passing by, however, all considerations Of
the proprety Of his accepting and acting on
a committee to investigate charges he had
made and was respansible Zoe hiuasolf, II must
appear plain to every one, that situated as
Mr.. Sprsgue actually was, he was under the
necessity Of contradicting the report of the
committee in some way or other i; for ifhe a.
greed to the facts ss proved, he would there
BY convict himselfofhaving made the charges
falsely.
1t will be seen by both reports, that it was
not until the 9Th day ofthe examination, when
nearly all the witnesses that he and his friends
relied upon had been examined, and many Of
the charges remained unsustained, if not alb
solutely disproved, that Mr.. Spracue made
any objection to the proceedings of the COM
miitee or to their rules. II had now become
apparent to him and to others, that upon some,
If not all the charges, his situation, as ene
who had made them. was hopeless.
No concessions that the other members OF
the committee could make. would avail him |;
no report could be made by them that he could
agree too, unless the testimony was altered,
which could not be done. Some expedient
was therefore necessary to save hmfrom his
own condemnation-that of attacking all his
colleagues, il seems, was the one he adopted.
shall not call in question any Of the post-
ions taken by Mr.. Sprague in his report, un-
tenable as I consider them; because such a
course might lead to discussion, and to any
discussion, there would be the same objection
that now applies to the report itself, which is
its tendency to prevent that candid and dis
passionate examination of the testimony,
which the nature OF the subject requires.
For the hostile attitude assumed by Mr.. s.
l can find no adequate cause, except the one
which also explains why il was necessary for
him to disagree with all the restsof the COM
mittee if this should be taken in extenuation
Of the unjust assertions he has made in his
report, it will also be considered good rea-
son that the statements of "A person thus COM
mitted, should be cautiously received, when
by other testimony, and will no
doubt admonish the public to wait for the
evidence that will accompany the report Of
all the committee, who are unembarrassed by
any such causes, before they can form an
opinion. JAMES +. SIMMONS. *
JOHNSTON, Jan. 80, 1882.
The subscribers think it proper that the
facts shall be presented, via: The
Report in part. made TO the House yesterday,
By the Committee appointed TO inquire into
the charges against Masonry and Masons in
this State, was on that day twice read over,
to the whole COMMITTEES except
Mr.. Potter, who had never been with the
Committee viz: once in the morning and a