Vermont telegraph. [volume] (Brandon [Vt.]) 1828-1843, 1837-02-08


luman nature, corroborated the most es-
entail parts of her statement. He imme.
Ilately replied that he did not doubt, in
Iced he had long been convinced that
hose institutions in Montreal 1cere as
corrupt as ecer eng of q similar kind had .
zen IN Europe, or elsewhere; and that IN
general, the character giren of the Hotel
Dteu, acGs Just enough. But" he added :
y DO not believe it, on her testimony, for
do not consider her worthy to be admit
- as witness in the case" | alleged !
o him, that since he rejected her testimo- ,
ny, ye: believed the things charged, he
must have better evidence than hers, W hich
his belief must then consid-
er him as strong y corroborating her state
ments, at least as 10 the true character of
the institution" | mentioned to several
Of those persons that had been told that
l could not find any person in the city,
who believed the things stated in Maria
Monks book was assured by them,
that they could take me to hundreds ooho be-
hersd them. But they generally admitted
tina: persons in business there, did not
wish to invol I've themselves in the contro-
versy by expressing their opinion. The
Roman Catholic interest in the city is so
great, that it would be dangerous, and
sometimes ruinous to persons in almost
any kind of business, to take an open or
public part against them. The bookseL
lerS did not venture to keep the book Jor
sale. One Of them did get teao copies Of
them, aclh rica0 Of keeping on hand.-
But ms friends, ~mder an apprehension
that has property and person orOuld be IN
danger, prevailed with him 10 return them.
Those In Lower Canada who wish to ex-
anime the book and Judge for themselves,
have to procure them privately.
3. A third reason for my opinion, is,
Col. Stones positive declaration, that no
changes or alterations had been made,
" either in the building within, the vaults
beneath, or the walls Without" and other
things to the same amount Now a wit
Ness that proves too much, is apt to destroy
his own testimony, and in the end proves
nothing. Such, in the present instance
has been the case with Co.. Stone. But
who would. indeed, expect to See at this
time evidences of such alterations, where
it was possible to conceal them And
from a stranger to the building, as Col.
Stone was, how easily could such altera-
tons be concealed And to make altera-
tons with a view Of classifying a former
description, and submit to an examination.
while the evidences ofthe alterations were
obvious to mere stranger, would be TO
suppose the priests and nuns utterly desti-
tute of common sense. The Stiffness OF
the bird which resorts to no more efectual
way to elude its pursue RS, than to hide its
head in sand, while his body is exposed,
is proverbial.
But all the evidence which | Obtained
on this point, directly rontradicts the Col S
assertion. l so'0, myself enough to rebut
his testimony. The back aoalt, nert and
parallel to Notre Dame street, had re-
cent addition to its height Of sir or eight
feet at least. Though the mortar was
sufficiently indurated, | doubt not, TO have
resisted all the force Col. Stone would
readily apply to it, with his iron pointed
cane; yet nothing could be more cisiGle to
the eye, than that II toas OF rcry recent con,
struetiOn. l was assured, by gentleman
who was every day engaged in the store
adjoining this piece of wall, and saw the
repairs going on, that there ocas also 6uiLt
during the carly part of the summer, an
entire neoc oaA, diciding tile soAoIe back
ground, which is one Of the walls whic h
Col. Stone asserts. mo unaided mortal
man or woman, could have surmounted."
was assured also, by the same person,
that there aonS, during a part of the last
aoImter, a pile Of boards, at least twenty.
fre feet In height, IN the rear gard of the
nunnery, which could net have been drawn
away by team, without his observing it.
but that the pile gradually diminished
until the boards aoere all gone From,
t0hsch he inferred they rere drought up,
and used on the premises. And net there
'ods no exterior ozark on the premises, thai
could require so much material. He took
me to the position from which he viewed
the works going on in the rear ofthe nun.
merry. There was no obstacle in his way
OF seeing what he protested to have seen
as his position overlooked the wall, high
as It is. These facts. together with other
evidence already before the public, and es
Peclally, the refusal so long to admit any
person at all to examine the interior Of the
building, and after there lad been ample
time to make alterations, and TO oblierate
the evidence of such alterations; and then
that only such persons should be admitted
as were selected by the priests themselves
their continued refusal to permit an exam
ination under the guidance of Maria Monk
all confirm the opinion, that Col. Stone
was greatly imposed upon, himself or ha.
attempted to impose upon his readers
And in either case he has been the dupt
and tool of the priests. They have en-
gagged him to do what they would not ven
ture to attempt to do themselves. Col. s