The weekly Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1861, 1855-05-30
IMassaehuseus--.sA NIgaei state." )"

Old Massachusetts, SAYS he Plfsn Dealer,
is regarded by some as State entitled to
unusual prdise for the superiority Of her in
telligence, refinement and liberality. II has
become habit with portion Of the Amer
lean people to laud that venerable common
wealth, aud to set forth her laws, institu-
tions and usages as not merely the evidences
but the actual results of progress. Recent
events, however, have awakened the public
mind in degree to a'sense Of the absolute
righteousness of many of her loftiest pret0n-
sions.
Fne following from the New York Herald
is a truthful statement Of some of the facts
which stand on the record as evidences Of
the folly and vanity Of that state. Her con-
duct will serve better as a warning than as
an example: g...
MASSACHUSETTS Observation-Disclosures
SETS MoRALITY-A PAIR OF BLUE LIGHT
SPEeT1cLEs.-Under the old blue laws OF
Massachusetts 1t was a,penal offense TO give
shelter to houseless Quaker, and witches
were devoutly executed as burnt offerings
to bigotry the most intense, and to supersti-
ton the most atrocious. In these latter
days, however, after two hundred years Of
| active publication andreform, Massachusetts
claims to have risen to the rank OF the most
enlightened. moral, religious, and liberty
| loving State in the Union. Her capital Is
the "Athens of America" she plumes her
self upon her colleges, her common schools,
her churches, her liquor laws, and her be-
nevolent institutions. Now for the fruits OF
this boasted enlightenment and civilization.
First we give specimen of Massachusetts,
humanity. We copy from one Of our ex-
changes:
"Mary Williams and her infant daughter,
the latter BORN in Massachusetts, were sent
to Europe on Monday, from the town OF
Monson, Mass, for the crime Of being too
poor to live in that commonwealth. The
woman had come away from Ireland, be-
cause she was too poor to live there. Ac-
cording to these two facts, the poor creature
has no right to live at all. Massachusetts,
about year ago, was in terrible fermeut
because the law sent Burns back to Virgin
Ia. The Boston Advertiser says:
"The treasury Of the United States bore
the expense of the rendition oil Anthony
4 Burns. The treasury of Massachusetts paid
for the rendition Of Mary Williams. But
then he was a negro-"a man and broth
err while she was only white woman
ga woman and mother"
Can anything be found more revolving to
every feeling of humanity in al! the horrid
and disgusting Massachusetts blue law leg
islation OF two hundred years ago! If this
! be Purtanism, what is Barbarism?-if this
be Christianity, what is Paganism!-if this
be Liberty, what is Despotism! If this i:
the hospitality Of a refined civilization, THE
wild Apaches, who drink the blood of theiI
enemies, have been wofufly libelled. They
are accounted savages, yet they are at leas
true to their own race. They have neither
churches, colleges, nor schools, yet they are
evidently competent to teach our excessive
ly Puritanicul brethren of Massachusetts tht
first principles of Christianity and civilized
society.
The morality of the Old Bay State has
been pretty fairly exhibited in official legis
lative explorations of Mr.. Joseph Hiss &
Co., of the Nunnery Committee. Mr.. Hiss
says that he has been made the scape-goat
of his equally guilty Legislative colleagues
that at least one hundred and eighty mem
F bers of Legislature about one-fitth clergy
, men, have familiarzed themselves with the
Boston houses of prostitution. And New
Hampshire editor, who happened lately t
+ DE on a railroad train. containing selec
committee Of our Massachusetts law makers
says:
I "The Committee behaved in the car
: great deal like men who had drank larg
: quantities Of wine and brandy. They smok
ed swore and hallooed freely, and FIR al
hour or SO enjoyed themselves in attempt
Il to outdo each other in relating disgustin
anecdotes, worthy of grog.shop or hous
" of ill-fame. The name of Mrs. Patterson
d was frequently invoked by the Legislators
and in terms SO familiar os to leave littl
" doubt on the minds of the hearers that sh
: is quite favorite with others than Josep
= Hiss, of the Nunnery Committee"
These two extracts nuke pair of blu
:, light spectacles through which Massachu
/" setts humanity is discovered as a vile i'm
e posture, and Massachusetts, morality and re
y ligion, churches, clergy, negro worship
l. Maine Liquor law and all, appear repu
n sive humbug. But we cease to wonder the
:. her authorities should send native Amer
IL can infant across the seas for the crime {
e being the child Of poor Irishwoman; tht
ir negro fugitiyes should be invested with tn
4. right of suffrage, while foreign-born white
:, are disfranchised; that negro children shoul
:. :, be placed upon footing of equality in tn
Ia public schools with the whites-we ceas
is to wonder at any Of these atrocities, on fint
ID ing that negro worship, bigotry, and hypo'
risy are the ruling elements of the Mass
chusetts Legislature.
There must be another revolution in Ma
:. sachusetts politics at the next popul'
~ election, or we may next expect some rul
away negro to supercede the comparative
= true American Know Nothing, Govern'
Gardner; Mrs. Patterson in the place
- :, Judge Loring; premium for fugitive slave
% and a general interdict of expulsion again
\ the poor Irish. The common schools
i Massachusetts,! Fudge. Liberty lovir
Massachusetts! Bah!
y OF There are six vacancies in the I'm
o, ed States Senate-one Wing and five Der
= ocratic. New Hampshire, Indiana, Alab