The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1855-04-05

LEslsLArIvE ISQulsIrios.


LEGISLATIVE ISQuIsITtoS.
On the Dedham Turnpike In Roxbary jast beyond Osk
street there Is ordinary house In which school ko,
by seven ladies Catholic Sisters Of Charity mebsrs a
the order Of Metre Dame They have twelve pupils yoe0
ladies between the ages Of ten and feen all American,
by brth These nineteen ladies form the whole h6usrAo
with tho exception Of Irshman who Is employed aho
the premises servant Tho house Is located anon
horeughtArc much travelled secluded IN any va.
from public gaze the grounds surrounded ~ 49,
barriers hsveany Of tne o. mar
ase institution. The ladies who reside there as sAs
highy cultivated and accomplished and a. much A.
titled respect and courtesy any IN the State Tg,
pupils likewise respectable snd there l. not the ~,
evidence that their attendance school forced that &
subjected any rigorous discipline obliged 70 ~
dergo any sort OF -treasmcnt
Such being the character OF this establishment the a
enteen ladies residing therein surprised on last a
day afternoon omnibuscs drive up 10 the door,
crowded with passengers who sligh, and inquire ff 4,
lady superior aud being me, by the head of the ss,.
shment the spokesman q the party informs her that a.
crowd Is committee appointed by the Legislature es,
anime the house No notification of the visit be extr
ed has been served upon the ladies and they ebea
take the statement Of the members ~ the party on a.,
authority, We have already that a. eoszsas.
actually appointed by the legislature consists Of but a
members We are unable TO state the number Of the p
" protesting 10 act this committee this occasion
bu, from the fact that two twcve-seat omnibuscs sL
appeared TO be full required for their transport u
can only estimate their number II twcuty-ioaf TAp,
may have been few more or less.
Nineteen ladies' twelve OF them less than fifteen yean
age could not o. course, oppose any enecsaa utsta.
Gle TO the Of twenty-oar fuEgrown into
common house even Ind the ladies known the HsAa
guaranteed them by the constitution and laws Of Mas.
chusess, aud had they been disposed to maintain thOss
rights by force. The gentlemen I'VE presume We mus
cali members Of the legislature by this ttercamed oy,
the whole house from attic to cellar No chamber M pas
sage no closet cupboard escaped their vgani search
No part Of the house enough sacred or enough pr
teced by respect for the eonresies o. cvi,d
life be spared in the examination. The ladies' drrsss,
hanging in their wardrobes tossed over The ar,y
invaded the chapel aud showed their rcspecas Protest
ants, presumefor the One God whom all Christian,
worship by talking loudly with their hats on while In
ladies shrank in the dissertation Of spo, which
they believe hallowed.
While in the chapel the ladies declined holding an,
conversation with their prosecutors but In another ps
Of the house the principal expressed her perfect willing
ness answer any questions propounded by athe CON
mitteea One OF the gentlemen accordingly pats her If
fectonaely on the back with hand turns tbs 70
sary suspended round her neck with the other and asks
her II she is with her situation whether she raa
eavwhen she peases The young ladies were eoursc
subjected TO questions more rudewheher there ar
any boys boarding ia the cstablshment--wha punish
mens they suffer for msdemranors, SC 1t 10 scaFcy
necessary describe such conversation detail the
reader readily imagine what the must have been
The examining party, Of couTc bad everything their
way, and when their searches and their insults had
been protraced the of their pleasure they oO
their leave 1t is scarcely necessary 10 say thai "they
found--no matter what--it not that they sought
unless the object Of the visit simply lark At tie
expense the State In which the Object doubt
less attained. There immured alive in
traced cells any evidences of abuse of any sort calling
for Legislative interference or even inquiry
Now, we ask the rejecting men and women OF AaHsF
chusets-we even appeal to the eandor Of the aghE
thousand voters who put the present administration
powers such record as the above fit to form page
the history of the free and enlightened Commonwealth
Massachusetts in the nineteenth cen,ury1 Make any
lowance you please for exAsgeration. in the story which
may have been caused BY the natural fears Of be terrified
Witnesses and does the record stand fair and eeSri
such the treatment that defeneeess ouah. n
ceve7 Is such the behavior Of gentlemen ia the egx
turc2 1t is only paraelcd by the stories that hAeeon
down Of the insults and Of unlicensed soldiers
time ofwar.
Our Legislators ought to have more intimate prastn
acquaintance with the fundamental principles Of eor
eminent The bill Of rights which is the first par, h
Every subject has right to be secure from all unrs
sonablc seizures Of his person. his houses his papers
nil his possessions. All warran,a therefore are eonrar
to this right III the foundation Of them M
previously supported by oath Affirmation, and III
order in the warrant civil officer To make searhs
suspected places 10 arrest suspected ~
sons to seize their property be not accompanied w
special designation OF the persons or Objects Of search
rest seizure and warrant ought 10 be issued buls
and with the formaities prescribed by theIawa
II would be snpernuous to point out how this aie
was violated in every clause by the action have lsS
ed What was the warrant Of this committee Of ~sa
swelling Its own numbers by its act7 Nothing b1
vote Of the legislature unsupported by oath asnss
and drawn up with regard To no iornaiues eilbu T.
scribed by law otherwise.
In like manner the constitution of The United sta
guarantees that The right Of the people TO be
their persons, houses papers and effects against anf"T
able searches and seizures shall not be violated and
warrants shall issue but upon probable cause supper
by oath affirmation, and particularly describing
place to be searched, and the persons things %
seized
Who is safe from such unreasonable searches a. ias
Monday last What honse is there IN the Stale ocs
wholly by defencsless women, that may no, b. as =
for roc Of party or rude men Let the ecas
uents Of any Of the gentlemen composing this o0mm
consider how they would relish invasion q her \
dences and disturbance Of the privacy Of iheH hma
by such nqaisitorinl parties Az this.
The revolution fought 10 vain II the great Amer"
principles OF private right and domestic security ms
10 be set al nought
From The psls~Ms iss
the ADMINISTRATIONS or FRANKLIN Plt@s