Weekly Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1853-1861, 1855-05-24
A Know Nothing Legislature e.

The petition for the removal Of Judge LoR-
Ixe, and other public acts, have given the
country a very distinct conception of the po-
litical character of the Massachusetts, Legisla-
ture or it, private and personal character
we may form some idea from the following
statement of distinguished Know Nothing
functionary
THE MEMORIAL OF Mr.. HISS.
The act of the Massachusetts, House OF
Representatives, accepting the report Of the
| second Committee Of Investigation into the
conduct of Mr. Hiss, was published yesteI-
day. Last evening the Boston papers came
to us laden with reports of the debate and
the peculiar memorial of Mr. Hiss. The
At1as considers the memorial straight for
ward, business-like document, which. as a
piece of ingenious special pleading is credit
able to the ger .leman who framed it. Many
will view it otherwise. The argument of The
memorial isl am not guilty; bur, if / am
guilty, otEers, members of this House, are
equally guilty. If you expel me. you must
expel them. They are venerabIe-I am
youthful; they are experienced-I am callow
and unhackneyed in the ways of the world;
II you deal out vengeance 10 we, with what
treble condemnation must you visit them {"
The best plea. probably, at his command, but
very unsatisfactory. lie brings some very
offensive charges against other members, but
under the circumstances they are not entitled
TO much weight. Near the conclusion he
charges as follows:
"Your menorialist proposes TO show that
The conduct with which ne is charged, has
not heretofore been SO considered By the mem-
bers of the Committee and others. members
of this House, inasmuch, if the opportunity
is given him, he will show by such testimo-
ny, under oath, ~ the Supreme Judicial
Court Of this Commonwealth has heretofore
found sufficient TO authorize DEGREES of di-
vorce for the cause of adultery both against
husband ard wife, that the Chairman Of your
very Committee Of Investigation, botk while
with Committees Of the House. as well as
while connected with it as a member, and
while acting in said several capacities, has
done the same act, with which your memo
rialist stands charged BY the report Of your
Committee.
"And your memorialist, if permitted, fur
ther proposes to show, 10y similar evidence
under oath, that other members of the hon
orable House. both while upon Committees
and during their connection with the House,
have been guilty of like improprieties and
indiscretions, as those charged upon your me-
morialist in said report.
"And your memorialist respectfully rcpre-
sents, that having been charged with doing
no more than can be shown that others, men,
bers of the same body, whose age, standing,
requirements and reputation. have entitled
them to his respect, and to whom he might
and ought to look for example-that it is uu-
fair and unjust, without any previoss warning
on the part of the House. that said preee-
dents were not TO be followed, that be should
be singled out for the heavy penalty ola vote
of censure of this House.
"And he therefore respectfully pTays that
if he is deemed unworthy. for the causes be-
fore mentioned, Of a seat Ia this body, that
the cases Of others to whom he has adyerted,
and which at proper time and place he is
ready TO specify and verify, may be investiga-
ted and passed by the House. in order that it
may be seen that his acts, even as reported
and unjustly charged, are not without paral-
lei, mitigation and excuse, by precedent and
contemporaneous acts.
an fine, your memorial;st claims that his con-
duct ought not to be found exceptional, and
punished with severe penalties, il, upon To-
yestigat;ou, it Is found no other, or differen.
from that Of .othsr members of this House,
= gNtUp6n t{1s fzco
n Any pefsou erediting, Mr. Hiss would nat
urally form rather an unfavorable opinion OF
the characters of the present Legislature of
Massachusetts