Democrat and sentinel. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1853-1866, 1855-05-23

Massachusetts, Observation-Disclosures,
Hin-Hrs- Ps<terson-Know-Eothingim
Few histories are reliable. Old histories am
for the most part, made up Of stupid fables and
absurd superstitions. They were written long aS-
ter the occurrence of the events they narrate, be-
fore printing was discovered, and made up from
| dusty scrolls and wretched parcliments The
sources of all ancient histories, to say the least,
are suspicious.
= The truest histories are those written by men
who are witnesses of the events they relate
Yet such histories, even, not beyond criticism
| and not free from suspicion Events oftehtimes
occur IN the presence OF a number OF men, 1t may
| be small or large number. II rarely happens
that all of the number concur in their narratives
of such events. Conflicts and contradictions usu-
ally distinguish their statements Even in courts
| of Justice where men put oath, respectable
men, and where the issues of life and death are
involved, it seldom happens that two men give
| the same testimony This is a sad commentary
| on the value of human testimony.
| But there is one thing that has happened in our
day, and In our country, before our eyes, In ref
eEence TO which all national men agree 1t is the
course and conduct of the State of Massachusetts.
When the historian takes his pen in hand to re-
cord the events Of which we speak, he will not be
loss for the material wherewith TO compose
That history. The records of the present Legisla
ture viii be sufficient
Those records viii inform him that that legisfa-
wards. That 1t has gone back, not only to the
horrible and revolving blue law days; not only to
the scarcely less revolving PERIOD when cropeared
covenanters alternately howled and prayed, but
to those distant and more miseralable times
when pTiestcraft asserted dominion over men.
both spiritual and temporal, and when supersti-
ton, that alike Of ignorant and the over
learned taught men to cultivate vices for virtues
and TO worship devils Coz gods,
In that sanity and scholarly Massachusetts
Legislature, there are, we believe, two score and
ten canting parsons. Not GODS ministers. Not
Bible ministers, bat wolves in sleeps clothing
who are infected with every fsm In politics, and
who burn with every fierce passion that man is
subject to. They are not the meek disciples of
their humble savior, but severe and bud-mouthed
sous Of thunder Nof content with preaching re-
ligion, they must needs preach politics When
the Bible is in their way, they construe it out of
their way. When the constitution imposes bar
rier to their insane progress, they boldly break it
down. These men, we believe, are all know-nc-
things and all aboltionists:
Besides this canting crew Of reckless and wretch
ed hypocrites, the Massachusetts legislature con-
tans vile set Of scrub politicians and gutter dem
agogues who have risen by espOxsing some ascen-
dant isms and by paDdering to sope prevailing
caprice. Bedlam exhibits crazier assemblage
Five Points, more vulgar ruffianism,
From legislature thus composed Of Abolition
lied Know Nothing fanatics, and hypocritical re-
Yet, in the sunlight Of this enlightened, nineteenth
century, so much of evil could hardly be expect
ed as is exhibited in the proceeding of the body.
1t has passed resolution setting aside the fugi-
tive slave law, and making any citizen of Massa-
chusetts incapable of holding State Office who
recognizes it, aids in its execution It has re-
solved against the admission of any new slave
State into the Union, whether the people Of such
State desire slavery not it has protected vile
Emigrant Aid Societies designed to send leprous
vagabonds to settle Kansas, and expel slavehold-
and their rightful property It has passed an
address praying the Governor TO degrade Judge
Loring by expulsion from the ptlicial bench, be-
cause in conformity to his oath 10 nited States
Commissioner, he sought to give efficiency to the
Constitution and the laws passed in pursuance f
it, in the case of the fugitive slave, Anthony
Burns. 1t appointed Nunnery Committee to
persecute. vex, and insult Catholics, men. women
and chillren. 1t sent that committee out on its
disgraceful mission, charged with high powers.
and armed with all the authority Of law
True to the mission to which it was appointed,
that august committee visited pubic and private
Catholic seats of learning and of piety. The
crowning glory of that committee was exhibited
at Roxbury, where helpless girls and unprotected
women were subject to close scrutiny in their per-
sons, their bed rooms, their waEdrobes and their
trunks--where they were alarmed by Satyr eers,
insulted by coarse propositions, and outraged by
brutal ruffianism-
The chief Hero and head devil Of this committee
was one Mr.. Hiss, a representative from the gody
and " solid city of Boston-the seat OF learning
and refnement--the = AtheHs Of America. +" APP
preciating the designs of the Legislature, and true
to the high functions expected of him, Mr. Hiss |
gave himself free scope and ample latitude Not /
content with the insulting tenderness he exhibited
towards the pious AMI unprotected ladies at Rox-
bury, he signalized himself by a notorious love |
adventure at the neighboring hotel. He recorded |
name more infamous than immortal, among the 1
memorable names of his brother committee men
that of Mrs. Patterson She passed for member |
of the Legislature, and her hotel bill charged
(at Mr.. Hiss instance) to the State
These freaks, frolics and foles soon became ru- |
mored abroad, and entwined with the names of |
the nunnery committee and associated with the |
euphonical name of Hiss that of Mrs. Patterson |
has become famous. " Billy Patterson - made it |
notorious before Mrs Patterson has by her ex-
ploits added 20 its lustre-
Mr.. Hiss both gained and lost by these transac-
tions. He has been nominated for the Presiden-
cy, with Mrs Patterson the ticket, for Vice
President. That much he gained. His loss was
his good name, and his seat in the Legislature
No sooner did these disreputable transactions
get abroad than a committee was appointed TO in
vestigate and report upon the conduct of the num-
merry committee. Days and weeks were consumed
in the investigation. Finally, the committee re-
ported and recommended the expulsion Of Hiss
from the body of which he had been so gay mem
Der and so shining an ornament. The report
was adopted almost by acclamation. Thus the
gay, the sportive and amorous Hiss, has been
made the scapegoat of the nuunery committee and
of the Legislature by which it was appointed.
The report of the investigating committee now
stands permanently on the records Of the Massa
chusetts Legislature-the grave, the gocly and the
learned Massachusetts, Legislaturel A report, the
most foul in its vulgar details, the most coarse IN
that