The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1855-04-04

Legislative Espionage In Observation-Disclosures
lawful Descent Upon Catholic School.
We publish to-day all the material facts and
testimony on both sides Of the question, touch
ing the late inquisitorial visit of special COM
mittee of the Massachusetts, Legislature to q
little female school in one of the suburbs of
Boston, kept by seven ladies Of the Roman
Catholic "Sisters of Charity" These facts
and this testimony, in our judgment, consti.
tute the proofs Of a despotc anti,Americau,
unconstitutional outrage upon private rights
by the Solons of the Massachusetts, Legisla.
ture.
IL the first place, special legislative COM
mittee OF seven was appointed to examine and
report upon the condition of the theological
Summaries, boarding schools, academies, nun
neries and converts" of the Commonwealth.
Secondly, it appears from the testimony of the
committee themselves, that they proceeded to
this examination, in the case of the Roxbury
school, as if fully satisfied that their appoint
ment by the Legislature gave them the undis-
puted power of an Unlimited search warrant
there, or at any other place within the scope
of their inquiries. Now this was either the re-
suit of degree Of ignorance among the mem
bers of the committee, discreditable to the
common schools Of Massachusetts, or 1t was an
act OF inquisitorial puritanical espionage,
which we had supposed had ceased to exist in
the old Bay State since the last witch burning
frolic at Salem.
We had supposed that every member Of the
Massachusetts, Legislature was aware of the
fact that the constitution of the United States
is the supreme law of Massachusetts,, as Of every
other State and Territory Of the Union; that all
acts Of any party or any Legislature inconsis
tent with the federal constitution are unlawful,
null and void. Our ideas, however, of the wis
dom of the legislators Of Massachusetts, appear
to have been somewhat extravsgant. Those
wise men Of the East seem to have very
little knowledge Of, or very little respect for
the supreme law of the land. We are, there
fore, constrained to repeat for their information,
that provision Of this supreme law, which pro-
claims that the right of the people to be Sc
cure in their persons houses, papers and effects,
against unre a. enable searches and seizures shall
not be violated and warrants shall issue but
upon probable cause, supported by oath or az
firmaton, and particularly describing the place
to be searched, and the persons or things to be
seized.i
In the face Of this organic law of the Union
and Of Massachusetts,, committee Of that Lee
gislatuIe proceed to the little school of the Sis
tiers Of Charity at Roxbury, and exhibit their
authority from the Legislature to examine the
premises, as If itwere an edict from the Emperor
Of all the Russias They certainly SO consi-
dered II, or they would not have made their
first official notification to the establishment in
that overlooking air Of authority which CHAR
acterized their visit. The committee not only
went in body, but they invited q number Of
their friends 10 accompany them and see the
sport. Fine sport, truly this breaking into