The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1855-04-12
LEGISLATIVE VISIT TO CATHOLIC SCHOOL
IN MASSACHUSETTS,.

An order had been passed by the Massachu-
sets House of Representatives, authorizing the
joint committee on nunneries to visit such
schools, academies, or similar institutions, as
they might see fit. In pursuance of this
thority, the committee made visit to Catho-
lie school in Roxbury, and conducted them
selves in most extraordinary manner, accord
ing to the report of the Boston Daily Adcerti-
ser, paper conspicuous for the careful mod
Grafton and accuracy of its statements.
The school visited is situated on the Dedham
turnpike, a thoroughfare much frequented, in
ordinary house, not in any way secluded
from observation nor surrounded by any bar
riers. 1t is kept by seven Catholic ladies, and
includes twelve pupils, all young ladies be-
tween the ages of ten and fifteen, who, with an
Irish man servant, constitute the whole house
hold. The committee consisted OF but seven
persons, but they were accompanied by out
siders, so that the whole company filled two
twelve-seat omnibuses. No notice was given
of their visit, nor did the committee exhibit
their authority. The Boston Daily Advertiser
says:
"Nineteen ladies, twelve of them less than
fifteen years of age, could not of course oppose
any effectual obstacle to the entrance of twen-
ty-four fullgrown men into common house,
even had the ladies known the rights guaran-
tied them by the Constitution and laws of Mas
sachusetts, and had they been disposed to
maintain those rights by force. The gentle
men 1--WE presume we must call members of
the Legislature by this ttJe) roamed over the
whole house, from attic to cellar. No cham
Der, no passage, no closet, no cupboard, esca-
ped their vigilant search. No part of the house
was enough sacred or enough protected by
spect for the common courteSles OF civilized
life to be spared in the examination. The la
dies dresses hanging in their wardrobes were
tossed over. The party invaded the chapel,
and showed their respect as Protestants, we
presume for the One God whom all Christians
worship by talking loudly, with their hats on,
while the ladies shrank in terror at the desecra-
ton of spot which they believe halowed.
"Whie in the chapel, the ladies declined
holding any conversation with their persecu-
tors but in another part of the house the prin-
cipai expressed her perfect willingness to an
swer any questions propounded by the COM
mittee' One of the gentlemen accordingly
pats her affectionately on the back with
hand, turns over the rosary suspended about
her neck with the other, and asks her if she is
content with her situation-whether she can
leave when she pleases. The young ladies were
of course subjected to questions even more
rude-whether there are any boys boarding in
the establishment, what punishments they suf-
fer for misdemeanors, &c. 1t is scarcely neces-
sary to describe such conversation in detail !;
the reader can readily imagine what the scene
| must have been.
"The examining party of course had every
| thing their own way, and when their searches
and their insults had been protracted to the ex-
| tent of their pleasure they took their leave"
| So extraordinary statement, on such re-
spectacle authority, could not be passed by with
| out notice in the Legislature, and on the same
day it was made subject of discussion in both
| Houses and in both members ofthe committee
on nunneries denied the charges.
| Sin the House motion for committee of
inquiry was voted down, on the ground that it
| was dsrespectful to the committee on nunneries.
/ A motion that the several committees authorized
to visit institutions out .ofsBoston report how
many persons other than 1Htmbers of said COM
| mittees had been invitedSn accompany them,
and at what expense to the Commonwealth, was
| also voted down. The Speaker advocated the
first motion, and said that in some instances
members of the committee had exceeded their
powers. This gave offence, and the Speaker ex-
planned that he spoke only in Pickwickian sense.
In the Senate it was denied that any of the COM
mittee visited any place to which they were not
preceded by the Lady Superior. A joint COM
mittee of inquiry was ordered, and the order
came down to the House while the same subject
was under discussion, and was concurred in
The above statement, being compilation
from the Boston papers, is copied from the Prov-
idence Journal. The Boston Bee, so far as we
have observed is the only journal in that city
which has attempted to defend the proceedings
of the committee. 1t characterizes the state
ments OF the Advertiser as unjust and in some
particulars untrue. What the Bee admits may
be gathered from the comments made upon its
article by the atlas, which we copy entire:
/ "The Bee contains a semi-oficial account OF
the visit of the illustrous seventeen to the board
ing school in Koxbury. The Bee asserts that
the entire investigation was conducted with
Eproprety. The strongest point made by that
paper is, that the committee did not go into the
cellar, which it evidently regards as wonderful
piece of selfdenial. 1t admits that a simple
inquiry was made. by member of the com
mittee, which caused IAN expression of displeas
lure upon the countenance of young lady pu
pill The Bee forgets to tell US what this inqui
lry was, but without doubt, it was sufficiently sim
sple. We are told that eight or ten of the party
! entered the sanctuary lin the most silent man