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BOSTON, May 21, 1855.

FREDERICK DOUGLASS, ESQ.: DEAR SIR:—
On last monday afternoon a Hiss was heard in
one of the nests in the House of Representatives,
and on investigation a large male goose (?) was
quietly found ensconced, not only by patriotic
members, but by the sacred "bill of rights" and
the "Constitution." This carries us back to
"old mother goose," who is one of her inimita-
ble rhymes says

"Goo-se, goo-se gander,
Where shall I find her;
Up stairs, down stairs,
In the ladies' chamber."

Those who have kept pace with this scandalous
affair, will understand the potency of the above
question. But, to resume: the goose Hiss(ed,)
and was removed by that invaluable officer, the
sergeant-at-arms. He was soon seen again tod-
dling back to his nest; and order was then offer-
ed for committal for contempt; this order, how-
ever, was not passed, but the sergeat-at-arms
was again ordered to eject him and not suffer
him again to return. His counsel has published
a long article in the "Times," attempting to
show that his client (Mr. Hiss) had been unfairly
dealt with—that there was a conspiracy to crush
him, and that the Legislature was afraid of a
fair investigation because it would implicate
many of its members. The publication referred
to, is decidedly scurrillous, and would be unfit
for publication in your paper. Since the ex-
pulsion of Mr. Hiss he has been arrested twice
on two different suits, and it is supposed at his
own instigation, so that he might have the mat-
ter legally investigated before the Court and
the illegality of the expulsion judicially estab-
lished. A hearing on a write of Habeas Corpus
granted on Friday, and was heard before
the Supreme District Court on Saturday, before
Judge Shaw. Mr. Butler, Counsel for Mr.
Hiss, made an elaborate argument in behalf of
his client, which may be summed up in one
word, "fudge." The case has been continued
over till Tuesday.

Wm. C. Deming, barber, who was charged
with keeping open his shop in violation of the
Sunday laws, was discharged from custody on
Wednesday by Judge Rogers of the Police
Court, who decided that a "barber's shop" was
not a shop, (?) that a shop as defined by lexi-
cographers, and by law, was a place or build-
ing used for the sale of goods, or where wares
and merchandize were kept for sale; as no proof
that goods or merchandise were kept by the
defendant, or sold by him on Sunday, his keep-
ing his shop open merely to shave, was no
breach of the Sunday law, which was directed
to keeping open shop for selling goods, or wares,
and not against shaving. You see by this, that
the barbers may carry on their trade as usual;
we can imagine cases in which this may appear
very convenient to those who will put off what
they may well do on Saturday evening. But if
barbers are allowed to carry on their business
on Sunday, we can see no reason why other
mechanics or laborers may not do the same.
"What is far for the goose is fair for the gan-
der."

A fugitive slave escaped from Virginia on
board of a vessel bound to this port. A re-

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W. Kurtz

Image incomplete please see https://www.loc.gov/resource/sn84026366/1855-05-25/ed-1/?sp=3&st=image&r=0.04,0.115,0.255,0.19,0