Alexandria gazette & daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1817-1822, 1818-01-17
ALEXANDRIA:
SATURDAY, JaNU.aRY IL, 1873.
FROM OUR CORRESPONDENT AT WASH
ISGTON.
Friday, January IS, 1878.


I have the satisfaction to announce to
you the triumph Of reason and correct
principle, over the attempts Of infatus-
ten and error. The important question
whether congress has power to punish
contsmpts, has at length been decided IN
the Affirmative, by a succession OF msJo-
rites of nearly three to one. Yesterday
Mr.. Pitkin took view of the resolutions
proposed by MIR. Spencer, and OF Mr..
Rhes's amendment, and placed them in
such light as to shew that the hosse had
got into a dilemma, out Of which there
was but one way Of extricaing il. 1t
was, he said, unusual to place on riIe
Journals the reasons Of passing any act
or resolution. or to pass declaration ex-
pressive Of the general power OF the
house MOI had any such declaration ev-
er been made; but the house had always
proceeded to act in the case before them,
whatever it might be. The amendment
in this case, be observed, was declaratory
Of the power Of the house to punish tor
contempts, and the honorable gentleman
who proposed, refused to withdraw it ; SO
that if the question were put upon it and
it should be negatived, it might hereafter
be construed into an admission that the
house had not the power to punish tor
contempts.-Tbat therefore the only way
to get rid of the difficulty was to post
pone the resolutions indefinitely, which
was in fact to negative them asreeably to
the rules OF the house, without coming to
any decision on the amendments, and
thus the whole would TALL to the ground
together. He therefore moved that the
resolutions should be indefinitely postPo
ned. On this proposition, Mr.. Rhea
made some short observations, which we
did not hear, and Mr.. Rich wishing 20 be
informed what the effects OF the pest.
ponement would really be, the speaker
informed the house that il the resolutions
should be indefinitely postponed, the
whole would be precisely where it stood
before they we're offered.
On motion, it was determined to take
the question of indefinite postponement
BY ayes and noes-and being put, there
we're Ayes III
Noes AZ
The resolutions therefore were lost.
and with them fell to The ground all the
amendments.
Mr.. Talmadge then moved that John
Anderson should be forthwith brought to
the bar OF the house.
Nj. Beecher said that before the priso-
ner was brought in, the house ought to
decide upon the questions to be put to
him.
Mr.. Holmes objected to this that It was
unnecessary, as colonel Anderson had
written letter to the house, in which he
proposed to put intsrogatories 10 wri.
ting himself, and had besides got copies
of all the papers,
MIR. Calbrailh then offered resolution
declaring that the house had no power to
punish, and that, therefore, John Amber.
son should be discharged.
The question On this motion, too, was
taken by ayes and noes, and negativsd:
Ayes AZ
Noes 1l9
The question was then taken by ayes
and noes on the motion to bring in John
Anderson to the bar Of the house, and
was carried.
Ayes 1ls
NOas IS
Colonel Anderson was then brought to
the bar, and gave in list Of several wit
nesses, Of whom general Harrison, colo.
mel Watson, the honorable colonel john
son, member for Kentucky, and two or
three others, whose names we failed to
catch we're examined hy colonel Ander.