Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1822-02-26

Cohit5 Oh Huntington, and. Mr. IdSche, Men,
bee for the County .f CORVALLIS, and several
gentlemen residing in town were present.
"A resolution was thereupon adopted, .d
rectinga committee of five to institute I'm en-
curry. Attached To- this is Il report of the
proceedings of this committee which had
examined sundry witnesses who were i'm the
council chamber when the offensive debate
took place. Their testimony fully corrobo-
rated the statement made by Mr.. Quirouet, in
the foregoing extract. We can give only the
examination of one of the witnesses.
| Mr.. Tache, Member of this House then
appeared before your Committee, and said -
II was present at the debates which took
place IN the Legislative Council on Friday last
the 25th instant; heard in substance, and as
well as l eau give it in French, the Hon. John
Richardson say, IN answer to the arguments
of the Hon. Mr.. Dcbartzch-That it is neces-
sary there should be rules here to prevent the
House of Assembly from encroachins on the
other branches of the Legislature There
was no such necessity in England, because
the Ministry is not left at the mercy of the
DemaSogues of the House of Commons
That there existed here Secret Committee
IN the House of Assembly. That it could not
be said whether that Committee would not
become Committee of Public Safety. That
Committees of these kinds had only taken
place IN England in the times Of trouble 81
Charles the First and in France during the
Revolution" | further recol!ect that he said,
"who knows whether we shall not one day
see a First Consul in the Castle of ST. Louis.
instead of the Governor" | cannot assert
that the above is word for word what he said
nut 1t Is the substance TO the best of my
knowledge. He spoke in English. / cannot
recOliect the exact words, but what | have
said is the substance. There were about
twenty five or thirty strangers present during
the said debates. The Hon Mir. Richardson
was not then called TO order by any one of
the Members of the said Legislative Council.
Inc select committee having accomplished
their business, and made their report, the fol-
lowing resolutions were adopted by the house
The first resolution was carried e5 to 1: and
the fourth, by vote of 10 TO 9-mai. 10.
ReSotre0, As the opinion uf th6 Committee.
that the information given by MH Bourdagrs
to this House, at the sitting of yesterday, is
clearly and sufficiently proved by the evidence
produced.
ReSotUea, As the opinion ofthis Committee.
that the discourse and language used and held
by the Hon. John Richardson, Member of
the Legislative Council, in the said Council, as
proved before committee of this House, are
false, scandalOus, and malicious are a hich
contempt of this House, an odious attempt TO
destroy His Majesty's confidence in the iide
ity and loyalty of this House, and of the peo-
pie oil TINS Province, and breach of the rights
and privileges of this House.
Resofred, AS the opinion of this committee,
| that the information given TO this House, on
the S9th inst. fthe discourse and language
| used and held on the 25th inst. in the Legisla-
i've Council by the Hon. John Richardson, a
member OF the said council, against the honor
and loyalty of this house, the proof or evil
dencc. received before copnmittee of this
house, on the said information, and also the
resolutions adopted by this committee, be
communicated by message TO the legislative
council that the said discourse and language
be laid to the charge Ofthe hon. John Richard
son, before the legislative council, and that
the legislative council be desired 10 proceed
I'D justice upon the said charge, and TO in1ct
on the SAID hon. John Richardson, a punish
ment adequate to 50 high an offence against
| this house.
ReSotred, AS the opinion of this committee,
mat the information given to this house, on
the !9th INST. OF the language and discourse,
used and held on the 25th inst. in the legisla-
tive council, by the hon. John Richardson, a
member OF the said council, against the honor
and loyalty of this house, and also the proof
or evidence received before a Committee. be
communicated by an humble address to his
excellency the governor in chief praying his
excsllency would be pleased, for the reasons
contained in the said address, to remove and
dlsmis the said hon. John Richardson fl ON all
Offices and places of honor, trust, or profit
which ne may hold, during pleasure under
his malesty's government in this province.
! On Saturday, the Cd Of February, the com
mittee which had been appointed for that
purpose, reported TO the House that they had
waited upon the Governor in Chief, with the
resolutions and address, requesting him to
dismiss the Hon. John Richardson from all
Offices, and places of honor and profit, &c. and
to which request his Exceliency had been
pleased to return the following answer:
This address involves consequences of the
highest Importance.
The Resolutions appear 70 me to he ex-
pressed in Language inconsistent with the
calm dignity Of a Legislative Body.
They affect the Privileges Of tie Legislative
Council, and especially that of tie freedom oi
debate.
| must for these reasons distinctly refuse
the request of the House of Assembly in this
matter"
The House thercupon passed the following
resolution ; and so the matter stands for tho
present.
ReSolUed, That every attempt on the part
OF i Member Of the Legislative Council To-
dcstroythe confidence Of Ills Majesty, of hi.
Representative, or of the Legislative C0un.
Gil, in the honor and loyalty Of this House, is a
high contempt of this bouae, and manifest
breach of the Rrights and Privileges Of thi.
house; and tends to create distrust and des
troy all harmony among the several branches
of the Government, aud To render useless ih,
endeavOurs this housc for the general wei
fore /; and that it is the incontestable right o
this house 10 rcpress such attempts by every
constitutional means in their power.
u.