The Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1822-1829, 1825-02-22
NO 81 or RkPRLsfNT3 MES.
u. INVESTIGATING COMMITTEE

poses lhfHtu Fn 10 III ttllftf alfhthS VI .
he could poi do SO, without appearing FL
tapr a. IN aecuser, o. witness, both u
W iich he protests against. In this p"slu
of tine case TIA. committee can take NJ
further steps. They are aware that II i
eonpei,at 10 tn House 10 in,e-i the
with power To send for persons and paper
and u, ihaf means TIA enable them Ia llaio
any investigation which hight he though
necessary aud il they knew any reason
foI sleh Investigation, they would hay'
asked TO oe clothed With thu proper power
but not having, lhrms, Ives. any such know
ledge, they have felt ii la be- then duty on
" to- lay before ihr House the cpnlmunl
cation shleh tbrs had received.
A.
fMR. KREMER'S Lottery
Grnilr,nen--I have received your nofo
of Yesterday. in which You inform me that
yon will mret Al 10 O'Clock this morning.
sud will then hr ready 10 receive any e,i.
d.nce or explanation ! my have to offer.
touching the communication of The Speak
cr, of The Sd inst Placed under cireum
stances unprecedented and which l b lieve
nj only interesting to myself, but impor
taei. IS connected with tn Fundamental
principles OF oui government, ] have re0oc
It'd, s III much deliberalion, on The course
winch duty Ia tnyselian my constituents
required me Ia adopt. The result Of this
reflection is, that cannot, consistently With
proper regard Ia thnee duirs, assent 10
place mv'ulf before your committee, ~
elhrr Of the attitudes indicated in your
note. The object of the committee does
mol distinctly appear from your noie, but
nay infer FROM its contents connected with
tae extraordinary and unprecedented pro
eeedug in th. case, that it is In hold me
responsible, through conmttee of the
Ii u.s. of Relrcs, etailyes, for letter, dat
cd III" e5'tJ nuary List, address 10 th,
editor III the Colombian Observer, and
r1bIi,hst, IN his paper of the 28th which
W. ntenlr3 Ia CO tmanlcate. through HAT
caannel Information which deemed in
teestlng 10 ny constituents, and very i'm
.pliiant to he known "a tbs Whole Amer
nsn peoplr a. tha particular crisis. Thus
vlrsmg ihe s1blnet, | cannot perceive any
p priple of aowrr IN tae I 'n-iiui n winch
Can Il, thc llnuze # Rrprescr tallTcs. and
canstqa.uilS, Il committee created by u,
Jurisdiction utPr nlt Is the writer of that
le irr II aeiihp, Involves Il question of a
Contcmpt uflhc Hen,. Moran impeachment
of al officer Of tae government unde, the
constitution, and can discover no au hor
~ by which the House can assume lnris
diclou in such case. II the authority Of
ia. House extend i n acts os thskind, no
liaht 10 could b, prescribed Ia its power
aalii may reach the publisher as we'll AZ
the Wut ard extend Ia every memher OF
the gov lnmrpt rs we'll as the Speaker of
the Hausr ol Representatives But il is NOT
only thr u,c oeslitutionalty of the power
vturh forbils me from appearing before
YOU placed as an canaot hut perceive
the danse, Gus consequences, rs we'll as It's
unconstitutional character.
Shonld Weld 20 such authority. woull
be made amenahe to tribunal which, thus
tunstituied, has no prescribed limitation to
10 rules nf proceeding, and which is ake
unlimited Inc nature & extent Of The pun
ishncnf il may inihct--nor can be lguo
rant oi,he fact, that this body, thus unlimi.
ted 10 us rules, and in the extent of its
powers is at all times, but more especially
at cisis like the prescott, subject by its
very Constitution and the nature of lis func-
tons, 10 be acted upon b, some of the
most powerful passions that aeiunte the
human breast, which nndt il TO perlorm in
thai cool and deliberate manner, the du
ties which properly belong la a court and
Jury. If il should be considered rs prapcr
that fnemhers be- held responsible here for
the communication of their oplalons ont Of
The HU s., public men ard public affairs,
il would be muca oaore safe that II should
he placed at once under the operation NJ
tie seditiup law and, 81 far rs the mem
lrrs oil this House are concerned, the re
pal of shat famous Jaw might be considrr
ed as a GAIA nifty, rather than blessing
Thus regarding the constitutional power Of
the House, aud the nature Of that which u
proposed To he exercised in my case,l have
determined, under "A deep sense of duty To
mys, If and my constituents, not 10 submit
to procedure irausN with such dangerous
Consequences. l therefore protest most
solemnly against the assumption Of any
jurisdiction, either hy the COMMITTEE 0r
the House Of Rerreseniati, ~, that shaI
.lenpard,se my right TO communicate free
ly 10 my constituents whatever may be-
liese necessary for the public good. 1t il
not my intention, 10 the slightest degree,
10 impeach the character either of the
Commute or the House, for which have
She greatest respect, and the authority of
which. within its constitutional sphere,
regard il my pride aud my duty to sus
tan. InHefasing Ia submit to the autho
tx of the House, as the writer Of the let
Ter before alluded to, it may he proper t.,
remark, in explanation of the admission
which I nr,y seem 10 have made of iis u
risdction, Whatever assent ] may have
given, ,was done hastily. relying on the
conscious ,ectitude Of my coeduct, and re
eardag ny own case without having re
H.cted duly on the dangerous priac'pi's
involved ~ the proceeding, aud esaaoi
therefore he considered Ms a waiver of my
yht. The Committee will observe, that