Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1828-04-22

letter Fead' and asked ii the reading Of The ie,e,
had been objected to- 's''e1
IL having been decided that the letter sbo,,,
read II was read, as follows: "
10 me HouSe 81 Representatives Of the INST,
States:
Learning that the President of tho IT S..
has made communication to both Houses os g.,
gresS, stating that his Secretary, while p,ss;a
from the Hall of the House of Rcpresentot;vos -
the Chamber OF the Senate, and while charra;
WIN message from the President TO the Senate
had been way-iaid aud assaulted, | am induced -
believe that, such communication relates 10 n nv;
vate affair that lately occurred between Mr. Jnb,
Adams and myself As of the parties concarn
cd is an officer of the General Government, and n
tue transaction inay be supposed to involve III
rights oil both Houses of Congress- and those nj H.
Executive, felt bound, by a consideration of re-
spect TO those bodies, to offer 10 zach House brio;
statement OF the facts which indnced tho ,o,,..--
that have pursued
lately accompanied party of ladies' and ren.
tiemen on an evening visit TO the mansion of In,
president; among whom were Mrs. Jarvis bev
parents, and two young ladies', her relatives Ae
all the ladies, expecting Mrs. Jarvis were recen+
~ from BOSTON, and for the first time in Woeh
ington, they were DESTROYS of paying the s,,al TO-
kens oirespect to the President and his lady, and
MADE tiis visit In pursuance of the etiquette usu-
ally observed on SUI n occasions While thev ,or,
in one Of the drawing rooms with ether vjsi,on,
Mr John Adams, the son OF the Pi esident decllr-
cd in their presence and hearing that their Lsj1,-
az me Pre$'de'l"s iiscolrecf'aYt improp5iety ard
that, III kIlec ,he estimation in ,cbicb ,ros 5rj
'nfhdt House, ,oeiId not sut9e, snuseU To he
seen there, and that, he intended the remark fo he
HeGTd oy those f0I Uhoni az acGs intended and
ii0Pe't az ;oGS so heard Those ladies' and the Fa
tiler OF Mrs. jarvis, who was potical friend -
the President, deeming This gross indppity 70
themselves, and violation Of the hospitalies of .
house 10 whose inmates they were paving a com
piimentary visit, lac Immediately retired f rom
respect to the lady of the mansion and the corn,on,
H., at Tho A..
uuct OF Mr. John Adams; preferrng to seek an ey
pianauon, after the excitement produced hv tho
outrage had, in some degree, subsidized. l after
wards addressed a note TO Mr. John Adams st,
ting that had heard of his having made the re
marks aforementioned, and that, the ecntlenar,
who delivered the note was authorized to receive
MS explanations; believing that on reflection. he
would be sufficiently sensible of what was reouir
by common civility, TO offer satisfactory apol-
ogy After reading my note, he affirmed that he
uiu pronounce cur presence at the Presidents on
the occasion aforementioned TO be highly irn,,r,
per, considering the political relation which Itora
10 ms ather; that he had explanations TO give:
ana That he should decline all correspondence with
me on the subject. i will here observe that, [ had
understood the drawing rooms of the President
were open on certain occasions, that the visit a.
aforementioned was made OH one of those occu.
slons, to all who were disposed TO honor him with
their civies; that had, on coming to reside ~
aSnngton in January last, paid to him the ust,.
al tokens OF respect; and that while at his house
ungulshed gentlemen of that political party with
whom save the honor ofbeng associated
AHer receiving tins answer, did not sec Mr..
John Adams until Tuesday last, when he an.
Peaicd In the Hall OF the House of Representatives
charged with message from the President to thar
body. After he had left the Hall, and while ne
was IN The Ro!undo OF the Capitol, accosted him,
ana asked II he had given his final answer to nv
NOE; Tor stil hoped that he might be induced 10
olier some apology or explanation. On his saw
ing That his final answer was lriven | was ey
clted, by his continued refusal and by a rccollec
uoh olhe ohence, 10 commit an assault upon his
person, which assault consisted merely in puliinrr
hiS nose and slapping one side of his face with
my open hand In doing this discla;n any in
ten'ion OF inilicdng upon him any bodily ini,Iry:
ior was totally unarmed, and assailed him mere
~ III the manner described, while he was provi.s
oea win a stout cane. | also disclaim any intcr-
uon OF way laying him; for, cur meeting at thc
Capitol was accidental More especially do I dis
ciah any intention Of iniringing;he ri hts or as
saiiihg the dignity OF the President OF the United
states, or either House of Congress or of onv
pubic unctionary any intention of obstructinS,
an officer OF the General Government in The
diSchaige Of his official duties. When accosted
Mr.. John Adams in the Rotundo | supposed that
he had discharged his official duties and ,yas on
ms way from the Capitol. | was not aware that
ne was charged with message to the Senate.
OF was on MS way to the Chamber of that BODY
viewed The Ro;undo common ground "a \
Puonc passage, not particularly within the iuris-
9lcuon OF either House of Congress and Differing
IN no respect so far as it related 10 the RIGHTS or
dignity OF any public body functionary. from a.
ny pubhc street or highway. / know that an as
sauit upon an individual within the public peace,
Is violation OF the laws; and rerret that any,
ihdiSnity should have been offered TO a marty Of
iadieS under my protection, and ina place where
'ney expected at least the ordinary forms of CT
Nlilty, whereby was impeed to an offence A.
g1ihst tle civil authority, which hope that NAV
ne always disposed 10 maintain, as a sober and
pcaceiui citizen. But if either House of Con-
gross shaii consider that, have unintentionaliv
OF inadvertently violated its rights or dignity or OF
those OF the Executive. BY rcsentinp within The
walls of the Capitol, grievo1s insult TO the Ia.
dies oil my family, and which insult ! chose 10
consider entirely OF private character, / am rea-
ay ana disposed to oiier any atonement that shall
be due TO such bodies
o Russell JARVIS.
iYfesHtt street, 1prI IS, 1928.
MIR. Branch wished to state his opinions: fhe7y
were such as he would not suppress from any con
TO any OF the parties. From the facts stat
ed IN mat memorial il seemed necessary to him IN
enforce the parliamentary law and while he fejt
nisPosen 10 DO that, he was equally disposed 10
guard the rights OF individuals The best Nav in
MS opinion to effect this object would be bv the
operation oil a joint Committee of both Houses
winch would no doubt DO all that appertained To
justice and parliamentary law.
MT van Burcn said, that the leading feature of
lHS message oil the President was that part which
CidleS 10 'He ailedged breach of privilege The
V'htf matters suggested in il, were of inferior inn
pof'ance and could be acted upon at any time In
Ieiduon TO me contempt alledged to have been
committed, mere was upon one point no diversity
OF opinion, VIZ: that the subject required and OUGHT
81" 'tSS4Fc tne most solemn examinations That
course was due as well 20 the high source from
%il,cn INC complaint enanatcd to its instriusic