The Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1822-1829, 1828-05-26
'gsVGNFEETII CONGRESS-.
iHsr SESSION.
HoCsEOF KEpREsENrAIlVlS-May Is
assault on tie PresideDB Secretary.

Assault on the Prcade0fs Secretary.
M. McDCFFIE made the following report
Tie select Committee, TO whom was rricuc
thu Message of the President OF thu United
State relative 10 an assault committed on las
Private Secretary, submit the following re
port:
Immediately after their appointment, the
COMMITTEE proceeded 10 the investigation ofthr
subject referred to them They asccrtancd
from the letter If Mr.. Russell Jaws referred to
them bg the House. and from he statement ot
Mr. John Adams. The Private Secretary oil ihr
President that an assault was committed by the
former upon the person Of the latter, ~ the Ro-
tundD OF the Capitol, Immediately after he had
delivered Message from the President 10 thu
House 81 Representatives, and while he was
progecdiug. with another Message Gom the
President 10 tie senate Al this stage al the
proceeding, preliminary question arose with
the committee, whether they should rcpouto the
House simply the fact thai thr assault had been
committed with view TO the examination ~
the bar oftbc House, OF the party Implicated,
and nh the Witnesses for aud against him, o.
whether the tompittce should taxi upon them
solye, the responsibility OF gong INTO a full c1-
animation of tie whole casn, and OF recommend
my, As the result Of their Judgment, upon all the
facts tnd circumstances, the hual course which
they might deem It exp dent toI the House To
pursue The former mode Of proceeding would
have been. perhaps, TIE more strictly cOntorma-
able 10 parliamentary usage aud precedent but
the unavoidable interference with the discharge
OF rs ordinary legislative duties, which would
have resulted hom an examination before thr
House, constituted, ia the opinion Of the Com
mlttee, 50 strong an objection 10 that course of
proceeding. that they unanimously detcuni ned
facts to the House with their opinion upon
them, having first obtained the consent Of Mr..
JARVIS that this course should DE pursued, end
having granted him the privilege Of appearing
by counsel. II is here proper thar the Commit
tee should say lew words, IN explanation OF
the delay which has occurred IN this ekamiua-
ton. After some considerable progress had
been made In II, Nh. JARVIS made an applica-
ton 10 the Committee Tor leave 10 examine hy
Commission, certain persons IA the city of Bos-
ton The Cumu.ittee did not feel themselves
warranted. under existing circumstances, 10 re.
fuse this request. 4 Commission was according
" transmitted, to take the examination BY wit
ten nteripgatorIes, which was not returned un-
al very rccently
The Committee viii now proceed 10 exhibit
. brief summary Of the evidence, the whole
Of " inch ~ detail, is annexed 10 this Report
The material fact, mat Mr.. JARVIS committed
AN assault upon The Private Secretary of the
President ~ the Korundo of the Capitol, inne-
dialey aifer he had delivered Message from
tn, President 10 the House of Representatives. IS
clearly established. Indeed. il IS DISTINCTLY adj
mitled by Mr.. jarvis Il j. also established to
the satisfaction OF The Committee, that Mr. Jar.
vis knew tha' he Private Secretary ofihe Pies.
idenl had delivered Message 10 the House OF
Representatives Immediately before the assault
was committed. MIR JARVIS. it appears. was in
the House when the Message was delivered and
Immediately followed after MIR. Adams, As n,
retired from the House There is some di.cre
! pancy in the testimony, to tine nature Of ~,
assault hut, in the view taken by the Comm ttee
II Is wholly iInma,erisl to the question nhjci