The Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1822-1829, 1828-05-26


10 in the letter of Nh Jarys, he stated. rs the
ptoVocallnn by ahich he had been prompted Ia
commit tltr assault upon Mr. ADAMS eettain Of
Iensisc aud insulting language used hy the TAT
fer. IN the tlpuse ofthe President, alta lever. IN
the prrsfuee aud hearing OF tie wife Of Nh ia
Wis. and otlle, lemaie iriendt aud relatives, WHO
attended the lesrr nndeT his projection.
MI Adtms submitted connter-staicmcni.
ala i,us, IA several particulars. tom that cou-
tanned IA the letter al Mr.. Jaryis aud several
witnesses w,rc, therefore. examined VITA tirW
oi a=ccrfaemg Che tue cbafacffr nj the oec,a-
irnees n The evrc al the President. The Com
m,tcr htlere - IS not dill, ali To reconcile thu
appnenl cont ndICtians IA the testimony of The
several witnesses, relative IN til, hinneli Of the
case. Inc ma ellal ntets car lac satisfactorily
ortir oot. without involving ANY imputaiion up
on tie VetooiN Of any Of the witncs,cs. Il Is
proved, bt those ou both sides, and. Indeed. ht
the admission of Viz. Adams. that h. dduse nn.
euaee calculated. II overheard. Ia insult Nj. Iuz
Wis. L - alsu proved. tn the salislntiou # the
Committee, thai Mrs. Cotdls the uothrrof Alfs.
Jaws. WIS tetY near 10 Mr. Albums Nhrn b.
| made usr vi the offensive langune,.& That she rs
wcIlfts Other persons et The patty WHO az u,npa-
MED Nj JARVIS heard u with Sour dislmeuvsst
| II also appears, that thu ladies WIN aecompas
nied Mi Jarvis interpreted The language OF Nh
! ADAMS as an insult offered TO the whole party,
aud II seems thai Nj. JARVIS acted throughout
the whole Of the Transaction, under The sum in-
preston. Ou the contrary, II Is stated hv Nj
Adams and Mt NteiSon, that Nj. Adams did
not use the offensive language relative 10 Mr..
| JARVIS. with view of mjuring the feelings OF the
LADIES' who accompanied him, nor, indeed, win
a knowledge thai II was overheard by ihrm.
The tact, however appears To be lndlspulable,
that SO much OF thai language was heaid by Ms
Cords aud Mr.. Dexter n. induced the party, and
particular the female friends who accompanied
Nj JARVIS, 10 leaseth President House IA SOON
ms possible, under the idea thai they had been
insntcd.
Upon = view Of all the ci cumstanCes the Com
mut"e are OF the opinion the tn assault commit
ted by NJ. JARVIS. upon the Private Secretary
OF the President, whatever may have been the
causes at proyocation, was an act done in con
tempt ol the authority and dignity OF TINS lonsc,
involving not only a violation fits uwn peculiar
Ipr'ilegcs, but al the immunity which II Is bound
upon every Wmapic. 10 guaranty To the pcrsot
selected by the President ns the organ al his of
dcla communications to Congress. II is Of III,
utmost importance that the Official mIefcouis,
between the President aud the Legislative De
partment should nat bc liable 10 interruption
The proceedings OF Congress could not be NOR
ehccloally arrested by preventing the member
OF either House from gong 10 the Hall OF tboi
the President rom making oilicin communicu
uons essentially connected with the Legislation q
the country.
~ tfc case under consideration, the Frivnt
| Secretary, attrr having delivered "A Arssag
from the President was IN the act Of rrtitinp
aud almost within the cry verge Of this Hal
when The assault was committed upon him
The House Was IN Session, aud the p"Ison vii
committed tue assault wrh Immediately iinu
LIT. III.
WIS IN the ENJOY mcnt al The privilege cnnccdr
10 HIM IN common with othets, WHO are engp
ged II reporting the proceedings Of the Hanst
litho Representatives OF the People hive not IN
power 10 pun an assault committed und,
THESE circumstances. then are they destitute Of
power which belongs to the most inferior indic
NJ tribunal ~ The country. The power ot pm
!. lshing 'or Coutcmpts IS not peculiar 10 the con
mon Inv Of England. II belongs essentially :
eyciy judicial 4 Ibuual and every legislative b,
, dy The English law oi contrmpts. as such, ht
not. surely. the slightest authority IN the 5,
prcmc Count of the Iu,frd states vet the pow
- Of that Count to vlndicale It's dignity and pr
serve rs officers from outrage during lis srssior
F." will scarcely be questioned. la like mannr
~ though the parliamentary law Of Englaud. q
such, can have ~ authority here YET all III
legislative bodies IA the lulon habitualIy aciuJ
~ on lis rules.
q, lhc power IN question goeB ont OF Nh
- greet law OF seli-pfcservaiiun. II IS no dout
:" very liable To abuse, md ought always to Il
- exercised with great moderRtlo Ia its "
- ~ nHturr, II IS not susceptible either OF pre-
y sIse definition nI precise limtaiion Lac
pBrticulnr instance oi its exercise must be ~
" apted Ia the emergency which calls for !
" While, therefore, the Committee deem Il mn
:" Ter 81 grrHi importance 10 MAINTAIN The eK,
irncr OF This power, rs an essential means q
- viudIcHting The dignity aud privileges Il NJ
" ! House, they ARE clrarly Of the opinion thi
y I ought never 10 be exercised, except :
, case OF strong necessity and that the pun
= ishmeni inflicted nnderit ought never 10 t
- carried farther than shnl be absolutely an
:, impcrlously required by the existing eme
. geucy.
= In the present ease, though they think III
4, conduct of Nr. Jarvis obnoxious TO the Ger
rh sure Of The House YET they ean hardly 81
80 pose that be vas conscious, at the time
a. committing the assault, that be- was ufleIif
= a contempt 10 IT'S Hulhuriy. lie disClalm
=, indeed, any such intention. Aud As II
80 Committee are aware that mhny person
=, Tor whose opinions they have very great T.
80 spect. entertain The btIrefthat the assault
. question WAS not a violation f any priVilcl
NJ 81 the House, they thlnk they mr. require
cd by the spirit OF moderation aud ndulgrui
he ~ winch ms p WeT ehuhld hlWHys lac tN'
-, cisrd, 10 give Mr. jarvis the benefit Of Il
If most favorable PRESUMPTION, as 10 b. view
nj and Intentions. touching the rights md pf
NO ylleges IN question.
~, They, therefore, recommend 10 the ado
of ZION of the House, the following resolution
"a II i proper, however to remark, hy way
adj explanation, that here wa but barr majo
"a. ily Of he Committee IN layor of the FIRST re
by oiutlnn, the minority entertaining the b"li
,s that the House possesses no power touchlf
rs the premises aud thai there was but tar
-e mHjnrify 81 the Committee in favor oil Il
~. second resolution. the minority beleyiI
it. that IL vas ckpcdleut 10 vindioate the d
m uty # the House, by inhictng some punis
ment tor the violation of IFS privileges
bit Essoiptd, That the assault committed /
Die Russell JARVIS on the person ot Johh Ao'nl
the Private Secretary Of the President. in Il
:. =