Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1828-05-21
.4ssauH on the Presidents secretary.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,.
May Is. 1923.


The Select Committee, TO whom was referred
the Message Of the President OF the United
S,a,es. relative 10 an assault committed on his
Pnvate Secretary, submit the following Re-
part.
Immediately after their appointment, ;he Com
mittre proceeded to the investigation Of the
subieci referred to them. They asceranec,
from the letter of Mr.. Russell Jarvis, referred to
them BY the House. and from The statement OF
NJ John Adams, the Private Secretary oil the
President, that an assault was committed by the
former upon the person OF the latter, IN the 10
tunto of Toe Capitol, Immediately after he had
delivered Messagr from the President 10 the
House Of Representatives, and while he was
proceeding, with another Message from the
President, to the Senate. Al this stage OF the
proceeding preliminary question arose with
the COMMITTEE, whe her they should report 10
the House simply the fact that the-assan!t had
been com mit,ed with view TO an examination
at The bar Of The House, of the party implicated
and all the wiiueSses for and against him, or
whethe, tbe Committee should take upon hem
selves the responsibility of gong TITO full ex-
animation or the whole case & Of recommend
ing, as the result, ofsrheir Judgment, upon all
the facts aud Circumstances, the hnai course
which they might deem II expedient for the
House TO pursue The former mode OF pro-
cecdng would have bren, perhaps, the more
siric Nv coiformable to parliamen' AIRY usage
and precedent, bu: the unavoidable interference
with the discharge Of Us ordinary legislative
duties viii h would have resulted from an ex>
animation before the Hous', constituted, in the
opinion Of tn. Commute strong an objrc-
ton to that course Of proc eeding, that they un-
animou siy determined o examine all the wit.
nessrs, and to report the facts to the House,
with heir opinion upon them, having h st OBJ
tanned the con sent r Mr. Jarvis that this course
should be pursued, and ha,iog granted him the
privilege of appe airing by counsel. 1t is here
proper that the Committee should say lew
words, in exrlana'ion of the delay which has
occ ured in thi, examination. Alter some con
siderab!, progress had bren made II II, MI
Jasyi. made an application 10 the Committee for
leave to examine by commission, c. rtain per-
sons in the CITY of Boston. The Committee
did not f5el themselves warranted, under exist-
ing circumstances, 70 refuse this request.
Commission wa, accordingly Transmitted, TO
,aSe the examination by written interrogato-
rirs,which was not returned until very recently
The Committee will now proceed 10 exhibit
Brief summary Of the evidence, the whole oil
which, in detail, is annexed TO This Report.
The material fact, that Mr.. Jarvis committed
an sssauit'upon the Private Secretary OF the
President, ia the Rotundo of the Capitol, lp-
from the Presden, 10 the House Of Representa-
tives, is clearly established. Indeed it is dis
,inctly admitted by Mr., Jarvis. /, is also es-
,ablished to The satisfac ton of the Committee,
that MIR. Jarvis knew that the Private Secreta-
nv of the President had delivered Message to
the House Of Representatives, Immediately be-
fore the assault was committed. Mr. jarvis, II
appears. was in The House when the Message
was delivered, and immediately followed alter
Mr.. Adams, as he retired from the House -
There is some discrepancy in the testimony, as
10 the nature Of the assault; but, in the view TAXI
en- BY the Committee, il is wholly immaterial
10 the question which grows out ofthe transac
ton, touching the dignity and privileges Of the
House.
In the letter of Mr. Jarvis, he stated, as the
oroyoca,ion by which he had been prompted 20
comni,r the asssul, upon MIR. Adams, certain
offensive s. insulting language used by the lat,
ter. IN the House Of the President, at levec,
: in the presence and hearing Of the wife Of
MIR. Jarvis, and other female friends aud rel
a,ives who attended the levee under his pro.
lection.
Mr.. Adams submitted counler-statement.
differing, in several particulars, from that con,
tanned in the letter Of MIR Jarvis, and several
witnesses, were, therefore, examined, With a
view OF asceriaining the true character OF the
occurrences al the levee OF the fresloeh'. 4 nc
COMMITTEES believe il is not difficult to recon-
cile the apparent contradictions in the Iestimo-
ny of the several witnesses, relative to this
&, branch Of the case. The material facts can be
satisfactorily made out, without involving any
imputsiion upon the veracity OF any Of the wit
nesses. Ia is proved, by those on both sides,
and, indeed by the admission Of Mr.. Adams,
that he did use language calculated, # over
heard, to insult Mr.. Jarvis. 1t is also proved
10 the satisfaction of the Committee, that Mrs
Cords, the mother Of Mrs. Jarvis, was very
near 10 Mr. Adams when he made use Of tie Of
fensive language, and that she, as well as other
persons Of the party who accompanied Mr. Jar
Wis, heard i, with some cistlnctnrss. 1t also
appears, that the ladies who accompanied Mr..
Jarvis interpreted the language OF Mr.. Adams
as an insult offered to the whole party, and II
seems that Mr.. Jarvis acted, throughout the