Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1828-04-24
THURSDAY, APRIL "a, 1898

AS some enquiries nave OSeh '''4@ WI wv
letter Of Russell Jarvis, explaining his reason
Cor his assault on the Presidents Secretary, we
publish i; to-day, in order that the whole SUBJ
iect NAV be laid before our readers
To the Senate OF the United States.
Leaning thu, the President OF the I. States
has msd- a communication TO bolh Houses OF
Congress, stating that his Secretary, while
D. ,srp from The Hall Of the House OF Repre-
sentariyes 10 he Chamber Of the Senate, * while
charged with message from the President TO
the Senate, had been wayayed assaulted, am
induced 10 Believe that such communication re-
lated 10 an affoir that lately occurred between
Mr.. John Adams and myself As one oil The
par les concerned is an officer OF The General
Government; and as the transaction may be
supposed to involve The rights OF both Houses
of Congress, Or Of the Executive, feel bound
bv a conslit ration Of respect In that body, TO
offer 20 each House brief state nent Of the facts
which induced III course thai have pursued.
lately accompanied party of ladies' and
gentlemen Oh an evening visit 10 The mans'oH
of the Presiden,, among whom were Mis-. jar
Wis, her parents, and two young ladies', her re-
lari,es. AS all the ladies, excepting Mrs. JAR
ri>, were recently from Boston, and Tor the hrst
time in Washington, they were dtsirous oil
psying the usual tokens Of respect 20 the Pre-
y,
suance Of the etiquette usually observed on such
occasions. While they were in one oil the
drawing rooms with other visItants, Mr.. John
Adams, The ,on Of the President, de- Jared in
their D essence and hearing, that their being
at the Presidents involved IN improperly, aud
that If | knew the rsIim alton in which l.Yas
held i'll that house, would not suHt myself 10
be seen there, and that he Intended the remark
to BE- heard BY thoae concerning whom Vi was
madr, and rop.d il SO heard The la
dies, and ,h- Father Of Mrs. Jarvis, who was
political friend of the P'e>idrnr, derming
this gruss lIdiguity TO themselves, and 'i"-
laron Of the hospiaiIies ofs house 10 whose
inmates hey were paying complimentary VI
SIT. Immediately reursd. From respect 10 the
lady Of The mlnsion, and OF the company pre-
sent, / rcrhore To notice, the time, the con-
duct of Nj. John Adlm,, p eierlmg 20 see an
explanation after he excitement produced by
the outrage mad, in some degree, subsidized
afterwards addressed nOtc 20 Mr.. John Ads
ans, stuting that hid heard of his having
maze he remarks above mentioned and hat The
gentleman who delivered the note was authors
isrd 10 receive his explanations, belle ing ha',
on reflection, he would be sufficiently seaside
Of what was required by common ci'iity, 70
offer satisfactory apology. After trading my
note, he affirmed that he did pronounce our
bove mentioned, % be highly improper consi-
d,rlng the pohficq! relation which bore to his
father; that be mad no explanation 10 give, and
tat he Should decline all correspondence with
me on the subject. wil! here observe, that
had understood the craving rooms Of the Pre-
sidcnt were open upon certain occasions, to all
who were disposed 20 honor him aud his lady
with their civilities, aud ha' the evening when
the visit above M aIioned was paide, was one
of such occasions; that had, on coming 70 re-
side at Washington in January last, paid IN
him the usual tokens OF respect; and that while
at his house, on a former occasion, met there
the most distinguished gentlemen Of that poll
ticl party with which have the honor OF be-
ing associated.
Af'er receiving this answer, ! did not see
Mr.. John Adams until Tuesday last, when he
appeared in the Hall of the House Of Represen
tatives, charged with message from the Pre-
sidenl TO that body. After he had left the Hall
and while he was in The Rotunda of the Capt.
toI, accos,ed him and asked if he had Civ er
his final answer to my mole; for still hoped
that he might be induced to offer some aposog,
or explanation. On his saying that his hna
answer had been given, Was excited 10y his
continued refusal, and BY recollection Of tn.
offence, to commit an assault upon his person
viii consisted merely in pulling his nose; and
slappirg one side Of his face with my oper
hand In doing this, disclaim any intention
ofiuhicting Oh him any bodily injury, fol- wa:
totally unarmed, and assailed him merely IN the
manner above described, while he was provided
with as,out cane. also disclaim any intsn-
tion Of waylaying him, for our meeting IA, the
Capi'ol was accidental. More especially do
disclaim any mention Of infringing Oh the
rights, or sssa,ing the dignity Of The Preside n
ofthe United States, OF either House of Con-
gress, or OF any public funclionary, or any in
tention OF obstrucring an officer of the General
Government in the discharge OF his official du
ties.
When accosted Mr.. John Adams in the
Rotunda, i supposed he had discharged his Of
fetal du,Ies, and Vas on his way from the Ca
pitol | was NOT aware Of his being charged
with message to the Senate, or OF his being
on his way TO the Chamber of that body.
viewed the Rotunda as common ground,
public passage, not particularly within the ju-
- n e ~. .