Delaware journal. [volume] (Wilmington [Del.]) 1827-1832, 1828-05-23

ters' Tor the purpose of finding something like an
answer to this last nerrogatory but the search
has been Intellectual, we will give for him the follow
ing:
"Although have nothing to conceal, and neth-
er seek nor decline Office" yet if answer this in
terrogatory atirmativey, shall certainly lose the
votes OF five of the Southern States and if negative
", can have no hope of receiving the votes of
pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, or Missouri
and probably Kentucky.
Is not the answer directinsut to the understand
ing OF the citizens of Indiana His letter to Doc
tor Coleman had been public nearly four years, when
The resolutions passed our Senate; and it was the
ambiguous manner in which he answered the letter
OF Doctor Coleman, which induced the resolutions
and correspondence.
-Azso:o 20 10 :Ex
ASSAULT on THE PRESIDENTS SECRE-
TARY.
HOUSE Or REPREsENTATIvEs-MAY Is, 1923.
Mr.. M'DUFFIE made the following Report:
The Select Committee, to whom was referred the
Message of the President Of the United States,
relative to an assault committed on his Private
Secretary, submit the following Report
Immediately after their appointment, the Com
mttee proceeded to the investigation of the subject
referred to them. They ascertained, from the let
ter OF MIR. Russell Jarvis, referred to them by the
House, and from the statement of Mr. John Adams,
the Private Secretary of the President, than an as
sault was committed by the former upon the per-
son of the latter, in the Rotundo of the Capitol.
Immediately after he haddevered Message from
the President to the House of Representatives, and
while he was proceeding, with another Message
from the President, to the Senate. AT this stage of
the proceeding, preliminary question arose with
the Committee, whether they should report to the
House simply the fact that the assault had been
committed, with view to an examination at the
bar of the House, of the party implicated and all
the witnesses for and against him, or whether the
Committee should take upon themselves the res
| possibility of going into full examination of the
whole case, and of recommending as the result of
their judgement, upon all the facts and circumstan-
ces, the final course which they might deem il ex-
pedent for the House to pursue The former
mode OF proceeding would have been perhaps, the
more strictly contormable to parliamentary usage
and precedent; but the unavoidable interference
with the discharge Of its ordinary legislative duties,
which would have resulted from an examination be-
fore the House, constituted, in the opinion of the
Committee, so strong objection to that course OF
proceeding, that they unanimously determined to
examine all the witnesses, and to report the facts to
the House, with their opinion upon them, having
first obtained the consent of Mr.. Jarvis that this
course should be pursued, and having granted him
the privilege OF appearing by counsel. tits here
4 proper that the Committee should say few words
in explanation of the delay which has occurred IN
this examination. After some considerable progress
had been made in it, Mr.. Jarvis made an application
to the Committee for leave to examine, by Com
mission, certain persons in the city of Boson. The
Committee did not feel themselves warranted, under
existing circumstances, to refuse this request. A
Commission was accordingly transmitted, to take
the examination by written nterrogatories, which
was not returned until very Recently
The Committee will now proceed to exhibit
brief summary of the evidence, the whole of which
in detail, is annexed TO this Report.
r The material fact, that MIR. Jarvis committed ar
assault upon the Private Secretary ofthe President
in the Rotundo of the Capitol Immediately after
0 he had delivered Message from the President IL
the House Of Representatives, is clearly establish
r ed. Indeed, it is distinctly admitted by Mr. Jar
WIS., 1t also established the satisfaction of The
e Committee, that Mr.. Jarvis knew that the Private
: Secretary ofthe President had delivered Message
to the House Of Representatives, Immediately be
fore the assault was mmitted. Mr.. Jarvis, it ap
It pears, was in the House when the Message was de
, livered, and Immediately followed after Mr.. Adams
r as he retired from the House. There is some dis
) crepancy in the testimony, as to the nature of the
assault; but in the view taken by the Committee
f it's wholly immaerial to the question which grow.
out efthe transaction, touching the dignity and pri
yeges Of the House.
In the letter ofMr Jarvis, he stated, as the pro
vocation by which he had prompted to commit the
0 assault upon Mr. Adams, certain offensive and in
suting language used by the LATTER in the House Of
: the President at levee, in the presence and hear
e ing of the wife of Mr.. Jarvis, and other female
friends and relatives who attended the leyee under
: his protection.
Mr.. Adams submitted counter statement, diff
erng, in several particulars, from that contained in
the letter of Mr. Jarvis, and several witnesses were,
: therefore, examined, with view of ascertanng the
true character of the occurrences at the Ievee of the
President The committee believe it is not difficult
to reconcile the apparent contradictions in the tes-
tmony of the several witnesses, relative to this
branch Of the case The material facts can salts.