Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1832-04-24

ceeings, aud yet Il did not prevent the cor,s
their warrants, for the arrest of the accused But it had
ocen asked III 1t should turn that this is false and
groundess accusaton how they should make reparatio
TO the inuted feelings and injured honor Of the party thus
wonguiy accused and arrested He should saw
IN 'he same way as In cases OF criminal proceedings,
when an individual is wrongiuly and wantonlv brorybt
upto answer groundess charge in of the criminal
But what, he would ask would be the effect of the
amendment Of the gentleman from North Carolina 1t
would render nNgaory the of the House protect
itself in its deliberations The gentleman from Tennes-
see, (lr Polk) had asked whence this power of the
House derived' power which had been admitted to
exist by every Congress, and by all statesmen with
The exception of very few instances and where the OH
lec'ons made had been oveTuled by large maorities
mat does exist the gentleman from Tennessee admits
In cases where in the face OF the House itself its
tons are interrupted. He should be glad il that GENTLE
man would inform him from what rule he conceived that
power 10 be derived,
Mr. Polk here referred to the first article of the Consti-
tuition, and TO the twelfth rule of the House.
Mr. Coulter resumed. That clause of the first article
did not give the House power TO punish any but sewn
members for contempt 1t could not in anv way be con-
strued to extend that power to strangers Even If ner
son were TO enter that hail. and insult the Speaker i'm his
CHAIR the House had power derived from that rule TO
punish him for the offence Whence then was this power
derived! lie MIR Co. conceived il TO originate in that
principle OF selfpreservaon which was inherent i'm and
necessary to the existence of all legislative bodies
There were countries in which law existed for the
punishment OF parracide. Why was thsl Was il that
the crime was not conceived punishablei No II was
because law existed in every bosom against the crime.
why not give this power to Congress then! 1t was be-
cause II existed necessarily, and from the very nature of
things 1t was power, them derived not from the Const.
tuon but inherent i'm the House as power to
its existence. IL body armed men, Mr. Speaker (sad
Mr.. " should march into this house, or if one man
should enter and disturb deliberations would any one
hesitate would any doubt power expel and pun
sh the offender! But suppose instead of this he should
watch you, Mr. Speaker that he should track your steps,
and at night, after you left this House. should come upon
you and armed with bludgeon beat and bruise you
as to disable you from dischargng your official duties
and let us suppose farther, that having appointed
one TO fill your place, pro tem,pore he also should
be obnoxious TO the ruian and should be watched
and cudgeled so TO disable him from supplying
your place-would be said that this was no inter-
upon OF business interference with our deliberations
Or would the House pause, such for a single mo-
ment to punish the injury offered to ITSELF through pre-
siding officer, assaulted the ground quar-
rel and he would have the House bear this in mind but
Tor dscharging his duty in that chair II the House could
hesitate TO exercise its powers in such case he should
scarcely conceive 1t competent to entertain charge of
contempt against itself And what was the distinction be-
WIKI supposed case and the present The injured
party though not holding official station in that House,
was representative, its floor of 40 American ct-
zens--and surely the constituents OF that gentleman had
as good right TO be represented there, as their fellow
citizens, and as just claim vote on tho nportaut
matters decided there; but how they enjoy these
rights their representative was disabled from ATTENDING
TO his duties in that Housel
party OF strong should lay violent hands on Sc
Fera OIL te members OF that House, and bind them so as
10 prevent them from coming there would it be said thar
TINS was no disturbance of the deliberations of Congress-
no interference with its priveges Would thew i'm such
case turn round, and tell their injured colleagues il was
matter with which they had nothing TO do that tbev
must seek Their redress in the courts Of the Dstrict Was
's oie satisfaction we should offer the constituents of
these members, for having been deprived of their voice in
the councils of the naon' And what he would ask Was
the difference bewiXt binding member and beating him
as TO prevent the possibility of his attendance m ,bt
House? 90 'i''
He would beg OF each gentleman, for moment 70
GPpTse tnat 's outrage had been committed bis own
friend and colleagues that for the discharge of his dutv in
that iieusc, that friend had been assaulted bv ion
win such weapon, and mercessy beat that he was
now laid on his bed with his bones broken his flesh bruised
anu ms character attempted TO be thus dSgraced let each
gentleman suppose that his own friend or fellow
representative who had been thus treated, and then ask
"iSei' was remedy commensurate TO the wrongs of
that ifiend to turn him tie courts of the district
there to await his redress by ardy process of the law
And he would tell gentlemen, that what had occurred 70
the member from Ohio, might occur TO any one of tbe II
might ocur 10 the honorable gentleman from Tennessee
(NIr Polk) and no one in that House Womb reorcf 80,
than himself, should it he that eenteman's in for
tune 10 become the victim OF ruiansm: no one more
readily or zeaously to stand up TO vndcae that gem
ueInans rights and those of his constituents He
would repeat it-what had happened to the worthy
member from Ohio, might happen 10 each and every one
o them H. then, the Of public duty-and of tho
lghts OF their constituenshad been pleaded i'm vain
he would beg of gentlemen suffer the voice of private
friendship and oIsocia feeling, prevail with them TO
resent the wrongs of their injured associate The mem
oeFs OF That House were cut off from the society of their
friends and relations, and they must naturally look TO each
Gher for support Mr. c. concluded by saying that if tho
iOuse dd not IN generous spirit its power in tho
vindicaton of the rights TO il by the Constitution
the time might come when the voice ofthe people would
not be heard within those walIs-yyhen their WRONGS and
expressions dare not be told in the House Representa-
yves. He had now stated the views he entertained
on THIS suhJcc and he had done from wish 10 vindi-
cate the constitutional rights Of that House and of the
american people, by securing TO the members of that
House proper immunity in the faithful discharge of their
duties there. o W
Mr. Drayon commenced, by xpressinr his objection to
decision oil any question involving topics of hph and rem
cral importance, requiring full free calm and deliberate
investigation, by resort TO the previous question He
considered such mode OF arriving at a conclusion ON
points affecting not only the rights and privileges of the
representatives. OF the people, but the liberty The citizen
also, as at variance with the constitution. He was AZ
loss indeed, to conceive subject more important or
winch more required their deliberate consideration than
the present fihat House could not debate unnter
rupedy and without the apprehension of violence or out
rage on any subject before it, where the reason Of
their debating at all? Why proceed TO the question nj
once, upon every subject upon which they might be cal
led on to decide, without The lornaity of stopping to de-
bate on facts2
In considering the question, he considered that two in
guiries were before the House The first was had ho
House The power to act under the circumstances of the
cascF he second was in what the House should
execute that power, if they possessed h'
These two points, in his opinion, embraced the whole
matter In touching upon The first he must declare his
solemn conviction that, when the day should arrive when
freedom Of debate shall be restrained, from that moment
the pillars Of consuiion'will toer-the temple will
be destroyed and, in its fall the HbeEof the country
will be Frustrated TO rise no asked then, if
they would say that the freedom Of discussion could be
preserved If Tor words spoken in ha House upon sub
ject Of public interest, the person using them should be
subjected TO, and visited by personal violence Was an
individual Tor the conscientious discharge of his duties in
his place there, to be subjected to Outrage elsewhere
why, upon this principle, they might extend the imPuD
~ which would be granted in such offence should
pass with mpunity cases where representative Of the
IL