Litchfield enquirer., 1832-05-31
Rsn ll. Mee- Ne,t Adssreissr.

D,bate om Dr. Davis' Letter to the HoR. Mir. Cooks. of OkiO.-We give at length this de- hate. which occurred on Monday last. just be- foFa inc attack on Mir. Arnold by Mayor HS5fa. This subject Mr. Polk endeavOred t, svade. and after some remarks by Mr. Bur res. the House negatived the amendment of Mr. stanbcrry by a majority of two, as be- fore published.
 Oa adionrnme0t, which took place soon after, MT. Arnold was attacked by Heard. |
 MT. COoke, ,Of Ohio, rose and said, that he held in his hand letter from a Dr. Davis, of South Carolina, one of the witnesses who had testified on the late trial of Saml HOus- ] ton, which had been presented to him by person stating his name to be Alexander De- l nlitry, of Eouisiana, as the friend "fsald Da- | vis, which, together with the statement Ofthe facts connected with it, he asked leave t0 send l to the Chair, that it might be read for the in- formation of the House. In submitting this request, MT. c. said. he wished to he distinct l ly understood, that, without in the least wal wing hispersonal rights as member, or inten- l ding il1 Any manner to cOmprOmit, either the rights of ihe constitutional powers of the House, it was nevertheless not his purpose in- dividually, fO claim the institution Of any pro- eeeding whatever 0n his own account, upon the subject matter Of that cOnmInicatiOn.-l Such had not been his motives in presenting 1ke latter his personal rights formed no part Of the ohjeetby which he was governed. 9th CT and higher motives prompted him to the step. Motives, which. overlooking every consideration of personal feeling and personal sseurity, regard the very existence of th's House, the inyislable rights Uf the people of this country, and the dignity and honor of ehis nation. The letter he understood to be according to the usual forms Of an original process inflzAt Court, where the rights aud honor of tls suitors were settled by the pis- tol and tue dagger, tribunal, the cOmpsten- cysDf whose jurisdiction he had never yet ac- knoMledged, in whose forms of practice he was wholly uninstructrd, and before whose authority under this Government of laws he would never bow. .
 After some debate on an objection to the reading. by MT. Lamar's letter from Mr. Da- wis. together with written statement by Mr. kanDke, Oi the circumstances connected with
 !. ssere read at the Clerk's1able.
 sThe statement follows:
 On the tria of Samuel Houston for an assault on . member of this House. which has just terminated. person by the 0ame of D. $. Davis was examined as "a witness behalf of the accused and on his cross examination, propounded to him several interroga- tories. After he had left the stand and while on the floor of the House, he said, apparently referring 10 < myselC and in tone of menace, that !" there will be 8another hauled up here soon."
 a On Saturday last the accompanying note was hand- cd me i,y person calling himself Aiexander Demry. T0 The persons character and calling of these indi- vdUas, I am an utter stranger.
 Had considered this a mere persunal matter, should have passed by it, without this notce but all the circumstances ofthe do, in my opinion, pre- cluds the idea that tits And connected, this
 s with other instances of attempts ny menace and vl olence, to overawe the members of this body, and curb the freedom of debate, have thought it my du
 ", in behalf of the Amercan People, and especially
 a pe,1S s h.. asn who" represent 6 R5ssfS this .. Reprsssnsas;vs from Ohio."
 MT. Crane, of Ohio, moved shs following resolution
 ResolUed, That the communication of the Hon. E. Cooke, a member from Ohio, be re- 1 ferred to Select Committee, consisting of seven members, and that said committee have E, powerto send for persons and papers.
 Nr. c. referred to the former nudes of I proceeding adopted under the like circum- stances, vizs " arrest, by summons, and by committee. He had concluded the last mode che moot AtOn the present occasion.
 Mr. Boon moved tO lay the papers on the table, there, as he said, to sleep the sleep of death. Yeas 7S, Nays 95. N
 MT. JesOett, of New-Y York. objected to the resolution, as going, in its present shape, to attain nothing, and proposed that 1t be amend ed 60 as to require the committee to report whether a contempt of tho House had been committed or not.
 Mir. Arnold, Of Tennessee, said he should vote for the p0siponenent of this resOlution.l He was free t0 confess tEat 1t would give him great pain tO Sao sO, but all things considered, he thought that would be the best disposition 'Uf the subject :. aud he hoped the House would indulge him in briefly stating the req sons fpr that opinion and in doing so. he must refer to one or two Of ihe chief facts in k Fthe case of breach of privilege which had just received iis finale.
 He had no douht that the facts stated by | the gentleman from Ohio did constitute | breach of privilege; that that letter and the I threat preceding 1t, were part of course in- tended t0 intimidate and overawe the House.l He had not q shadow of doubt of it. The l letter was equivalent to n challenge, and was I no doubt intended SO to Dc Understood. It l had bsen received on Saturday, the very day after tho yeas and nays had been taken in ] sHOustOn's case. Now, Mr. A. insisted. that the House had brought all this upon them- selves. They had. by their own act. virtually invoked insult and outrage from every ruffian ! m the land. The decision which the House had come to in the case of Houston amount cd to cala, an Invitation to all the hand of raiiians and assassins that could be collected, ana which was propelled by secret power