Litchfield enquirer., 1832-04-26
ASSAULT ON MIR. STRAWBERRY.

ASSAULT ON Mhs SIAND6RhA'
 A correspondent of the N. Y. Daily Adver- 1 tiser. dated Washington, ApFii IA. gives some particulars of the attack of Gen. Houston up- on MT. Stanberry, and adds
 Mr. Stanbery says he was passing over the street from his lodgings, comprehensive fany danger, and just as he reached the side walk, Governor Houston announced his name. as if by way of inquiry, MT. Stanber- "? That he replied, ]" yes sit" and immediate " received blow on the side of his head from bludgeon. that struck him to the ground. How many blows he received he does not know. One or more bones in his left hand are bro ken. .and he is otherwise severely bruised.- He saw two UT three lnen near by; but whether they were the confederates Of Gen. Houston hs cannot say--n0 one interfered J and soon considerable number assembled. Mr. Buckner of the Senate, stated in boast ing manner today that he was present when the attack was made, and that General Hous- ton struck fifty blows with hickory cudgel, after MT. Stanberry was on the ground; and that the end Of the c0dgel was shattered and split by the blows given with it. He said when he thought Stanberry had enough, he went up to. General Houston to advise him to desist. when Genesal Houston turned round and did not strike him again. MT. Stanber- Ary says, some one asked Gen. Houston, alter ke left off beating him, what he did 1t for, wheD General Houston replied, " for what the da mned rascal said in the House." While, MT. Stanberry was on the ground. he turned upon his side, and put his hand into his poclI ct and drew and cooked pistol and present. ed it towards Houston, but could not dis charge it, which he supposes now was pre- vented by the weakness of his arm, after the injury was inflicted. Houston discovering the pistol, knocked it out of his hand, and when.he went away hAcarricd it with him.
 Alter the morning business was disposed of, the Speaker arose, and said he had received letter from the Hon. MT. Stanberry, a member of the house. which he begged leave to present. The following letter was handed to the Clerk and read.
 To the Hon. Andre,c Stevenson, &
 Speaker oft House of Representatives.
 SIR-E was way-laid in the street, near my boarding house, last night ab0ut%8 o'clock. and attacked, knocked down by a bludgeon, and severely bruised and wounded by Sam uel Houston, late of Tennessee, for words 4 spoken in my place in the House of Repre- sentatives, by reason of which, am confined to my bed, and unable to discharge my du-| ties in the House, and attend to the interests of my constituents. I communicate this iH-1 formation to you, and request that iyou will lay it before the House.
 Very respectfully, Yours,
 M WILLIAM STRAWBERRY,
 Member of the House of Representatives
 April IA, 1882. from Ohio.
 MT. Taace said he was not very we'll vers- cd in such proceedings, and had beenat a loss f0 know what direction it would be proper to give to the communication, and for the purpose of determining that question, he had devoted few moments to look into the pre- cedents, having understood that the subject would bee brought before the House. He found two cases where proceedings had been had for conten,pts. One was as early as 1785, and was the case where Randall attemp- led to bribe several members of Congress by . offering them land, if their votes were given fayOrably on particular question; and there was moro recent case, that of John Ander- son. He said he found in both cases that a resolution was offered similar to the one he then sent to the Chair.
 The following resolution was then read by < the Clerk:
 Y Resolued. That the Speaker do issue his warrant, directed to the Sergeant-at- Arms. attending the house, commanding him to take into custody wherever to be found, the body of Samuel Houston, and the same in custody safely keep, subject 10 the further order ofth house."
 MT. Polk said he thought better course would be to appoint committee, and not de- priye citizen of his liberty. He adverted to the assault made on the body of John Ad- ans, and read from the report of the minority of the committee, to show that nothing was acoutempt that did not impede the acrion of tho house--he read from the Constitution what were the powers of tho house to re- move disturbers, and the exemption of mcm- hers fromafrest. from which he inferred, that it was nok intended to give the power in ease like the present, when the assault was not nude in tho presence of the house. He said tho common law afforded ample protec- ton t0 a member, and he should resort to the courts Of justice of the District of Columbia. He cited the law passed at the last session of Congress. after the trial of Judge Peck. in which the power of the Court in cases of contempt was defined. He thought it was equally contempt if member of the other. or of this house, should give a challenge to mortal combat. He believed atthe last Ses- sion member on his way here. had fight on the road and did not arrive until the ses- sion commenced. Was the pers0R assault ing guilty of contemptf He deuied that any precedent could be drawn from the pro- ceedings in the British House of Commons