The Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1809-1841, 1832-05-01

tary 10 an act Tor the punishment OF certain
crimes against the United States, which was
twice read and referred 10 the Committee on
the Judiciary. The bill providing for The vac
cination of Indians, with view 10 prevent
the ravsges OF the small pox among Them
was taken up; and, after long discussion,
the bill underwent some notifications, and
was ordered to third reading, by o vote of
30 to 10. Mr.. Forsyth submitted q motion
to reconsider tho vote of yesterday, by which
the appropriation for the expenses Of the
United States Courts Was reduced, and j,
was laid on the table. The bill exempting
vessels from Portugal from the operation Of
the law imposing certain discriminating du.
ties, was considered and ordered TO . third
reading.
In the House Of Representatives., Mr.,
Washington from the Committee on the Dis
tHct Of Columbia reported bill changing the
time of holding the Courts in the District
Mr.. Taylor from the Select Committee on
Patents, reported q bill concerning pate ents
for useful inventions. Mr. Plummer resum-
ed his speech upon the motion to dischsrge
the Judiciary Committee from the consid-
! Grafton Of The Wise asset case, which he
continued till the expiration OF the hotr sllot'
ted 10 morning business. Mr.. G. johnson
offered Q resolution authorizing General
Houston to introduces counsel upon The door
TO assist in his defence, which was agreed TO.
Mr.. Patton offered a resolution directing that
the testimony of the case Of Gen. Houston
should no, be published in the newspapers
during the pendency Of the trial, Messrs.
Wayne, McDufie, Davis, Drayton, Archer,
Wilder and Patton took part, was Withdrawn
| by the mover.
Gen. Houston was then introduced into the
House, attended BY Mr.. Key, his COUNSEL
He was arralgned by the Speaker. General
Houston then offered u paper to the House,
which was sent to the Speaker, who decided
that it must bs read by tho accused or his
counsel. II protested against the jurisdiction
Of The House, and requested leave a. . pro.
liminary step, TO make motion TO the House.
Leave being given, Mr. Key stated. In sub
stance, that tho accused Ias arraignsd for
trial, the result OF which might involve his
honor and personal liberty-that fair and
impartial trial should be awarded BY the
House. That his case should not be pre-.
Judged by the tribunal who were 10 decide II.
That a member Of tho House had formed and
delivered an opinion unfsvorsble TO the ae-
cused. His motion was that the gentleman
who had formed and expressed this opinion
might be Withdrawn from the ultimste de-
eision Of the case.
The Speaker directed the motion 10 be re-
duced to writing. II was then read by the
Clerk. MIR. McDuffie moved that the as'
cused and his counsel be conducted from the
Bar while tho motion WAS under considcra-
tion, which was carried, Ayes 81, Noes 81.
An animated debate ensued on the motion
which had been offered in behalf Of General
Houston, in which Messrs. Irwin, Crawford,
McDuffle, Ellsworth, J. Davis. Carson, bod
bridge, Dearborn, Adams, w. Thompson,
Burgess and Slade. took part, when mr. Ar
cher remarked that he understood . mes
sage bad been received from the accused,
expressing q wish TO withdraw the motion.
Leave was given to withdraw the motlon.--
General Houston and his counsel we're sgain
..'hn. m- Ksy remarked That
the motion was made under she SwHer mat
IL would occasion no dclay-and as ths sc-
cused was anxious to proceed, nc wouio
withdraw the motion. The Speaker enqnlr-
ed Of General Houston whether he wss
prepared 10 proceed with his srial--te which
he answered in tho affirmative.
The Speaker ordered that tire letter Of Mr..
Stsnberry containing the charge be read,
and then propounded tho first interroga atory
10 the order Of proceed dngs ss follows:
DO you ADM, or deny that you sssuulted
and beat the said Stsnberry, ns he has re-
presented in tho letter, which has been
read, . copy Of which has been delivered to
you by the order Of the House
To which Gen. Houston responded - FOL
losss
The accused denies that "he assaulted
end beat the said S,anberry a. he has rep.
resented in the letter which has been read"
He sdmils that he fel, great Indignation on
reading in the Nstionsl lntelligencer, re-
marks there stated 10 have been made on
the floor Of the House Of Representatives by
tho said Stsnbcrry impu,ing 10 the accused
BY name, . gross offence Of which be knew
himself to be innocent, and the dissemina-
ton Of which throughout the country, by
such publication, was evidently calculated to
affect his honor ssd character. Under these
circ uinstances, the accused was induced to
enquire Of said StSnberry, in a respectful
note, whether the report of what he had
said was truly set forth in said paper? To
which enquiry thus made, said Stanberry 70.
fused to give any answer. 10 q manner
calculated still further to injure the accused.
The accused admits that he was greatly
excited BY those provocstions, and that
under the influence Of feelings thus excited,
he did, on accidentally meeting the said
Stanberry, assault and beat him, the accused
being unsrned with any other weapon than
common walking cane, and believing the
said Stanberry to be, ss he in fact was,
armed with pis,ols--thst the meeting took
place several hours after the adjournment Of
Congress, about 8 o'clock in the evening, on
the Pennsylvania Avenue, and nearly hs'f
mile from the Capitol and on the opposite
side of the Avenue from where Mr.. Stan
berry's boarding house 10 situated and that
ho of ha
neither seeking for, nor expecting 10 sec
l,k ssuko-,-