Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1832-04-27
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,.

OF Samuel Houston the examination of witnesses and The
oil questions arising out of testimony, shall be
conhned TO the Committee appointed conduct the exam-
nation on the part OF the House. and the accused of the
Sounci' Dn any member may propose questions in writ
ing through the committee.
Mr. Clay supported his resolution by few brief re-
marks on the consumption of time which had occurred
ana the tendency OF this rule TO prevent it,
Mr. Doddndge suggested modification of the resolution
the object of which he highly approved He sail tb,
thTfyJ'oe members had yesterday spoken and most of
mem had addressed the House more than once some or
them four or five times 1919 "
Mr. Jewett proposed to the rule so as to confne
its operation TO those thirty five members no beIa -
those gentlemen should be kept silent there would b H.
Tie need oil gagginS the rest of the House.
After some conversation, Mr. ]. consented to withdraw
his amendment.
Mr. Coulter rose TO correct msapprehenson with re-
spect to the duties of the Committee OF PRIVILEGES
ocen spoken oil IN some OF the reports else here
uousn they hau been appointed 10 manage the trial
on the part OF the House. The committee did not so nm
ders'and the resolution under which they acted they
Were appointed only TO the witnesses and ,o
had confined themselves that duty alone They had moi
consulted with the complainant with any other person
they did not know what witnesses were n he n
duced, or what facts ii was intended TO prove
Mr. Craig opposed Mr.. Clay's notion as being with
oG any warrant IN the Constitution, and against the genius
OF our government The only gag he would ever cheer
iu'iy wear, was that imposed by his own discretion
mr.. Coke admitted and deplored the evil of much
the remedy proposed by his colleague
Mr. Clay defended the constituonaty Of the resolution
in"sucn as each House had right, under that nsru-
meht, TO lay down rules for its own proceeding He was
CONVINCED the resolution would have a sautary effect
Mr. Wicklille moved to lay the resolution on the table
o,S IN 'ia' question Mr. Mckennan demanded the Yeas
ana Nays, but the House refused order them and tho
motion was then carred-Ayes So Noes 81 So the reso
luton was laid on the table
Mr. Adams again offered the following resolution which
he had yesterday Withdrawn:
ResolUed, That Select Committee be appointed in tbe
case oil the trial OF Samuel Houston for breach of the
privileges oil this House, to examine the pecedents i'm ca
ses OF contemptS and breaches of privilege and repo
thereon from time to time to the House
Ills OBJECT, Mr. ~ said time and he hoped
bn ha
usual process in all Parliamentary proceedings of this kind
Mr. Ellsworth wished the resolution made more def
me' NO committee OF five, within the time this trial
would probably continue could examine the whole body
OF existing precedents '
Mr. Huntington moved to amend the resolution bv strik
Select Committee" "''1 ''''e'"o ID
Mr. Adams accepted of this as a modification. His in.
tehnon had not been that the committee should examine
the whole body of Parliamentary precedens but onv
such as related TO the questions which might be expected
10 arise in proceeding of this kind SO as TO be 10
meet them as they might occur from day to day As he
was upon two committees already he hoped the Speaker
would excuse nm from serving the committee he had
proposed.
M Hall of North Carolina could see no practical utiltv
In adopting the resolution. The members would have ~
nluGh une 10 consult presidents as such committee
a'e ana could as well Judge how far they applied
These presidents, when consulted could be of no obqa
uon on the Houses and as TO those in own history there
were but two or three of them.
Mr. Lecompe opposed to the resolution as unne
cesSary The case was novel, and common sense would
be sufficient guide. III moved to Law the resolution
on the table, which motion prevailed-Ayes g. Noes 40
SO the resolution laid on the table
MT RUNNER resumed his discussion the subject of
the Wscasset Collector, which he continued until a.
pirdion of tho hour.
Mr. Houston was now again placed the bar of the
House.
Mr. Stanberry requested that his estinonv nc ,,os,o
day recorded, might be again read TO him. he wished TO
correct one part it, which, reflection he believed to
De not quite accurate. lie then that his first inn
preston had been, that he had been knocked down nv tb
club of his assaiIant, the first or second blow but
from finding some OF his waistcoa buttons gone and his
IN. np Iut rpa1f Ial;,
have been thrown down in the scufle.
Mr. Key explained the nature of the motion he had
yesterday made. ii was not for leave absolutely to with.
draw the inteosaory he had offered; but substitute
another In such form as to obviae the difficulty which
had arisen.
The Speaker put the question on the motion of the
respondent counsel, which, after remark or two by
Mr. "ickile and Mr. Beardsley, was, motion OF Mr.
Hunt laid upon the table-Ayes So Noes CO.
The question then recurring on the motion of Mr. Ar.
cher, as modified, viz:
That "the House consider the inerrooator, "a boyi
been sufficiently answered"
Mr. Archer said that he would Withdraw his motion
Tor the present. aud wait whether the witness i'm his
tcSunoy should charge any other fraud than that which
was then IN issue: IN which case he should object to his
proceeding further
The nterogaory Of the counsel was then again put to
the witness
The witness having gone sentence farther in his es-
G;Eony-
ar Jeweu objected to his being permitted to nroced
II was not competent witness declare his opinion a
to facts whether certain transaction, in which the
PRESIDENT and the late Secretary OF War were said to he
"l' ~ uH lOt amount 10 fraud, matter
opinion, and wholly irrelevant as testimony.
Mr. Wayne explained lie had made his former OBJ
jeciion Under misapprehcnsion; having at the moment
ISocI at he House had sanctioned the interrogatory
lie dlscamed anything like with the gentleman
rom new or ia tIc interruption of the witness and was
M favor oil MS being permitted TO proceed.
The question being whether the witness should be al
lowed to proceed
Mr. Vance demanded the yeas and nays, which were
ordered ~ $3.50 49,
Alter some further remarks from Mr. Jewett and dis
camer by Mr. Stanbery Of all intention to acqu the re-
spondent Of fraud
Mr. Alexander moved for reconsideration of the vote
OF the House. permitting the incrrogalory TO which the
witness was now answering, 20 be put.
The question Of ration wa argued nv Ncssrs
Jcwcit Doddrdge, McDuGie, Burgess, Bouldn Patton.
ana sutherland, ln very animated speeches particular re-
port OF which must, for the present, be Deferred when
Mr.. stewart, Of Pennsyyania moved the Previous
Question
The House sustained the motion; The Previous Oes,ion
was put and carcd and the main question being on the
reconsideration " VIZ
Mr. H. Everett demanded the yeas and navs. which
were ordered; and being TAKEN stood as follows Yeas
g. Nays III
The witness proceeded and in the course Of his test
mony, produced anatdayt OF Luther Blake relating o
certain conversations between himself and the respondent
Ouchg BIDS Tor CONTRACT for atons 10 the enipratno
lndiansn which the accused had proposed 10 him 10 l,V
up lhe D1s OF Prcntiss and Others with view To ret the
contract Tor themselves AZ Ia higher rate.
Mr. Key objected TO having this affidavit received I'M,
less hc might be permitted first 10 put certain auesdons
70 ho wines as 10 the manner in which il had been
taken. ~ " '''' '0o'
Ken. ..... a