Litchfield enquirer., 1832-04-26

ment-" that q select committee be appoint ed. to whom shall he referred the cOmmuni- cation Ofthe Hon. MT. Stanberry. member of this house from the State of Ohio, in re- 'latiOn to an assault and battery committed on him by General Houston, with power to take such lsteps as will insure thorough inyesti- gatiOn of the transaction.
 Mr. Spcight said he was sorry that the gentleman from Ohio had given to the trans action political cast. Mr. Vance wished 10 know what was exceptiOnable. Mr. Speight said that part which referred to the Presi- dent and his myrmidons Mir. Vance said he put that only in illustration. Mr. Speight was glad the gentleman from Ohio had taken back what he had said. MT. Vance said he took hack nothing. MT. Speight thought the only course was to appoint committees, and investigate the facts, of which he did not wish to be member, that if it should appear the facts were incorrectly stated by MT. Stan- berry, and MT. Houston should in the mean time be confined. they could not repair the injury done to him.
 Mr. Doddridge wished the Journal entry read in the case of MT. Anderson. The Clerk read the entry accordingly, when MT. Doddridge said, we were deliberaiing wheth- CT this House could protect itself, its freedom of debate, and it's own honor, and to put an end to discussion which could not reflect any credit on the house, he moved the previous question--which motion being negatived. s Mir. Coulter said, as an allusion had been made to the report of a minority of a com mittee Ofwhich he was one, he thought prop CT to say he did not concur in the reasoning adopted in the report. It was drawn up by a very ingenious gentleman, MT. Barbour, in which he set up his own peculiar doctrines, sNf ft.nn <xe ehnf had han VnP, ruled by the House. He was of the opinion that the private Secretary of the President was not an officer within the meaning of the Constitution. 8
 Mir. Coulter spoke for some time with much spirit, and with great eloquence. He spoke of the injury and indignity oferred to the people, and not to the member. What would be the course pursued by the Presi- dent if he wished to strike out a new course in his administration, and to sti1e discussion by those opposed tU him, or tO stiie petitions. It would be to employ desperadoes and bull lies to assault the members in the streets.- He did not know but he had exposed himself to a similar assault and battery to that infiic- ted upon his friend from Ohio, whom he had visited, as he had seen his assailant stalking through the housa for some days, with large bIudgeon in his hand but let the con- sequences be what they might, he would speak boldly, as became representative of the people.
 Mr. Drayton was gra!ifed that the motion made by the gentleman from Virginia did not prevail. There were cases in which 1t was proper to enforce the previous question, but not where principle was concerned, or the privilege of member ofthe house, or where the liberty of citizen was concerned. The resolution presented two questions, 1st, as to the powers of this house, and 2d. as to the manner of exercising this DO yer, if the House possessed if. He c0ntended that if freedom of debate was curtailed in the house, there was an end of our free institutions. And could there he any freedom, fla member was liable to be assaulted and beaten for remarks made in this place He thought that the popular principle pressed by the gentleman from Tennessee was the mnnarchical princi- pie. The house had the same privilege that the people would have ifthey were assembled to deliberate. Suppose the people were as sembled to form constitution, would it be the popular principles that an intruder might interrupt their deliberation, or assault and beat one ofthen, at the time of going tO his lodgings. He deprecated the doctrine that had existence in France, when the action of ofthe Chambers was controlled by mob in the gallery, or in the streets.
 MT. Drayton intmated that the statement should have been certified by oath. MT. Vance requested the gentleman to yield the floor for d moment.
 Mir. .Drayton having taken his seat-Mr. Vance stated that having understood some gentlemen entertained the opinion that an oath should have accompanied the statement, he had sent in duplicate of the letter to the Speaker to MT. Stanherry, and an affidavit was attached to it, which he would present to the House.
 The affidavit having been read, Mir. Els worth regretted 1t had been taken. MT. Dray. ton spoke few sentences and closed his speech. having occupied the floor for nearly an hour.
 MT. Patton asked what was the question, which being stated, Mr. Fulton said he un- derstood what it was, hut from the course of the remarks that had been made, he feared the house did not understand what was the exact point to he decided. The Speaker said the whole question was open on the amend ment, as it was to strike out and insert. Mr. Patton said the question was of judicial character. and should be approached cOoIly and calmly, and he requested gentlemen not to lash themselves up into passion, which would unfit them for the duty tO be dischar- ged. He said there was no necessity of sup. posing cases that might. under other crcum- stances. implicate the President, nor was