Litchfield enquirer., 1838-02-22

l itor states, that tho tuctS are all known to him, that the chief witness referred to. is a respectable citizen of this city, and the mnenl- Der of Congress Senator ofthe United States now in his place."
 1 The pending resolution before the House, with the proposed amendment, was then ta- ken up; whcrcupon debate ensued. Alter some time the previous question was ordered, and being taken passed in the affirmative.- That rt solution was-that Matthew l.. Davis be forthwith brought to the bar of the House for examination. The Speaker then issued his writ or warrant, ard directed the Sergeant 1 at Arms to execute it. The Sergeant then proceeded 10 the Gallery of the House where Mr Davis was,, ard brought him to the Spcakcr's chair. Ihc Speaker then pre- scnted to Mir. Davis thG li1lc to be sworn. NIr. Daris-Bciorr c:n proceed, request that the proposed oath may be read to me, that may judge whether can take 1t.
 Mr. Speaker.-I will read you the oath that am about to administer. The speaker then read general oath, that the evidence which the witness should give, should be the truthy the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. Mr. Dauis. lam willing to take that oath and he was accordingly sworn. He was then taken from the Speakers chair to the bar of the House, and a chair rendered him by the sergeant at arms; but he declined to ] sit down.
 Some discussion having arisen as to the form, sc. in which the questions should be propounded. the sergeant was directed to re- move MT. Davis from the bar, which was done, and he remained in custody, nearly two hours, when he was again brought to it.
 After short pause the clerk ot the House read to the witness the resolution of the House, containing the extract from the Spy, making a charge of corruption against a member of Congress.
 The Sneaker, addressing Mir. Davis, then said. the House have made it my duty to pro- pound to you the following interrogatory- are YOU the author of the letter from which an extract has been read to you, signed The Spy in Washington"
 Mr. Douis-Mr. Speaker, am here, with out counsel, and most respectfully ask of this House, permission to state my reasons, lt any have, why ought to decline answering that question.
 Mr. Speaker-I will state the application to the House. Gentlemen, the witness de- clines to answer the interrogatory, and asks permission to assign his reasons.
 Mfr. Dauis.-No, Sir; to not decline. l ask to be heard, before decide whether l will or will not answer. After stating my objections, may consent to answer.
 Here debate arose, and the Sergeant at Arms was directed again to remove the Wit ness, ard again he was taken into custody, < for another hour, and then recalled, and chair rendered him as before, which he de- clined to occupy.
 The Speaker, addressing MT. Davis, said, the House have decided to hear your reasons for declining to answer the interrogatories propounded to you.
 MT. Dauis. MT. Speaker, tender my ac- Acknowledgements to this honorable body for their courtesey; and the best evidence that can give them of my sincerity, is to occupy as little of their time as possible. Sir, de- nv the right of this House to make the inqui- ry of me, whether am or am not the author of the letters signed The Spy in Washington. am arraigned at the bar, as cu!prit, and then called upon to find evidence against myself 1.-the House wishes to know who is the author of these letters, there is legal mode pointed out, by which they can obtain that information. The proprietor of the Courier & Enquirer, has announcd 10 the world, through his paper, that the Spy is known to him, and he pledges himself, that the writer of these letters shall be torthcom- ing when required. Let the House pursue the inquiry legally.
 But what is now proposed! It is assumed that am the author, and then am called upon as witness, to crminate myself. This sir, is gross violation of the Constitution and laws of the land. The Constitution provides, thatno man shall be called upon to criminate himself It is my right, it is my duty to resist this inquiry; it is the right of every citizen of the United States-"a right { inestimatle to freemen and formidable to ty- rants only"
 Sir, it is not on my own account that de- cline to answcr-and while doing so; let it not be imagined that shrink from responsi- bility. l have no apprehension of consc- quences in answering here or elsewhere, as to any act of my life but will not consent 1 to record on your Journals. that have been brought to your bar, and tremblingly surrcn- arc to follow me, by submitting to an exam ination and answering questions illegally proposed Mo- sir, will form no such pre- cedent; and do, therefore, most solemnly protest against the rightof this House to force from me an answer to any such question.
 Since returning from this bar have re- duced my answer to writing, and will now read 1t, and request that it may be entered on the Journal in my own language. An swer:
 "I deny the right of this House to ask, and therefore decline to answer, whether am or am not the author of The Spy in Washing ton, or of the extract from the letter referred to in the interrogatory but respectfully state, that know the member to whom The Spy alludes, and am prepared to name him, ut the bar of this House or elsewhere"
 Mir. Davis was then asked. whether the per- son referred to was member of this House and he was instructed to answer yea or nay, without naming him.
 Mr. Ddris. He is not. The Sergeant was , then directed to remove Mir. Davis from the