Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1838-02-15
hgy Last EVENINGS Mail.
CONGRESS-.

The Senate resumed the consideration OF the bill I'M
posing additional duties as repositories on certain public
officers Nc-lhe question being MIR. Riyess Slate
bank substitute,
Mr.. Niles having concluded lis remarks in favor Of
the bill
On motion of Mr. Wright,
l he Senate adjourned
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
The House having passed hr. Wises resolution, bya
vote i9O TO A. The Speaker accordingly issued his SUM-
mons aud MIR. ii. l.. Davis brought to the bar Of
tie House.
The witness then placed at the bar of the House,
and sworn by the Speaker. the article in the Courier
anu Enlucr containing the extract from the letter of
The Spy in Washington, containing the charge under
consideration, was read TO him. and the Chair PROFOUND
Ell to him the first OF the above Undergraduates TO
which MI Davis responded that he then, arraign-
ed at The bar OF the House without counsel aud he ask
eG To BE- permitted 10 state his case. He s.
spccully asked that honorable House permit hin, to
say why III his opinion ho ought not 10 be required 10
that nle::ngaio;y: aad if permitted 10 DO
said that he world occupy bat very few moments OF
The Time OF the House.
Upon this request of the witness, Mr.. Bronson inter-
posed objection and the witness having Withdrawn
TIE question. whether be ts permitted TO give his rea
Irr answering this nterrogatory, was debated
al great length By air.srS Bronson. Wise. Lincoln Eos
ter, Parker, Patton, Thompson, Haynes, SbIey, Boon,
G,ascock and l!"iSey.
Mr. Howard followed Mr. Ilclsey amidst ou, and
Constant of question and after silence was OBJ
tanned, said that he had risen 20 Ei0"e the Previous
Question: which motion was sustained BY vote OF ny
ayes nO counted.
The main question, I" Shall the witness have leave 10
state his for answering the fist irterroga-
tory? carried Uie yeas and nays having been OF
GsIrd) in The uiirma'vcYcas lob, nays 30
hlr. Everett inoYcd Adjournment Of the House.
Lost.
The witness was then brought in, and The Cha. in.
formed him thai Tie House had voted permit him to
give his Lessons why Tie fist inle!ogatO!y should not
be answered.
Mr. Davis (thc wi,ncss) returned his thanks 10 that
mos h.ny their .ipsy n uiV
that permission, and said that the best evidence he
could give them Of his sincerity. he would occupy
but very te:. moments of their time lie protested
solemnly, against the poweE % the House OF Repre-
sentalives to aragn hm, partly criminal, and
partly in the altitude of witness, for the purpose
of eliminating himself The lelter in question was
written, it shows upon its face. by one who was
prepared, proper time, 10 sustain ITS allegations;
and the editor OF the paper in which il was contained
had accompanied It's publication with The assurance tat
The writer forthcoming. While then, legal aud
proper mode Of obtaining this investigation was thus
plainly pointed out, he demanded why he was 10 be
brought 10 that bar, and 10 be thus Intercepted: lie
would consent, iauely, thus 20 be arragncd and
questioned. lie woaid not set precedent to be placed
upon HE Journals Of ha House, winch would hereafter
he used sanction similar abuses U what he consider
ed be- the rights Of The citizen; guaranteed to him
by the Constitution Of his country; nor would he con-
forth 10 The world TO he pointed al as the poor
Trembling coward, who, knowing his rights, did not
dare, in such situation rs that III which he was then
placed, 10 maintain them. tie felt that he had rights,
and knew them be constitutional. But while he pro-
tested in this against this arbitrary end illegal
action of the House. he would not have any gentleman
within the s0un! 81 iS Voice imagine that he was
shrinking iiu. tespons :bility There was way, he
siiI ln proceed in this matter as To elicit truth since
he had left the ia he had prepared such reply TO the
nte,rogaory that had been propounGed 10 him, as was
his intention rive, and he would send in writing to
! the table and ask Leave to have it entered upon lie
| Journal Of the House.
/ 1t was ioilo%s:
g" deny the right Of The House 10 ask and therefore
| | decline the question whether nm or am
not Tie author OF the Spy in Washington, the ex-
tract from the letter referred 10 IN the n:errogaory; but
at the same time, respectfully state that know the
menbcr of Congress to whom the Spy alludes, and am
prepared 10 him at the bar ni the House or else
where.
The second iu,errosatory being pTopounded to the wit
ness, viz:
so Do you know who ~ alluded TO, intended 10 be
charged in the preceding letter: Answer yaa or nay,
as tie may be, without giving the name
! He replied -" do
To the third nterroratOry, in these words
sis the person thus alluded 10 member OF the House
! @? Representatives.:
He responded No"
The Chair then informed The wnesst, that, by the
der adopted By the House, he then discharged.
| Whrreupon the witness retired from the bar Of the
| House.
And The House, motion, adjourned