The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1844-02-05
A BRUTAL OUTRAGE OF A MEMBER or CON
GRESS

In our Journal Of last week OF the proceedings of
Congress it was barely noticed that Weller,n member
Of Congress from Ohio shamcfuIIy abused MIR Stewart
Of Pennsylvania. Mr. Stewart made n speech upon in.
ternaI Improvements the question of appropria
tons for Improvements upon the Western Rivers,
&c-and took occasion TO show how MIR Van Blu
rem had opposed general improvements Of this sort -
Weller was put forward rs the bully BLACKBOARD of
the loco lOco party to attack MIR Stewart A Mr..
Shrver, the Reporter for the Baltimore Patriot,
ported his Speech and his outrageous conduct, and
his Report was printed in the Patriot. The WASH
inston Correspondent ofthe Boston Atlas under date
Of Jan. 25, gives the following account of what fol-
lowed:
81 have already written to you an account Of the
dsgracefnl blackgunrdism, OF which member from
Ohio, by the name of WELLER, was guilty on FRI
day lnst-in making coarse, vindictve, and uni
iabe personal assault npon Mr. Stewart of Pennsyl-
vann. natural rolIary Of that Outrage has been
witnessed in the House, to.doy-and brutal violence
upon genemany and worthy reporter for the Bal.
,imore Patriot, has followed the and most ma
tura STEP to the rude and offensive language Of the
last week.
This forenoon few moments before the opening Of
ing desk, in the of the Speakers Chair-when
Weller, who had evidently been urged on 10 this by
a knot of locoloco rowdes among W HON are said TO
have been Black, of Georgia, and Beser and Payne,
of Alabama, stepped up TO him, with the full deter
mnaton to provoke and force personal
Let me here state that MIR Shrver is quite yo ung
man, OF slender frame-and, in personal strength,
mere infant, cJmpa red with the cowardly ruflian,
who, relying upon brutal strength, and physical
superiority, magnanimously assailed him. A more
gent!cnany, dflident, retiring worthy and amia-
BILE person know ONO where-and it is on account
ofthese very pecuarities, presume, that this das-
tardy assnilant had that courage attack him It
evident, from all that took place. before and after the
atfray, that the whole was premeditaed affair.
am informed that Mr. Stewart had caused extra copies
Of the Patriot to be sent him, for the purpose of dis
tribuon among the people ofhis distrct--and these
had been put into tho folding of the House,
rs is tie custom, to he done up in wrappers. l am
further told that locoroco officer having charge Of
the folding roomtook one of the papers land showed
it, as he had right TO do, to the Loco Foco mem
bers who were congrogaied in the behind the
Speakers chair At moment 'chen Uhig ,cGs
even in sight Of the gfroy, the courageous MIR John
rowdies, James Z. Belser, and William w. Payne
of Alabama, taking advantage of the unprotected
condition, and physical inferiory of Mr. Shriyer,
assailed him with insulting and scurrilous abuse,
which no human being could have listened to I'M
moved; and because Mr. s. Indignantly repealed the
and insulting language, such gentleman
would have used, in firm but proper it was
made pretext, such had evidently been sought,
for act of still more brutal and cowardy violence
Weller, as learn from who heard il from his
own lips, told Mr. Shrive that he should hold him
personally responsible if he spoke Of him again
in such terms MIR 8. replied that of course he ex-
pected to be held aud admitted his responsibility
for all he had written. Thereupon, Weller told him
that he had been writing lies about him, and was
iiar-and told him to pocket the insult Mr. Shriver,
being stranger in Washington, ignorant of his rights
and privileges and not knowing how far a member Of
Congress protected by his position the floor of
the House, and apprehensive lest he might be viola
ting his own right to the foor which he possessed
by the courtesy Of the House, did not feel that he
had the right to resent the gross indigny tha,
he might have felt, had it been in any other place
Besides what could he do, assailed as he was by a
whole gang OF rufiians each three times his superior
| VI Perso""' sue"S"' A'o' ho"e'e'' rePheu, III q
| firm but courteous manner, that he had written
nothing but what true, and what he could prove
and that, whosoever gainsad that, and charged
him with fasehood himself liar. lie then
! turned to 60, when Weller struck him, taking him
unawarcs, the temple, aud is supposed, with
some sharp weapon in his hand, for it left deep
cash on his forehead. The blow knocked him down,
and he fell against of tho south windows, which
was broken by the crash. As Mr. s. attempted to
rise Weller again struck him down md, he fe