Weekly national intelligencer., 1848-04-22

act on mere common rumor
Mr. GAYLE rose and said he did desire TO discuss the
question before the House his main purpose 10 ascertain
the precise question submitted TO the House.
plaint made by member of this House that according
TO rumor the safety Of member of this House had been
menaced by Individuals mob and there il stopped.
said that mob individuals had threatened somebody
Now, who that somebody He a member Of this
House, and therefore il conended by gentlemen that il
there was threat against member Of this House, mat
ter what provoked IL this House had jurisdiction in the case
and could call the offending parties before it, That the
question submitted for their consideration Now be had
always understood, when with any complaint
whatever either ~ legislative assembly Of JUSTICE
his complaint must contain such facts true, would
able the court the house inct punishment We them
suppose, in this has menaced the safety Of
member this House, does it follow that that
suited from any of such slegsatve conduct BY
means The inference very strong the other way for if
had arisen out Of any thing said this floor nothing would
have been easier than for the gentleman to have inserted it,
If this House should decide this question according
views Of the gentlemen from Pennsylvania and New York,
CMr j. r. ISGEnsoIL and Mr. DuER would give license
every member go and commit what depreciation he
pleased member Of this House might go into city
of Washington and assa any man in the community, whe
ther provoked unpovoked, and then come back and
plain to the Housenot stating the facts not stating that the
against whom complaint made had been assaied,
but simply making complaints would that give the House u
risicon Yet such the position assumed in this House
Mr.. J. r. INGERSOL did not agree with the suggestion
Of the gentleman from Alabama bad he pretended
unless Of its endangered and then by analogy
he believed the House could proceed the courts justice,
with which the gentleman from Alabama familiar The
had always power TO take into their own hands the
assertion and vindcaon Of their dgnty whenever
sailed before the court by wayaying Witnesses counsel
judges by publications that calculated 10 interfere
with the administration of justice.
/ Mr.. GAYLE concuned with the gentleman from Penn
syvania in the which he had stated II witness
suitor in court wayad that he prevented at
tending the court would be competent for the court to in
teere. But when the complaint made it was for the
witness the suto the that he had been
wayad prevent his attendance the court But
did this complaint state that any thing bad been done either
for the purpose of preventing the attendance Of member
this House, in consequence Of any thing he had done in
/ this House No. The gentleman fiom Pennsy yvania (Mr
j. r. ISGERsoLL) did go far IN the cases he
had ced but he meant sustain the pending resolution of
the gentleman from Massachusetts, (M PALFREY, and that
was what he (Mr. G had stated. This simply
plant predcated rumor that mob or individuals had
threatened the safety of member of this House And for
what had this been done II for the member making
the complaint it, He understood the gentleman from
Pennsy yvania eminent in the legal profession did he
not then know that when he makes such complaint he
forth the facts of the What the object OF
such inquiry if that the truth Of the facts should
be inquired into Suppose such complaint commit
should be appointed and should he confined simply
the complaint, and report should be made in conformity
Herewith, what them II would report thata certain mem
Der of this House-A B-had been threatened by mob
by individuals but facts would be set forth, and hence
he repeated the adoption THIS
to Of this House commit whatever depredaions
they saw fit Suppose he found endeavoring to en-
tice away his slaves and he kicked that from his
mses and turned out that that man member OF Con-
gress and that he should ask this House to nct punish
men for the assault If such should occur, ques
ton would before this House which to this day had not
been heard and be hoped and trusted would not arise.
Mr.. INGE said il manifesty proper in order to right
discussion OF question before the House, that it should be
| in possession Of definite knowledge Of the facts
Mr. GIDDlNGS here ineposed and said that if the gen.
eman would yield the oor he would state some OF the facts
! Of the
House relation the merits Of the resolution, nor as to
whether the facts such justify the allegations stated
in it. gentleman from Massachusetts had stated in his pace
that member Of the House had been menaced and his at
tendance in the House endangeredy mob and he claimed
hearing that the House might whether facts JUSTIFIED
the he had heard and if they did, whether they
such furnished ground of proceedings not The Char
had decided that such allegation having been made raised
privileged question He had 50 decided order that if the
privileges Of the House be drawn into doubt it should
be by the House ITSELF and not by the Speaker And that
the issue. Did such allegation, Of sel, present
| privileged question
| Mr.. HARALSON inquired OF the Chair whether the
House had right go into the facts in order to decide
whether any breach Of the privileges Of member had been
committed He certainly thought perfectly competent for
the House to inquire into that question.
The SPEAKER said il clearly the right Of the House
to do and the Chair had ruled II had decided that
the allegation Of member brought the question up at
and then would be the province Of the House itself to deter
whether its privileges had been violated not IL was
from this decision that appeal had been taken by the
tleman from Pennsylvanis, (Mr. BaoDHEAD.)
Mr.. GIDDINGS said his judgment accorded with that OF
the Speaker and he desous Of stating facts to the
House.
Mr. INGE (who still retained the hoor went on to remark
that the appeal Of the gentleman from Pennsylvania arose
from contained in the preamble to the resolu
ton and statement Of facts by the gentleman from Ohio
could vary the question. Mr. l. was however. very will
ling bear what the gentleman had say He wished, for
one know what hreats the preamble Of the resolution
feed and also what provocaon (f any, bad elected the
the threats uttered II the gentleman from Ohio the in
dvdual who had been menaced let him get and So
The CHAIR ruled that, until the question the appeal
had been decided other question would be in Order
Mr.. GIDDINGS expressed great desire TO get the floor
Several other gentlemen their feet and there was
a good deal Of sensation in the House.
Mr. BOYD wished understand the decision appealed from
As he understood il, gentleman had offered resolution
the preamble which stated that rumoed that mem
Der Of the House had been menaced and the Chair had de-
cided that TO be a question Of privilege.
The CHAIR corrected Mr. b. What the Chair bad de-
cded was that the inquiry proposed by the resolution was
privileged question. When received as such then IT
would be competent for the House se and not for the
Speaker decide whether its privileges had been violated
or not
Mr. INGE proceeded 10 say that he regretted very much
that the House could have the Of facts which
the gentleman from Ohio had been about TO submit Un-
der the circumstances, they would be interesting Mr. l.
in favor Of any which went TO vndcate the rights
Of that body Of any member Of IT, He prepared to
se them 10 the whole extent laid down by the constitution,
and the constitution to restrict the parliamentary