New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1850-08-03

Mr.. PEARcE, from the Select Committee aP-
pointed to investigate the disorder which took
place in the Senate on the 9TH Of April last, be
tween MeGsrs. Bentoa and Foote, made the follow
ing Report, " hich on his motion was laid On The
table and ordered to be printed.
The Committee appointed in conformity with
resolution Of the Senate Of the 18th Of APRIL 1850
report;
That, at the request Of Mr.. Benton and Mf.
Foote, they summoned Witnesses and took much
testimony, which IS set forth a. large In an ap-
pendix herewith presented.
la order TO a proper understanding 20 the facts
into which the Committee was directed 70 inquire,
it ia neceiAary 70 premise that on several occasions
prior 10 the nth Of April Last, the Senator from
Mississippi air. Footel had INDUCED in remarks
personal 10 the Senator rom Missouri AZ enI0ll.
That on the occasion last preceding the one IN
question Mr. Benton complained Of sloGe personal
tiles in strong and violent language, addressed 10
the Senate Tetorted the personalities upon ID.
| FoOte spoke Of the failure VI the Senate TO pro.
| tect its members from such ils1ltsi and dec ared
| bis determination il tie Senate did not protect
him the rester 10 redress the wrong lin5elr coat
what it might. He also said, inGuos.aace, max a
! member Offering such Insults should be cudgehed.
! On the following day mr. Benton brought into The
! Senate the newspaper report OF tle aiseIcG,oh'
! which he said bad been revised by M Foote. lie
pronourced it lying report and denoancedIt as
On the l7th April the Senator from Mil1oari Mr.
BENroS) said, in debate, as follows:
"Sir inend by these amendments 10 cut Al the ROOT OF
all hat sgsnoD AID 10 cuI up Tho whoo Adorets Of he
fame. 10 slow shat there ~ss no ioun1ahon for
sny such ttpg; that Is mean TO offer pFoposion upon
which The votes will show that here has Deea cy OF
ico" when there 20 wo' that me country has been
alarmed without end sg8nsI reason; that the Els
10 design in Tho Congress O he UDed States 10 eaeoscl
upon lie gtis Of he South nor ~ agrees upon lhe oOa
nor TO oppose them upon the subject OF sheir insulaons
PROPOSE .i to give The Senate an opportunity Of showing
ihs all this elann been without Oundelion snd, fur
hT propose give " the people VI he Uhled Sa15s he
highest declaration dat can DO given earth that they
have been distu about uo ng and, when ccmoio
that part Of the question viii sce whether they ere a6
slractons poi and II hese ebstrsctons, then the
county hes been alarmed about sbsfschons"
To this the Senator from Mississippi MIR. FooTs)
replied as foowa:
III rspeat that did here This morning in the
expectation OF say ing word and, especially would not
be heard referring 10 anything emansing fon certain
quarter ser what has occurred here bui for what con.
ceive 10 be orect attack upon my sell ana 0aos WIN
whom sm proud 10 st6nd associated We al know the
history Of The Southern address aud he world Knows us
history II ia Tho hsoIy Of The scon 81 band Of PATROLS
worthy OF The highest s0dsIon and who ~d be ned In
venersCn hen their csumIiaOrs, matter who they
may be, III be the objects Of general oshing and con
tempt , ,,.a,o ,a,os ,si,b ,d ..,c,'onad f5a,
address are charged wil being ega1ors And by weom
With whom does such accusation as his originate!
sls be personal sef tho lesson nave aesdy
here intend 20 be, 10 parliamentary 80 -, perfectly
oil things 5Gt by WHOM Is mis- sk raofdlnary
The oldest Of the Senssshe fehsr Of the senate
By a gentleman who, OF a late occasion'-
At this point in the speech OF Mr. Fo1te, NJ.
Benton ros from his seat; throw pushed his chair
violently from him passed through the opening IN
the railing into the passage, behind the bar OF tho
Senate and, without remark or gesture, buE with
tn angry cOuntenaGce, quickly str0je doFn the
passage, without the bar Of the Senate toward thu
St. at Of Mr. FoOte, which is distant about twenty
feet from Ms own-boLh rests being In tho back
row, next the bar Benton had no Wespon OF any
kind in his bands or about bis person.
Dir. Foote quickly peiceivinS tho movement Of
MIR. Benton, acd, almost simultaneously with IT,
lef his place On the floor, and proceeded down the
tmali alte which leads from hls seat to the space
IN mont Of the Sec:e.arys table, and which is the
| ore IeXt TO the principal aisle. AS he did So hs
looked over bis shoulder and drew pistol the Dis.
| to beng fyt-chambered revolver, fully loaded
MI Fcote ccched his pistol, either while going
down the aisle, or after be had taken his position
| in front Of the SeCretary'S table.
Mr' Dodse, q Wisconsin, quickly followed M.
! Benton, when he moved down the passage, With
out the bar-oveItooA him, within seven or eight
feet of MIR Foole's seat and took him by the arm
WHEN Mr.. Benton said, Don't stop me, Do lge."
MI Dodge then sad, Don't compromit yourself OF
tie Senate or words to that effect.
Mr.. Benton then turned with Mr. Dolge, nad
was going back TO his seat when nc perceived the
| pistol In hr. Foote's hands, which seemed 20 ex
cite him greatly. He got within the bar noar mis-
seat ard struggled with the Senators around him,
Is ifeesTous Of approaching Mr. FOote, e1c,aiming
al am moi armed 81 have no pistols" 81 dig.
dsin to carry arms' "Le, him f5e;' ISLAND oQ:
Of the way aid LIT the assassin fire. While max.
ing these excamatiOns, Mr.. Benton was BROUGHT
back 70 his Eeat by the Senators around him.
In the meantime in tire midst Of great noise and
! confusion, Mr., Fooio bod remained Standing in or
near the poEilion he had taken, with his pistd ia
| bis hand cooked. bnt with the nuyZia GDsvo NJ
DICKINSON, OF n y. desired him t. give up the ps-
to, vhlch he readily old when DIR Dickinson
locked it in lis desk. Soon after, both Senators
resomed Their seats, and order was restored
After giving this narrative of the proceedings ia
question, the Committee feel bound TO say that the
whole scene was most ciscrc0itatlo to the Senate.
Its origin must be traced directly 70 the viola.
ton OF that iue Of order which iolods al person
slties which, 'tough it allows tho msmoer =
speak with the utmost freedom on the measure or
tN'Jtc' oeiore me senate does no. allow R9y di.
erosion IN order 10 GTaign the motives or nssaI
the character Of any o,her member who advo,atas
or opposes lt. This rule is not founded merely ~
conS ont.on0l decoIum, or that natural conriesv
mich prompts men 20 avoid VIVA, IL painful or m.
pleasant 20 others Neither is It only be,ause NJ
tho dignity Of the BODY that "revins nippipg. or
unmanueTy woTds" are forbidden t. be spoken
Il is required fer the freedom aid p1ry oflesis!s
ton, that such rue should DO made and strictly
enforced. AS no deAbertt.ve assembly can de-
serve the name which IS Ovsrawed by violence SO
the deliberations OF soch body, b be fcee must
lot be disturbed or checked by personalities of
language which ere even more painful 10 tho gen.
eIous mird than violence ITSELF nom which no! only
the timid but the sensitive shrink, and which
prom pr men If impstuous character to quick and
passionate resentment.
To preserve the judgment undis,ulbed, frsolom
Of thought unawcd, snd due liberty OF speech un.
checked, it must not be allowed that one member
should cerounoe ano;hers motives or a,raign his
character, for nything SAID or done within or with
cut the Senate Chamber
II it should happen the. tie conduct Of mem.
Der prove to be Infamous, be may DO expelled As
unworthy the associAtion Of the body. Ii be utter
n.iaohevious opinions In the Senate ,hav NAV ha