Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1854-07-15

your pocket and believing your object weapon
s sas f & @ as ss
Respectfully, &c. yours, BURTON cRAIGE.
House or REPREsKsTAIgygs, JuSE 30, 1854.
Mr. DEAR sn In your inquiry, have
position in the House the time speak such that could
very you your pocket until
s S Cen Gss had made ns and
were Immediately surrounded and could nothing Of what
- 80 $50 FRED p STANTON
Hon, WA CuuRcHwEII, House Representative.
HOUSE, or RrrrrsrsrArvrs, JUN %, 1854
my seat s 9 wn Gen. s's cSo Sas and wss
self the hall OF the House q heard
in the his day words which
vance towards violent and Threatening As he a
ps s o
weapon until he advanced towards you.
Hon. VIM NJ. CuuRcawEn-
The following is my explanation and apology to the
House, alluded to in the card Of my colleague:
regret Mr. Speaker, that the unexpected and unpro
voked attack made upon yesterday have precpaed
into any violation of the rules and order Of this House.
have endeayored, during service here, to maintain
kindly relations with the members Of the House, OBJ
punciously the rights of all and the honor and
tegrity Of the body Of which am member.
Circumstances yesterday, over which had no CONTROL
and which had contributed nothing provoke by word
Decd elected from language which, perhaps should not
have uttered If have violated the rules Of this body,
to this high forum. But Mr. Speaker the ebuon which
displayed that occasion ELECTED by the exhibition
of deadly instrument which exhibited in connection
with the remarks that made and felt constrained
pursue the course which did"
1t willbe seen from the above that apologzed to tho
House for the violation Of its rules and the use o 6
guage which perhaps ought NOT to have utered AZ
grounds of the unexpected and unprov0ked attaoh g.
upon me; and further explained that tha1hpf5
passon which displayed that occasion by
the exhibition of deadly weapon" by my colleague
g in connection with his remarks"
My colleague states will be by reference to his
card that il had been represented in various quarters
that he had armed himself for the OCCASION and :"
hbited deadly weapon during his remarks in the
House.. "These representations" he further states
scare false in every particular He also makes this
further statement: 81 did not draw weapon at all,
did attempt to do so until was menaced with
sault by Gen. Cullom" distinct issue Of veracity is
thus presented between my colleague and myself.
To be little particular in my statement than
wasn my apologize remarks to the House, viii here
state that as soon as found did to my SURPRISE
that the personal explanation which my colleague had
asked the privilege of making related to myself rose
from my seat that might hear distinctly what my col
league saying. Upon hearing him pronounce some
thing which had been said in the preceding debate,
understood him. "alse UNANIMOUSLY false, though what
it he thus denouncing did not then understand
hesated an instant to the reply should make to
him, and casting earnest look upon him, discover
ed that he then had in his hand weapon which took
to be pistol, and which, thought, he attempting
to cock then sprung into the main AISLE at single
leap, in the direction Of my colleague where was ar
rested in my progress towards him by gentlemen who
standing in the aisle at the time. It was after
thus arrested that denounced my colleague in terms
which were prompted by the feelings Of the moment
When my attention first directed to my colleague by
hearing him pronounce the word colleague and about
the time rose from my seat papers of some kind
in his hands. These had disappeared but how did not
observe, when next cast my eyes upon him. and pis
toll as above stated was distinctly exhibited did not
him put his hand in his pocket raise it from his
desk, but saw the weapon plainly enough. / saw
nothing Of it after made my leap into the aisle
Now for the testimony upon which my colleague relies
to support the truth of his statement.
The Hon. Mr. Powell certfes that he was occupying
seat my colleague and saw weapon exhibited
by him. This is merely negative statement. My COLI
league might have had weapon in his hand and yet not
The honorable Mr. Phelps states that at the time
left my seat, and "coming towards my colleague,
he was but short distance from him, and wea-
pom exhibited by him. Mr. Phelps probably looking
at me and not at my colleague when made the leap
into the aisle, which oil the looming going in
the my part This witness does that he
weapon after sprung into the aisle in the hands
Of my colleague and therefore does not support the state
ment Of my colleague that he did not draw weapon
at ALL"
The Hon. Mr. Elliott states that he was some i've or
feet from my colleague at the time of the difficulty
and that he was livery confident that no weapon was
exhibited by him until left my seat and advanced
distance towards my colleague !" in very menacing man
ner utterng words displaying great passion" Thsgen
teman to have observed my progress towards
colleague and measured the stages of it very carefully
do not know that made any advance towards my col
league but to leap into the aisle and take it that Mr.
Elliott too much absorbed in watching my progress
towards my colleague to notice particularly what in
my colleagues hands at that time. 1t is clear enough
implied however from Mr.. Elotts statement that he
did weapon exhibited by my colleague after had
+" advanced some distance towards him.
The Hon. Mr.. Craige states that when s.umped" the
desk and advanced towards my colleague he
him and saw no weapon then. FROM that time and as
advanced towards" my colleague Mr.. Crage appears
ohave been busy in preventing colleague from draw
ing from his pocket something which he in the open
ing Of the pocket and which he not then certain
pistol, but which he ajierwards understood one'
He did not see my colleague draw pistol at any time
Mr. Craige, is likely with many other gentlemen, had
their eyes upon me and not upon my colleague when
sprung the AISLE and had my colleague that instant
had weapon in his hand he probably would not have
it. But his testimony material upon another point
The pistol he in the opening of my colleagues pocket
was mot drawn. The detached portion fragment of
pistol afterwards picked up where my colleague
stood could not have belonged to the which Mr..
Craige saw in his pocket.
Ny colleague (Mr Stanton) states that he occupied
such position in the House that he "could not see
what occurred after Gen. Cullom rushed towards my col
league; but that he "is very sure that my colleague
" did not his hand owards his pocket until had
made violent and threatening movement" Mr.. STAN
does not say what he did not before made
that movement. The implication is strong from his
silence on that point that he did see weapon in his
hand before sprung from my seat.
Ny colleague Mr. Jones) states that he was in his
seat when the difficulty occurred He saw me g jump
chair and advance towards my colleague; and
advanced he thought my colleague attempted to draw
weapon Of some kind. He weapon, and is very
certain" thst my colleague made no attempt to draw