The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1856-06-11
Congressional.
w ASufNGTOS Il

oENATE.-Mr Bright being absent, Mr..
Stuart presided. He laid before the SEN
ate the Message from the Presiden, abou,
Central American affairs already pub
lisbed.
"A resolution was adopted that when
the Senate jjourns on Thursday, it be TO
the Monday following.
The presiding officer laid before the
Senate a letter from Preston S. Brooks to
MIR. Bright, in which he disclaims any in
,ention OF offending against the privileges
OF the Senate by his assault on Mr.. Sum
ner, but he says he felt bound to chastise
him for the insults TO his State and to his
relative, and having sought him in vain
elsewhere, he deemed it proper to infiict
that punishment here; the Senate not
beng ~ session, he did not ;hink he was
committing any breach of privilege.
The letter was read and laid on tho Ia
ble and ordered TO te printed.
Adjourned.
HorsE.-Mr. Campbell, Of Ohio, from
the select committee on asaul: on Senator
sumner, made report, concluding as fol
lows:
Whereas, the Senate Of the United
States have transmitted to this House n
message con planning that Preston S.
BROOKS, representative from the State of
South Carolina, committed upon the per-
son OF Charles Sumner, Senator from She
state OF Massachusetts, while seated at
his desk in the Senate Chamber, after the
adjournment of that body on the 22d of
May last, violent assault, which disabled
him from attending to his duties in the
Senate; and declaring that said assault
was breach OF the privileges of that
body;
And whereas, from respect Of the privi.
leges OF the House, the Senate have fur.
ther declared that inasmuch as the said
Preston S. Brooks is a member of this
House, they cannot arrest him, and for
t'orl, cannot try or punish him for n
breach OF their privileges; that they can
not proceed further in the case than to
make their complaint to tins House; and
that power to arrest, try and punish, de-
wolves solely OH this body; and whereas,
upon full investigation, it appears to this
House that the said Preston S. Brooks
has been guilty OF the assault complained
OF by the Senate, with most aggravated
circumstances of violence; thar the same
was breach of the privileges not only of
the United States Senate, but of The SEN
ator assailed and of this House. rs a CO.
ordinate branch of the Legislative depart
ment of the Government, in direct viola
ton OF the Constitution of the United
States, which declares that Senators and
Representatives for any speech or debate
IN either house shall not be questioned in
any other place. Whereas this uouse is
of the opinion that it has the power, and
ought to punish the said Preston s.
Brooks for the said assault, not only as
breach Of the privileges Of the Senator rs
sailed; and of the Senate and House as
declared by the Constitution, bu. as an
act of disorderly behavior; and
Whereas, it further appears from such
investigation that Henry A. Edmunson, a
representative from the State of Virginia,
and Lawrence NJ. Kett, representative
from South Carolina, sometime previous
TO said assault, were informed that it was
the purpose Of said Mr.. Brooks to commit
violence upon the person Of said Charles
Sumner, for words used by him in de-
bate as n Senator in the Senate, and took
no measure to discourage or prevent the
same, but on the contrary, anticipating
the commission Of such violation, were
present on one or more occasions to wit
ness :he same, as friends, Of the assaiian,,
therefore
Resolved, That Preston S. Brooks be.
and he is hereby expelled from the House
as Representative from the State cf
South Carolina.
Resolved, That this House hereby de-
clares its disapprobation Of the said act of
Henry A. Edmundsop and Lawrence NJ.
Keitt, in regard TO said assault.
Signed by Mr.. Campbell, Of Ohio, Mr..
Spinner and MIR. Pennington.
Hon. Howell Cobb, from the minority
OF said committee, submitted minority
report, arguing that no breach of privilege.
under tile Constitution, had been commit
ted, and the House had no power to 90
beyond the Constitution in deciding that
the breach Of privilege had been commit.
ted.
Both Of the reports were laid on the la
bic and orSs. ed to be printed.
The House then adjourned.