The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1856-05-29
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REPORT or INVESTIGATING COMMITTEE N THE SUMNER CASE,
Mr. PEARc (ns ionsD Of Nd from the Select Com nit
tee to investigate the facts attending the recent ssaa
On Mr.. sumDer, reported In wiring az follows
That from the testimony taken b. them It appears that
the Hon. Preston Brooks member OF the House Of
Represents from South Carolina did the 22d DAP
Of the present ,nth after the adjournment Of the So
nate and While Mr. Sumner seated at his desk In thu
Senate eb@moer assault him with considerable Violence
striking him blows about his head With
walking stick, VIII ch cut his head and diaAbled him
for the berg attending to bis duties in the 9e-
nate.
The cause the assault certain language used BY
Mr. Sumner In debate tbs Monday and Tuesday pre-
edng which Yr B ooks considered Hbeous Of the State
ef South Carons and slancerous of his knsrnAn Mr..
Butler sepator on that State, who was ssssn. irons
the Senate sud from the city.
The committee forbeAr to comment upon the varous
circumstances which preceded and attended this Affair."
whether Of aggcaya,ion .xtenuStioA, for reasons
which will be sufficiently obvious in the latter part Of
the report. They hive examined the presidents for this
action which re found only in the proceedings Of
the House Of Representatives, the Senate having
been called on TO ptorounce its Judgment In . smilar
In the House Of Representatives, though different
opinions have at various times been expressed ny gene
of emiDepos ard ,iity-srnong whom may DO mem
TONED the late President Of the United States Mr. Polk,
the late Judge Barbour VI the Supreme urt and Mr.
Beardsiey Of New Yakyet he juegusnt Of the House
has always noun:ed slgauit upon Q member for
words spoken in DEBATE to be violation the privileges
OF the House The Comm tee do not consider 1t
ry to discuss the at hut proceed to sts
sone of the rrececeuu conforming thsn however,
to the assaults Of the me@oers.
In March, 1875, Mr. Baldwin, member Of the House
Of presented to the House certain
resPondense betw IN himself and General Gum, senA
dressed to Inn by General Gum These ref rrsd to
. committee, Of which Mr.. Madison WAS chairman, who
reported by their chairman that the same was breach
arAI
Gurn and M Ffetnghoyssn, Senator from New Jersey,
by whom the challenge hAs been borne.
In May, 1928 personal assault having been made By
Mr. Russell Jarvis upon Mr. John Adams, the private
Secretary Of the President just after his delivering
his way 10 the s. wi another message, the matter
was, on compaint of the President, referred
TO select n'stee, who, by Mr.. McDuHde, Of South
Carolina, their Chsi,msn reported that upon view Of
all the circumstances the c7mnittee Of the opinion
vste Secretary Of the President whatever may havo been
the Of the prosocstion act done in contempt
of the authority and oignity OF = Hence.
In 1882 the House Of Represen atve5, after long trial
ane thorough discussion Of the question, voted tina. Gen.
Houston BY making personal assault on Mr.. stansbury,
member OF the House, for words spoken in debate,
guilty OF contempt and violation Of the privilege
Of the House
dents and adopt tie reasoning quoted from Mr. McDufss
report. But while 1t is the opinion Of the COMMITTEES
shat s., so Of hs Il
ton Of the Senate snd only b paoishsd by the
House Of ives CT which Mr. Brooks is mem
nized psrjisne mary law.
We that from the precedens above cited neither Of sba
iur. Of nnrS breach Of priv ege onsred 70 sm b.
Any memAsr Of the Hsuss but th.t sacs Ae usai
ssssensns sydsses before Re q wScs "a
person ccmplsnsd Of Is member. 6 Hartsel pp. ID
Mr.. jefferson, In his nAanual OF Parliamentary Prac
tice prepared BY him, lays Gown the following rule:-
Neither pswe can exercise "a. authority over member
which be member leave the punishment to them
brief examination Of the constitutional privileges q
Senator'S and Representatives win show the soandnsss OF
this rule Of Parliamentary law The constitution pro-
vides, ARTICLE first, Section sixth):-
Thai. sc; Blu: The ssnasis rot : cou!t
S sa s q he ~
The Senate, therefore, for brelch Of its privilege,
cannot arrest member Of the House Of Representatives
thor,y eevoves sosy upon the House Ct which he
member 1t is the opinion OF the committee therefore,
that the Senate cannot pressed further IN mo
tatives Of the assault committed by one OF is mo- nber
The commtlee submit herewith certain af5avit takes.
by them in the and the following reso' nt NJ
copy ws he
The report was accepted and the resolution adopted
Senator focmbs Of Georgia alone voting in the negative
TIE BARBoR vETors
Mr. MASON. (dem OF Va defended the Presidents
veto the bill for the improvement OF the mouth OF the
Mississippi
House OF Representatives.
WASHINGTON, May %, 1886.
MORE LAND puIs-A ACRES GIVEN TO LOUISIANA.
Mr. THoREGToN, of Iowa, introduced bill giving lands
to Minnesota, Nebraska and Kansas, for rsil Dads.
Mr.. CARU1HERs, Of No., intr duced bill cedipg the
public lands to the States in which they he
Mr.. BEsSETT of N. Y, from the Committee on Public
Lands, reported bill to ant milf acres o. Land
to louisiana aia in the construction Of three railroads
In that State.
Passed-62 against IS.
ABOLITION COURT OF CLAIMS
Mr.. GREENWOOD, Of Ark, introduced bill for the re-
peal Of the act establishing the Court of Ciai Us.
PROPOSITION ADJOURN DEFEATED
Nr. FLORENCE Of Pa, moved that whom the House ad-
ouIn 1t be TIL Saturday. He believed many gentlemen
intend to leave this evening for Cincinnati
The motion Of Mr. Florence negAtivsd
TERRITORIAL BUSINESS.
Mr.. GROW, Of Pa, proposed that the Conmkee ON Tor
rtores be allowed to make reports not however, 70 DO
considered until after the two approaching conventiona
Mr.. JONES' Of Tenn, wished 10 know whether M Grow
desired TO report bill to admit Kansas with the Topeka
cons tution.
Mr.. GROW replied in the affirmative.
Mr.. JONES objected.
Adjourned
The Assault Upon Senator Summer Endorsed.