The Evansville daily journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ia. [i.e. Ind.]) 1848-1862, 1856-06-05
CON RESSIoN AL.
THIRTY-FoURTH coNGREss-FIRsT SESSION.
WASHINGTON. june

WASHINGTON, June 2
SRNATE. Mr.. Bright being absent, Mr.. Stu
art took the Chair and laid before the Senate
a message from the President in relation to
affairs in Central America, which has already
been published.
A resolution was adopted that when the
Senate adjourns ON Thursday, it adjourn to
meet on Monday.
The presiding officer laid before the Senate
"a letter from Hon. PrestonS. Brooks address
ed to Mr.. Bright, in which he disclaims any
intimation of offending against the privileges
of the Senate by his assault upon Mr.. Sum
ner, but says he felt bound to chastise him for
insults to his State and to his relative; and
having sought him in vain elsewhere, he deem
ed it proper to inflict that punishment here.
The Senate not being in session, he did not
think he was committing any breach of priv
lileges. The letter was read, laid on the table
and ordered to be printed, and the Senate then
adjourned till Thursday.
HoUsE.-Mr. Campbell of Ohio, from the
Select Committee appointed to investigate the
circumstances attending the assault upon.Sum-
ner, made report, concluding as follows:
Whereas the Senate Of the United States
have transmitted to this house a message
complaining that Preston S. Brooks, represen
tative from the State of South Carolina, com
mitted upon the person of Chas. Sumner, q
Senator from the State of Massachusetts,, while
seated at his desk in the Senate Chamber af-
ter the adjournment Of that body on the I'D
of May last, a 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 privileges of the House,
the Senate have further declared that inaSmuch
as said Preston S. Brooks is a member of this
| House. theyTcannot arrest, and portion can
not try to punish him for breach oftheir priv
ileges; that they cannot proceed farther in the
matter than to make their complaint to this
| House, and that the power to arrest, try and
punish devolves wholly on this body; and
whereas, upon full Investigation it appears
that said Preston S. Brooks has been guilty o.
the assault complained Of by the Senate, with
the most aggravated circumstances ofviolence
that the same was because of the privileges
not only Of the Senate but of the Senator as
sailed, and of this House, as coordinate
branch of the Legislative department of the
government, in direct violation Of the COnsti
tuition Of the United States, which declares
that Senators and Representatives, for any
speech or debate in either House shall not he
questioned in another place; and whereas, this
| House Is OF opinion lnat IL has Tie power, anC
ought to punish said Preston s. Brooks fol
said assault-not only a breach of the priv
lege of the Senator aSsailed, and of the Senate
and House, as declared by the Constitution
but as an act of disorderly behaviour; anc
whereas, it further appears from such inyesti
| CATION that Henry A. Edmunson, Representa-
tive from the State of Virginia, and Lawrenc,
M. Keitt, Representative from South Carolin;
some time previous to said assault, were in
formed that it was the purpose of said Brooks
to commit violence upon the person of said
Sumner, for words said by MIN in debate, a
a Senator in the Senate, and took no measure
to prevent or discourage the same, but on tn
contrary, anticipating the commission of sucl
violence, were present on one or more occa
} sions to witness the same, as friends Of tn
assailant; therefore.
| Reso2Ucd, That Preston S. Brooks be expell