The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1856-08-06
15ulitiral.
ASSAULT ON MIR. SUMNER.
w. w. BOYCE, OF S. c.,
In the House Of Representatives,
S Z + L e III


Jul, ~. 1876
The House having under consideration
the report of The committee ON the oi.
legged assault of Hon. Preston :. Brooks
Oh Hon. Charles Sumner of the Senate.
Mr.. Boycc said:
Nix. SPEAKER: am desirous of making
some observations uron this ease, MS the
gentleman most particularly involved is
one of the representatives from my own
State, and my personal friend But il is
not merely upon that rIouud that this
question Interests me. As u question of
peroraljvc atlrctinr th, riuL,, ir ,Lo ro,.
pie upon one hanI, and the privileges of
the Government on the olhcr, it is "A oucs.
Ton which must excite universal interest.
In E"giand, these questions oi rerogative
have always asitatrd the public mind to
It's piOLOumdcst depths. We ali rcco!cct
how, IN tn" great case OF IIaplcn, Eng.
land Was disturbed upon the question Of
ship money. At another time, in the
reign OF james H., in the case of the sey-
en- bishops, England WAS aIl excitement
awaiting The acquital OF those victims Of
oppression. AL more rcceIlt leriod,
When general warrants mere ried to
he enforced in tie case ui Wilkes, the pub.
lie mind Was all Oh fire To ascertain What,
would he the dcc,i"n Of The courts. Ia
our own country, at lie pcrio,l OF lhe all
en- anI se'litlon laws, the public mind WAS
PROFOUNDLY disturbed in rcicrIencc TO a
case oi tiis kind, involving the rights Of
every citizen for although to-day it may
he the case oi my friend and colleague, TO
morrow 1t may be your case, or my case,
"i Tie case "t any o,Ecr individual ia tie
county therefore II ls not surprising
that tbs case should excite the deepest in
terest.
The grca, question is as 10 the juisdic-
ton ot this House. Has :hc House iurs-
. dichon In reference Ia tie power Of
tie House TO act upon this matter, it il
evident 'hat, II ih'y have ANY power upon
thc subject, IL must Le derived from The
Constitution 10y express grant, or Gy ne
ceN'"ry implication, and II must not be IN
consistent Win any provision OF ihc Con
sui"t'oh. ihat rule oi thc construction is
Gear, because our Government - II Gov
er'i"eLI o' limited powers. AL powers
not granted are, 10y the Constitution itself
expressly reserved 10 the people or the
- '''o'o ao" can '"he
able to show that the powcr TO take !, i
granted Ly the Constitution. or is n re.
cessary implication from il. WclI is ,Lo
power granted by the Constitution If
so, desire to know what Cause of the
Constitution con;crs the powerl Doubt.
less, shall be pointed AT once 10 Iha,
clause Of the Constitution which has Lecn
50 much referred to, where this uouse is
given power to punish its members for
d's Irdeny conduct, and, with the consent
OF twoIhlrds, To cxpcl a member I con.
tc.s tliIt that clause Of the Constitution i,
is the ouly one which seems to mc 10 nd
mi, of an argument affirmative of ,Lc now.
or Of the House in this case Eut ,hc
slightest examination Of that cla,se-un,
meruy by its words, but hy il, .pi,it--i.
sufficient, il seems TO me- To show thpt IN.
idea arises from mr. entire miseonccp,ion
Of the clause. Wha. was the purnu>. Of
that clause The KEY 10 the clause is in
the first line of il: Each Ionse may
determine the rules Of lis PROCEEDINGS -.
Tha, is the great idea. Some poet has
said
"o,,a.r :, u..ro,,,, s.-,,-
U'd'r i" eq"a'y 'he hrst law oi every de-
hoernl'se oooy, IL was once 5 nd tha, no
pouy OF more 'nan a hundred men could
oe any 'n'hg else than mob. a. any
'a'e' no O'dJ OF men can ieg'sIaie without
o'ue' C"e cause oi Tue unfortunate pros.
Ira''on ,L oi ,;., Tue n'S.o,'c kingdom oi Poland