The Washington union., 1858-02-05

oel 10 the tct u Ills refusal to the proper district
attorney; but the Speaker was not required TO oerti
fy anything where the offence consisted of failure to
obey the process OF the House So far as the present
case was oonteodthe witness had clearly brought him
sell within the letter and the spt Of the law and the
House had nothing to do with the natter and neither
had the Speaker anything certify 1t was an offence
which the proper district courts and the grand Jury
take cosnimnce Of and IL they desired punish the wit
ness or that offence that the forum to which they
must go. The case not yet properly before the
House Ihewitness must first refuse testify and the
tact ct his refusal must be reported to the House by the
committee and the Speaker is to certify that he has
fused to the proper district attorney The witness has
openly set the power of the House ut defiance but it
was matter In the discretion of the House whether they
would now proceed to deal with him, or whether they
would suspend their judgment until they had him before
the committee He would suggest the powers of the
House were very imperfect upon the subject of contempt
and its exercise would give rise to the consumption of
considerable time and obstruc the public business and
the law covered the case they ought to content them
selves by adopting the proposition OF the gentleman from
Ohio, Mr. STANTON
Mr.. STEPHENS, OF Georgia. said he concuferd in the
remarks OF the gentleman from Indiana They should
send the witness before the committee and let the ques
tons be propoundcd to him He had already said that
he would answer all proper and legal questions.
Mr.. STANTON, oiOhio trusted that his friend from
Georgia Mr. WRIdSlTl would withdraw his substitute
They were now acting judicaly and should set rash
prccedents to the prejudice Of parties who may hereafter
be brought before them. The proposition he submitted
contemplated definite action, and proposed that dig
nifod that gave them time for consultation It
seemed to him as little the House could do to let the
matter go
Mr. WRIGHT, OF Georgia, said he had introduced his
resolution from conviction in his heart that it
absolutely necessary that this House act with energy in
the protection Of its rights and honor they would
attain the object sought by the investigation. The
witness presented himself In attitude of conumacy
and told the House that he intended to have the ques
ton investigated by the tribunals of the country Let the
House act and then the gentleman could investigate the
III Tsth i'm fukp the of af,sip
obedience TO its mandates When the House had punish
ed him in proper for his dsoedience then the
laws open to him, and he could ascertain whether
not the action of the House was legal They
gagged in question involving the honor and the ntcgr
y of the Legislative body of the Union 1t alleged
that in this temple dedicated to justice and the law
frauds infamous frauds had been practised in controlling
Its legislation; that the votes Of members had been
bought and sold in the market and they hud appointed
committee to whether it was true and so to pub
sh it to the world The people would know this
unless they commanded respect for the mandates which
Mr. STANTON asked whether they could not do this
as well tomorrow.
Mr. WRIGHT replied that they could not The wit
had nothing to do but to express his willingness
answer all legal questions propounded to him.
Mr. JOHN COCHRANE, of New York, said he was au-
thorized TO say that the witness willing to answer
every and all questions and did not set up the defence
that it would criminate himself
Mr.. WRIGHT then said that he would withdraw his
resolution.
Mr.. JOHN CoCHRANE cntreated gentlemen, in taking
the first and any subsequent step in the discovery of this
fraud not to outrage the rights of any citizen He
tended that there contempt in the declaration of
the witness that he had refused to because he
under the authority of the sheriff He asked them to
show him the question the witness had refused to
swer declaring that there was such question The
witness ready to in writing, under oath
here, at the bar of the House elsewhere. Mr.. G..
moved the previous question
The resolution of Mr. STANTON was then read as fol-
lows:
Resolved williamson ,erroga,ories
Submitted to him under the order Of the House be printed and that
and that It's further consideration be postponed until o'clock
morrow
Mr. STEPHENS, of Georgia, moved to amend the res
olution by adding the following
Rssolred That Williamson leave request
withdraw hi and submit amended such amended
time said Williamson remain in the custody Of the Sergeant
Arms
The previous question was seconded, the amendment
agreed to, and the resolution as amended adopted.
THE CONTESTED ELECTION.
The House then resumed the consideration of the Ohio
contested eectionhe question being the adoption Of
the following resolutions:
Reso'usd That ypedent allow further
mony in this case as asked for by the sitting member
Resolved That the parties contestant aud contcsc be allowed fur
further testimony
Mr.. MARSHALL, of Kentucky, proceeded to address
the House in favor of Mr. CAMPBELL contending that that
gentleman had not been fairly dealt with He asked the
members whether any OF them placed in the position
Of Mr. CAMPBELL, would have received notice to contest
and go into examination Of the validity Of his title to
seat in Congress which title by the laws of the land
had not been declared in his much less would he
permit the dccnaton of Mr. CAMPBELL to affect the qes-
tion.
Mr.. STEPHENS, of Georgia, replied to Mr.. MARSHALL.
He said he should proceed if he in court of JUS
tice-a Judge the bcnoliand discuss the question
upon its merits He regretted that the gentleman from
Kentucky had not been governed by that rule He
tended that from the testimony reported by the commit
tee, the sitting member had shown sufficient reason
why supplementary testimony should be taken That
gentleman had said that he would show that the grossest
outages had been committed at that election to compass
his defeat. Now instead of having shown those great
outrages the grossest when the committee
about to report he and asked the House to
grant him further time II seemed that those pledges
could never be redeemed He had had time enough and
this request nothing but plea for delay and delay
only.
Mr. WASHBURN, OF Maine, obtained the floor and
moved to amend the resolution reported by the majority
by striking out all after the word "Resolvcd" " and in
serting the resolution reported by the minority of the
committee. He was proceeding to address the House
but, upon appeal, gave way to
Mr.. DAVIDSON Of Louisiana, who moved that the
House adjourn which motion agreed to.
And then (at ten minutes past o'clock, p. n.y. the
House adjourned
PETITION
BY Mr.. GEO TAYLOR. petition public
lands signed Powell the Brooklyn
thousand others referred TO the Committee Public Lands
MI ~ gnve nooce 'ha' Oh or some subsequent day
he would nsk leave introduce bill for the rccf Of John Hastings
collector of the port OF Httsburg.
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