The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1866-06-17
The Rousseau and GrinnelI Alter
cation.
scial Dispatch to the Cincinnati Enquirer.
WAsHIEeroN. June IA. 1866.

Speclai Dlspaich 70 tne bincilnel Enq llrer.
WASHINGTON, June IA, 1866.
The assault of General Rousseau upon
Mr.. Grinnell, which took place this afr
ternoon at the east front of the Capt.
tol, is the absorbing topic tonight. The
accounts given of the affair by the par
ties Themselves, and their witnesses,
agree in the main.
From these several accounts it ap-
pears that after the House had adj
journed Mr. Grinnell was seer passing
out of the rotunda, through the door
leading to the east front of the Capitol,
followed closely by General Rousseau
When Mr.. Grinnell had arrived near
the steps leading TO the ground, he twas
overtaken by General Rousseau, who
tapped him on the shoulder and said,
"Mr. Grinnell, | have been waiting
four days anxiously for an apology from
you for the gross insult of last Monday
on the floor of the House" Mr.. Grin.
nell remarked, l have no apology to
make: / have nothing to say"
General Rousseau quickly answered,
"Tll teach you, sir, and at once ap-
piled rattan cane rapidly upon the
shoulders and face of Mr.. Grinnell,
striking him once or twice upon the
right and left shoulders, and then upon
each side of the face, when the cane
broke.
Mr.. Grinnell then grasped General
Rousseau by the arm, remarking, as he
did so, 81 don't want to hurt you, sir. "
Rousseau, jerking away from GrinnelPs
| grasp. replied, "Nor do / wish to hurt
| you, sir, but / want to disgrace you,
sir" "All right; all right, Sill" re-
| Joined Grinnell, "You didn't hurt me
much, sir; all right" and STOPPING down
he picked up piece of the cane, and
starting eff again, said "All right,
sir.
The several witnesses give some ad-
ditional colloquy, but the reporters
| themselves do not reeOllect any thing
| further than what is above set forth,
nor do the additional statements of the
witnesses alter the facts as we have
given them. Whatever else was said
was mere prolongation of the colo
guy, or some words that might empha-
size the remarks of the party.
1t does not appear that any attempt
/ WAS uduD 10y TIC WibAANb0Co W Ails04
fere while the combatants were en-
gagged in their pugilistic exercises, and
the whole thing was of very brief du
ration.
General Rousseau has not beer in his
seat for the last two days, but just be-
fore adjournment he was seated in the
House by the side of a member, to
| whom he made some allusion 10 the in
suit he had received from Mr.. Grinnell,
but did not eYinoe any passion or eX-
element.
Whether General Rousseau had de-
termined to attack Mr.. Grinnell prior
to the encounter does not appear from
the statements of witnesses, but GEN
eral Rousseau himself states he had
been informed on Tuesday last that
| Mr. Grinnen had promised to apollo
gize, and was about to prepare writ
ten retraction of what he had said in
debate on Monday last, and therefore
he waited until to-day, and believing
that sufficient time had elapsed for the
coming of this proposed apology, he
approached Mr.. Grinnell.
ACTION OF THE HOUSE ON TIE NATTER.
WAsUINGToY, June l5.-Immediately
after the reading of the Journal, Mr..
Spaulding offered the following pream-
bic and resolution, and moved the pre-
vious question:
WHEREAs, 1t is alleged in the public
press that Hon. Lowell Rousseau, here
tofore member of this House from
Kentucky, did, on the evening of
Thursday, the l4th, commit an assault
upon the person of Hon. John B. Grin
neil. member of this House from the
State of Iowa, because of words spoken
in this House by the latter; and
WHEREAS, Said assault if committed,
was breach of the privileges of this
| House, and of the member assaulted,
therefore,
Resol0ed That q select committee OF
fifteen be appointed TO investigate the
subject and report the facts, with such
resolutions in reference thereto, as IN
their Judgment may be proper and ne
cessary for the vindication OF the priv
ileges of the House and the protection
of its members, and that said commit
tee have power to send for persons and
papers and to examine witnesses on
oath.
The previous question was seconded