Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1870-07-14

A
We have already called attention to
the despotic, irresponsible character of
the arrest and Imprisonment of Patrick
Woods for an assault in Richmond on
Mr.. Porter, the Representative in Congress
from that district. 1t appears that Radi-
cal journals are becoming alarmed at the
unauthorized assumptions of power by
the House of Representatives. The
Philadelphia Telegraph, for instance,
says in its issue of JulyS8:
Let those of our readers who may be
disposed to consider this a small matter,
think for a moment what the conse-
quences may be if the pretensions of the
House are admitted In this instance. Any
citizen may be arrested at any time on
any kind Of a charge and dragged before
committee, probably prejudiced against
him, which win act at once as Judge,
jury and prosecutor. He viii not be
allowed counsel unless the committee
chooses to grant him the privilege be
will be forced to testify against him
self. if the committee chooses to make
him speak he will be denied the priyi-
lege of cross examination if the COM
mittee determines that the witnesses
against him shall only testify in one way,
and as the examination of witnesses will
be regulated by none of the rules of q
proper court of law, q general inyestiga7
ton into all the private affairs of the ac-
cused may be gone into without his being
permitted to even enter protest. Such
things as these have been done before now
by Congressional committees, and the
country has submitted in silence, because
there always has been an apparently rea-
sonable pretext for ordering an investiga-
ton. This case of Patrick Woods, how
ever, is clearly one outside of the iurisi
diction of Congress; it is step further
than either the House or Senate has dared
yet to go, and it affords q favorable OPP
portunity for the people of thecountry to
let Congress know that there have been
more than enough of these star cham
Der inquisitions. If the principle
asserted in the case of Patrick
Woods is allowed, either house of Con-
gress may order the arrest of the newspa-
per correspondents who may happen to
make unpleasant disclosures about the
transactions of the members; they, can
arrest and punish the editors who conf
ment unfavorably on the sayings and do
ings of honorable Senators and Repre-
sentatives, and they can arrest and punish
citizans of every degree upon charges that
would not be listened to for moment Ia
any court of law. The irresponsible and
vindictive character of judicial inFesti-
cation by the House of Representatives
was clearly shown in the debates on
"Wednesday and yesterday. The majority
of the Judiciary Committee reported
in favor of imprisoning Woods for three
months in the Jail Sofdlthei District
of Columbia, i'm the same manner as
other criminals; but General Butler, who
we believe is entitled to the distinction
of being called the D champion in
vestigator, moved as an amendment to
this that the term of imprisonment be ex-
tended until the 4th of March next If
Woods were to be tried before court of
law, he would not ONLY have an epportu-
nifty to defend himself, but in case he
were to be found guilty the statutes would
define with exactness the punishment due
to his offense. Before the House of
Representatives, however, there is no
fate between the payment of one dollar
fine and death upon the gallows that may
not be meted out to him. This case is
insignificant enough in itself, and Woods,
who seems to be a brutal ruffian, would
probably have got no more tran his de
serts, even if the House had adopted Gen.
Buffers amendment, but the principle in
Volved is one that cannot be disregarded
by the American people with impunity,
and the House of Representatives ought
not to be permitted to override the liber-
ties even of this Richmond ruffian with
out at least protest from the independ-
ent press.