The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1875-03-20
'GOLUMBTA.,s s. S. e.
Saturday Morning, Maroh, 30, 1875.
Whoa, BoIavary

H6tuE16y 'AACTHIuSs m&tVu 00S 1olOs
Whoa, BoIavars
The Thompson contempt case came
to an inglorious end. yesterday nom.
ing. Soon after the House assembled,
at II O'Clock. the Speaker called on
the Sergeant-at.Arms to produce the
body of James G. Thompson before
the bar. In walked the elephant,
escorted by Mr.. Clyde, with his pretty
blue stick, aud oomposedly took seat
at the head OF the aisle. Then came
up the great oonundrum propounded
in the words of Humbert, of Darling
ton, "What for You bring this man
here before the House for?" Davis,
CT Charleston, thought il was, that be.
ing adiudgad to be in contempt. he
should be. retained in custody, and
committed to the County Jail, until
such time as he should repent of his
sins and apologize. He offered reso.
aution to this effect. as substitute for
Leslie's. which was to discharge him.
The House having had enough OF his
smart tricks, which we're too much for
it, did not think it prudent thus to
prolong his opportunities. Bamp-
field, OF Beaufort. expressed him
'ee9 as not an admirer of James
cG. e.. He had always regarded
him failure as man and an editor.
1But he, evidently considered him a
frat elaaa elephant.) He had committed
= an infamous wrong, such az were be-
= coming only to Democratic journalists;
3. batttke House had sought the wrong
naSde, f<sedress, The Legislature was
Z anifFespoaaible body, so far as courts
/. are concerned. and could not prosecute
Nn them. Bot, on the other hand, it
has no right to assume to act as Judge,
jury and counsel all in one, and arbi-
ride rough-shod over the liber-
~ties nf'a citizen. A remedy was within
.:t9Ize power of any one who was ag.
gEieved.i He might indiot. and, il pos
-aible. convict and send to the peniten-
dlary. Holding out the prospect of
this dubious alternative. he would ad.
wise that Bolivar should be severely
let alone. It would be better not to
etir him up any more. Hirsch, of
Williamsburg, obeyed the Oiceronian
maxim and went for q solution OF the
trouble to the fountain-head, the Con.
stitution OF the State. Tippo Sultan
Wss not amenable to the punishment
OF the House. because his offence was
not in violation Of its order and was
not committed in it's awful presence.
Besides. the liberty of speech and free.
dom OF the press were somewhat in the
way. The offender might be liable to
certain other proceedings. but perhaps
it was indignity enough to have been
arrested. taken through the streets and
brought to law ignominiously. (Here
Bolivar raised his ears, and smole O
emile in token of strong dissent.)
Pinckney, OF Charleston, remained in
+consolable. The imputation of being
en- animal still stuck in his oraw, as his
question, "what part Of the animal
kingdom do you belong to?" addressed
to Hirsch, indicated. The puzzle was
at last solved, by O vote of 88 for dis
charge to IA against it. Whereupon
the Speaker announced that the agony
was over, and the editor-prisoner-
might consider himaelf free once more.
The inevitable Clyde appeared, and
Mr. Thompson. bowing his acknow-
Judgments, walked out smiling and
triumphant, the observed of all oh
servers. Humbert's conundrum re-.
mains unanswered, but the legislative
mind is Satisfied to grope in the dark
upon it, and Mr.. T. will not be arrest.
ed for contempt sgain. That foolish.
ness is played out.
Thc Treasury Cnse-Argument or nIr
Porter.