Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1875-01-18

and convicted. and punt :heyfo conter,,nt hv
the t'o-s;' ne was Pro. .uted for misde-
nneanor, proUa,. IN - vfy court, or al all
lSi'S" - That action was his conyictio, n
Lhit ,he House for the cont sfn1t arJ tbst ! n
f.,,I IS I1 twice De punished for the sam Q :
ard VI ne defense, OF coIIr~-. was ovarf,iI,'
ia Mr. Houston notwitb,ioy -
on n Ia,.l,SILion, having forfnaTI3- him
mo Hn'ISe. was punis a
uorh lor contempt and for misdem an L
before the two Jurisdictions.
Now 10 has been stated that tn power OF
the House 20 1uniSh for a COntn npt. eNto 1t~
0 ly To- G nfinem n: and that the cODiin
Went terminates with the session of Cor
gres~. and that if tine party were fOu0I guilty
a con- Cmpt bat twgntN-fUur hours before
tn prliOt ot adjournment. mat must. be
the Limitation OF the punishm Il. Now, this
might be very inadequate pf0.c 't'p4 10 t59
House, "a. 81 a very iHader nate pun shWeut
for a party in contempt / have n doubt
t.at Cor gre, intended r at rccuS m. wit
nCS>cS. or witnesses refusing ID 0usw J. perth
mont inquiries upOn proper lbjects OF iuves-
legation should be pa 1iShcl bevo. i
tie. power OF the House TO reach him;
id that they, therefore, created the of n>e
q mt~ot meaUur - De punished by till an
lnlpT sOlm"nt IN the court of JUST c.
tlat this statute can by no mo3rs purg.
the contempt, or abolish Tire power Of
the EgDSe. 70 project itSg.iftn t'ii> respect as
II Is able to protect Itself HOn every other
species of contempt.
II there ever had u4ru I'm nv mind an
dpuhT about the TCiusaiota witness -cHf>vgr
proper quo> ton al The bag OF trs House
b'ii- contempt. this statute wouiJ settle -,
because u GREATS IL a mi~temeauOr; and ANY
man VINO commits ni>ieme:tnor. either by
statute ~ Common law. i'm The prrseucl ola
N-IiNvIa'}Ft assembly commits - contempt
entertaining these views as to the power
Gi tire tIOu~r 10 punish - for "a cgutrGnp. %
witness vino refuses 90 answer = pertinent
qUe> .Ou I'm regard 70 q subject matter uadsr
-t ION fiitr, H. 10. hing, tO- t.ie court
| - GO uui 20 dismiss the writ. IJ--ir. 20 -lt-,
however. and said in tine out set tina one -.
| tfr great objects which nave HAD iu persist
; ilt- lii I'D" obs .lN&1cc Of In" statute law IN
Tins ease WAS That nothing might hh done
! here which coutd hereafter he quoted as IN
| tFll example. ! believe when thi> writ Is
sues tia. il3e party is entitled under 70 r. his
iFitir as lF-t ltei ry statute. and ! not only
! u,IttNr iH2s, bur, iGrthcrmpre. thar IL Is ell
! ilfriE competent ipT any court OF iuSic. -
/ Inquire 'ttA ti' privilege Oi Congress- and
| that the doctrine that Congress is the Iaae,,
| and the sole ana exclusive Judge OF it. own
| privileges. can never be the TU}c in 4 court Dt
| justice. and can never ba Sustained. How
! 'Nrf f.NcH ~ may respect that III >tlN9ut~h 4
| BODY. and no man hunoTS 10 more taaA
| hlN'' H. lif very assumption uf such
| lNN-E NN-Et DO dangerous. although rs
! Lord BtEEian observes with regard To
| Inc HCu~" of Commons, IL Wuuh HC i'm
| proper - indulge IN any Thought th1t they
! would attempt 10 ahus- IL. The very "a
| >ehihll'i'. oi such Il power, say. - danger
Cu> AMI 4sDi to br -DUntCnalcrd anywhere. !
| am Nef1 glad, indeed. To believe. from the
| SUBSEQUENT action of the House. that they
! quite HrcUr Iu these views. - they have.
! submitted the body OF this man t. tine jrrls-
gtcIt'1 of Eni> court to await IT. haHi action.
III ,. iar more satisfactory in every
| lPSUfc CT tadt, after the forms Of law should
nav" been observed, this Judgment should
! ne 'FouJuncet upon the whole ease. With
| these views, 10 j. my opinion that Iris WIFI
| ",''-It TO he iii ,mI. -ei, and that fHr prisoner
| should Doe remaRdcj To the custody OF nae
| Sci@s iht-ai-A rms. and nay convictions are
! - clear on THIS subject that / have THOUGHT
| proper 10 interrupt counsel before they pro-
! cec,i further with The argument.
! Inc petitioner was taken back to a.. by
/ Mr.. Ou.Eay.