The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1880-02-17

/ Page ana VI. l.. Sp0tsWOou) Wisucu w "P'
pear before the House and
Put IN A PLEA
that both accused bad been tried by the Po-
lice Court Of this city and Mr.. Archer pun
ished (fned) aud Mr.. Harrison acquitted.
Mr.. Gibson said that counsel did not pro-
pose to make any argument, but simply 10
state the case, and Mr.. Girson thought that
they ought to be PERMITTED to do so.
! Mr. Dickenson, OF Russell, thought that
to allow such plea the House would sur
render its privilege OF protecting itself in
its deliberations. The fine OF % imposed
upon Mr.. Archer by the Acting Police JUS
tice was no punishment at all for breach OF
the privileges OF this body. That court had
only Jurisdiction Of the assault.
Mr. NIcol, OF Prince William. supported
the motion OF Mr.. Gibson. Ii would be
AN ABsURDlTY
to have the plea put In and give no oppor-
tunity to counsel TO explain, II 1t Is well
founded.
| Mr.. Hanger entered his earnest protest
agains. any such action as Is proposed. He
thought the privileges Of the House bad
been abused IN an outrageous manner. Be-
fore the committee the accused have been
accorded every opportunity TO produce and
cross-question witnesses and TO defend
! themselves. In cases OF this kind 1t Is
usual for the body to
RESOLVE ITSELF INTO COURT
and try the accused, and then they may be
allowed counsel; but here the matter was
referred to committee, where these ac-
cused were represented by counsel. Fur
ther, Mr. Hanger declared the House is not
undertaking TO punish breach OF the peace,
but to protect its members and its dignity
and decorum.
Mr.. Gibson read from Gushing para
graph which indicated that perties brought
before a body to answer for any offence
have the right TO claim that counsel shall
appear for them. Mr.. Gibson hoped that
the House would show the accused gentle
men more courtesy. than was shown the
committee "by the great high dignitarY
J. j. Crutchfeld, acting police justice"
MIR. BAILEY,
OF Washington, eXpresse sed bis concurrence
| in the views presented by the gentleman
from Augusta Mr.. Hangefl, and in the
course OF his remarks referred to the Po-
lice Court as a "one-hOrse magistrate
court"
The motion TO allow MessrS. Archer and
Harrison to be represented on the floor by
counsel was rejected.
A motion to pass by and print was made
and rejected.
Mr.. cambridge asked that the vote on each
genleman's case should be taken separate
! ly. The Speaker said that would be done.
The resolution in relation TO Mr.. Archer
was read and agreed TO.
The resolution i'll relation to
MR.. HARRISON
was read Mr.. cambridge moved it be
passed by until to-day. He SAID that from
the report OF the committee it appeared that
the evidence in reference TO Mr.. Harrison
was conflicting. to say the least. From what
he could learn Mr.. Harrison did not intend
TO be involved i'm the difficulty, and only in.
teriered to stop the fight. The House has
fully yindlcated its dignity, and now Mr..
Dandridge asked that it should give Mr.
Harrison the benefit Of the doubt, or ut least
D0stpone. SO that members may have the
opportunity to examine the evidence.
Mr.. Head said there lCdS some conflict a
to whether Mr.. Harrison struck Mr.. Fra
zier but none that Mr.. Harrison came into
the ball for Mr.. Frazier, and that Mr. Arch
er asked him (Harrison) to wait and heal
the conversation.
The motion to pass by Mr.. Harrison
| case untll 10 uay was Ie!cCteu'
, Mr.. LOvENsTEIN
moved that The case OF Mr.. Harrison bc
postponed until Wednesday, and that th
evidence as to him be printed.
Mr.. Hanger hoped the motion would pre-
vaii.
Mr.. Mushbach also supported the mo
ton. He wished to read the evidence, ant
ascertain exactly what Mr.. Harrison hat
done. As he understood, Mr. Harrison dl'
, not know that there was 10 be difficulty
, and was only asked to wait ana near con
versatlOn.
.. Mr.. Gibson here read a portion OF Mr.
, Archer's testimony to show that Mr. ilarrl
son did know that difficulty was impend
! ing between Mr.. Archer and Mr. Frazer
q Mr. Gibson's only objection rs to postpone
ment was time, and his only objection As L
, printing was the expense.
r MEssRs. cambridge AND COGHML
spoke ably and earnestly for postponemen'
and Mr.. Farr against it.
Mr.. Bailey thought that what Dir. Harll
:, son had done after he was brought lElo th
u "awful presence OF the General Assembly
! as a prisoner-calling Mr.. Frazier liar
i was alone enough to justify the recommen
dation Of the committee.
q
q son saving "ii gentlemen on this [Deb
: Payers'1 side are accorded the privilege {
e reading the evidence the report will b
T. adopted almost unanimously" the motto
II of MIR. Lcvenstein was rejected go to IL
and the committees resolution adopted.
The Clerk read the
e RESOLUTION IN REFERENCE TO Mr.. FRAZIER
MIR. cambridge said he hoped it would
the pleasure OF the House to adopt that res
:! luton unanimously, and it was according
4 done.
u The report as a whole was then agreed Il
I The Speaker instructed the Sergeant-a
y Arms to execute the order OF the House
and Messrs. Archer and Harrison quiet
), retired from the hall.
ir WE ARE INFORMED
T. that il was the intention of Mr.. Archer
Is counsel, ii they had been permitted to a
is near on The floor, to enter the protest OF IN
)f gentleman against the report, and TO slmp
/, saw that Mr.. Archer had done nothing tb
Of he regretted, but had done what, una
le similar circumstances, he would do agall
G. that he had been insulted upon the moor
C, the House and he had resented that insu
Also. that in justice to Mr.. Harrison
should be stated that the report was err
neous in this-that Mr.. Harrison did not s.
u tnat he was asked by Mr.. Archer to " ST.
nc and witness difficulty he proposed to ma
10 with Mr.. Frazier" but Ito witness co
III yersation," and that Mr.. Harrison did
" " " "enter the House and beckon to Mr.. RI
" zjer.D but he stood outside in the rotunt
'n Mr.. Harrison was not the Commonwealth
u, renorter i'm the House, as might be inierr
Vi tron, tho committep'S reDOrt above. III