Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1954-08-26
By John Chadwick
Associated Press Staff- Writer.

%ssCCtoVe0 tISS3 StdTI~ WItIebs
Congress has been called on
in past years to decide what to
do about members who spat in
the face Of opponents, dubbed
them with fireplace tongs and
in one case. even shot a col
league dead in a duel.
The lawmakers unquestionably
took a dim view of such goings-
on. But records indicate that
Congress was inclined to forgive
and forget in return for an
apology.
These turbulent episodes in
congressional history were turned
up in a search of precedents for
hearings a special Senate COM
mittee will start next week on a
resolution to censure Senator
Mccarthy. Republican, of Wis
consin, for his conduct.
Censures have been extremely
rare in the Senate, somewhat
more frequent in the House. No
recorded instance closely paral-
lels the Mccarthy case. which
involves allegations concerning a
wide variety of his activities said
by accusers to be tending to bring
the Senate into disrepute.
Cite 3 Precedents.
Three Senate cases are cited
as precedents. although the first
of these, occurring in 1850, did
not actually get to the point of
censure.
!. According to the records,
Senator Henry s. Foote of Mis-
sissippi menaced Senator
Thomas H, Benton Of Missouri
with a pistol during an 1850 de-
bate and the matter was referred
to a special committee. The COM
in its report, condemned
carrying arms in the Senate and
regretted what it called a flag
rant breach of order" It, how
ever, recommended no action and
none was taken.
2. The first instance in which
the Senate voted censure was a
two-way affair in 1902 in which
both of South Cardinals Sena-
tors, John L. McLaurin and Ben
jamin R. Tillman, were cen
sured.
The records give this account:
In a debate on a revenue bill
for the Philippine Islands, Sena-
tor McLaurin called a statement
Of Senator Tillman "a willful,
malicious and deliberate lie"
Senator Tillman strobe over to
Senator McLaurin and the two
met in a personal encounter"
before they were pulled apart by
other Senator's.
Declared Contempt.
The Senate Immediately went
In to executive session, adopted
a resolution declaring Senator
McLaurin and Senator Tillman
in contempt of the Senate, and
referred the matter to the Priv
ileges and Elections Committee
with instructions "to report
what action shall be taken"
The Senate also voted to let
the two Senators be heard 80
they might purge themselves of
contempt" Both then apologized
to the Senate.
Six days later the Privileges
and Elections Committee sub
mitted a report saying that TO
investigation it could make could
possibly throw any additional
light on the alteration since it
had taken place in full view of
all the Senators.
It recommended adoption Of a
resolution censuring both Sen
ators but vacating the previous
order judging them in contempt.
The Senate approved the reso-
luton by a vote of 81 to IL.
3. No violence. of word or deed,
was involved In the Senate's
only other censure case, oc-
curing in 1928. Nor was the
matter referred to committee.
Had Admitted Lobbyist.
In that year Senate COM
mittee said in a report on an
investigation Of lobbying activ-
titles that Senator Hiram Bing-
ham of Connecticut had en-
ployed a lobbyist and admitted
him to a closed meeting of a
committee considering tariff law
changes.
On the basis of the report,
Senator George w. Norris of
Nebraska proposed that Senator
Bingham be censured. The facts
were not disputed and. although
Senator Bingham said he had
intended no wrong, the censure
resolution was adopted.
In contrast with these rare
censure cases in the Senate, the
House has a history Of censure
cases dating back to 1898. when
Representative Roger Griswold
of Connecticut taunted Repre-
sentative Asa Lyon Of Vermont
about his Army record and Mr..
Lyon spat in his face.
A resolution to expel Mr.. Lyon
for "disorderly behavior" was in