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thet, possessing those rights which had been so should it be the duty of the House to send a fully demonstrated, and so ably vindicated, by summons to tell him to hide himself? He went présentatives of the people, but commit such his station might be, to be subject to the call brute violence, also, as deprived him of the and within the power of the law, whenever

said, that a different course was necessary, power of rendering those public services for the because the party accused might elude the discharge of which he had been sent here by hand of justice by Alight. The same might be forty thousand free citizens of the United said in every case of assault and batte:y; even States? If they did, he could assure them that in cases where a presentment was made by a the American people, in just requital of such grand jury, it was not thought necessary to lame and degrading

forbearance, would hiss arrest, except in cases of an extraordinary them to scorn. But let justice be done in the

character. Here, they were asked to leap case, as the law requires. They had been told the

over this precautionary stage and rush at once by the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. PATTON)
to judgment. He knew of no analogy to such that they ought not to act upon this matter with
a mode of procedure, unless it were that passion; they ought not to lash themselves into
ascribed by the poet to the tribunal of the a state of excitement in regard to it. The gen.
internal regions; where it was said the practice tleman had further contended, that it was con-
was to punish first and try afterwards. Mr. trary to law to půnislı for contempt, until a rule
P. concluded by repeating his wish that an had been served on the party, calling on him to
investigation should take place. His present show cause why an attachment should not be
impression was, that if this assault had been issued against him. He (Mr. B.) in reply to
committed in consequence of words spoken in this, would suppose a case, at the very contem.
debate in that Hal, the necessity for the in- plation of the possibility of which there was
Testigation was, not to redress the personal not one who heard him whose heart would not
grievance of the member from Ohio, for whom thrill with horror. Suppose, said he, that the
the courts were open, but to protect the rights Supreme Court should, through their venera-
of lie people from lawless invasion, either ble Chief Justice, pronounce a judgment, for

the delivery of which that exalted and veneraMr. BÜRGES said, he would detain the red patriot should be waylaid by the person House but for a few minutes. He implored against whom the judgment had been pronounce gentlemen ta bear in mind that this was a ques.ed? Suppose, said Mr. B., that venerable man tion not merely affecting the liberty of speech should be—but

no, he could not pronounce in that House, but they should recollect, also, even the terms—he would say, suppose he that the safety and the dignity of the people should be treated as the gentleman from Ohio were in their hands. The dignity of the coun. had been—would the other judges of that autry had been insulted in the outrage offered to gust court stop to deliberate as to whether they one of the members of that House: the facts should issue a rule for the party to show cause? were agreed upon all hands--they were now For disrespectful or contemptuous words, per. proven on ostli, by the same course of testimo. haps, a rule to show cause might be thought ny as would entitle the humbles individual in sufficient ; but for an outrageous assault and the country, if assaulted by the most exalted, to battery, a very different course indeed ought A warrant, taking the latter before a public tri- to be taken. Why should they not proceed as Mr. B. proceeded to review the foundation justice of the peace, in a rapid ard right-for

in an ordinary case of this description before a and the extent of the power of the House toward manner? panish for contempt or breach of privilege; and and that the American people would view with to the offending party required that he should

Mr. B. argued, in continuation, that justice shame and indignation any indifference which be present at the investigation of the matterthe House might manifest in the course which that the parties should be confronted—that no fect on this occasion. What was the doctrine Mr. B., would never forget the rights of a feland the practice of the British House of Com- low.citizen, though

that fellow-citizen had outmons, in relation to its privileges! What made raged the rights of his fellow-legislator and ment and indignation at an insult offered to a where a breach of the peace had been commitmember of that body! It was because the low. ted, was a capias. In the present instance, en douse of Parliament was emphatically the the party might, perhaps, await their action, Hologre upon it was justly considered a viola- against him, but that was not the case always. hon of the most sacred public rights. The on- A rufian may flee from the justice which his x question now before the house was, whe: offences had called down upon his head ; and

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