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tain whether the accused admitted or denied the offence imputed to him. If he denied it, it would be for the House to substantiate it: if he admitted it, it was for the House to proportion its decision thereon to the magnitude of the offence.

Mr. Herrick withdrew his first motion, and moved that the accused be furnished with a copy of the letter which was the ground of this proceeding; to which was added, on suggestion of Mr. Rich, a copy of the statement of Mr. Williams accompanying the letter.

Thus amended, the resolution according these privileges to the accused, was agreed to.

The prisoner having been remanded to the bar of the House

The Speaker addressed him nearly as follows:

"John Anderson: I am directed to inform you that, pursuant to your request, you are at liberty to engage such counsel as you may think fit; that the Clerk of the House will furnish you with such subpœnas for witnesses as you may think proper, and that you will also be furnished with a copy of the letter on which the proceedings are founded, and of the statement of an honourable member of this House which accompanied it. I am further directed to inform you, that to-morrow, at one o'clock, is the time assigned for further proceedings in this case."

And then the Sergeant-at-Arms withdrew from the bar with his prisoner.

And the House adjourned, at a late hour. Friday, January 9.—Mr. Harrison offered a joint resolution, proposing to the States an amendment to the constitution of the United States, to give to Congress, concurrently with the States, the power to provide for training the militia according to the discipline prescribed for the purpose, &c. and to provide for teaching in the primary schools and other seminaries of learning in the several States, the system of militia prescribed for the militia: which resolution was twice read and committed.

Mr. Spencer, of New-York, presented to the House the following preamble and resolutions:

The House of Representatives, entertaining great doubts of its possessing the competent power to punish John Anderson for his contempt of the House and his outrage upon one of its members.

Resolved, That all further proceedings in this House against the said John Anderson do cease, and that he be discharged from the custody of the Sergeant-at-arms.

Resolved. That the Attorney-General of the United States be directed to institute such proceedings against the said John Anderson, for his said offence, as may be agreeable to the laws of the United States, and of the district of Columbia.

Resolved. That the committee of the Judiciary be instructed to inquire into the expediency of providing, by law, for the punish ment of any contempt of the Senate or House

of Representatives of the United States, and of any breach of the privileges of either House.

Mr. Spencer opened a debate on the subject, which occupied the whole day; in which, besides the mover, Messrs. Anderson, Barbour, Robertson, and Ervin, supported the resolutions, and Messrs. Forsyth, Tucker, and Mercer opposed them, all at considerable length.

The debate was one of unusual ability, and eloquence.

When Mr. Ervin concluded, on motion of Mr. Holmes, of Massachusetts, the House adjourned at past 4 o'clock, without having come to any decision on the question before them.

Saturday, January 10-The Speaker laid before the House a letter directed to the Congress of the United States, from a certain Carl Theodore Mohr, residing in Wallendorf, in Germany, offering to come to America upon certain conditions, and to establish a manufactory of Porcelain; which was read and ordered to lie on the table.

Mr. Middleton, from the committee on so much of the Message of the President of the United States, as relates to the illicit introduction of slaves from Amelia Island into the United States, made a report in regard to the situation of Amelia Island, and approbatory of the measures adopted by the Executive, in relation to it. He also reported a bill, in addition to former acts, prohibiting the intro. duction of slaves into the United States, which was twice read and committed.

The Speaker laid before the House the following letter and enclosure, yesterday received by him from John Anderson:

January 9, 1818. SIR-Unwilling to be deprived, by any circumstances whatever, of an opportunity to explain to the honourable House of Representatives the motives which have actuated my recent conduct, I beg leave to announce my wish to wave, with that object, any constitutional or other question which may have

arisen.

I enclose a letter which I had the honour this morning to prepare for the consideration of the House.

I am, Sir, with profound respect,
JOHN ANDERSON.
Hon. HENRY CLAY,

Speaker of the House of Representatives. Washington, Jan. 9, 1818.. SIR-Considering the honourable body be fore whose bar I am shortly to appear, as the guardian of those rights, which, as a citizen f possess, and relying upon the generous feelings of its members. I have been induced to forego the privilege extended to me of employing counsel, lest it might be supposed that I was inclined to shelter myself by legal exceptions. As the novelty of my situation may, however, tend to surround me with embarrassment, it is my wish, should the rule of proceeding adopted by the House not oppose the course, that such questions as I have reduced to writing, be propounded to the re

spective witnesses, by the Clerk, and that he should read the explanation and apology which I have to make.

JOHN ANDERSON.

To the Hon. HENRY CLAY,
Speaker of the House of Repre-
sentatives of the United States
The letter having been read-

Mr. Forsyth moved that the resolutions under consideration be laid on the table, that the House might proceed to the examination of the accused person.

A brief debate took place on this motion, in which Messrs. Forsyth, Pitkin, Spencer, Harrison, Hopkinson, Poindexter, Desha, Rich, Beecher and Pindall, participated.

The motion was finally disagreed to, ayes about 30; and

The debate was then resumed on the resolutions offered by Mr. Spencer, and continued by Messrs. Poindexter, Holmes, of Mass. Storrs and Pindall, until after 4 o'clock; when the House adjourned.

Monday, Jan. 12.-After disposing of much miscellaneous business, the House proceeded to the consideration of the resolutions offered by Mr. Spencer, touching the case of Col. John Anderson.

The debate on this subject was resumed by Mr. Quarles, and continued during the remainder of the sitting by Messrs. M'Lane, Alexander Smyth, Lowndes, Livermore, Miller, Rhea, and Barbour.

When the House adjourned, a motion was pending, made by Mr. Rhea. (for the purpose he said, of putting an end to a debate on a negative proposition,) to strike out of the preamble to the resolutions, the words, "entertaining great doubts of its," so as to make the preamble read, "this House possessing the competent power to punish John Anderson, &c.

Tuesday, January 13.—Mr. Johnson, of Ky. from the committee on military affairs, reported a bill providing for half pay pensions, invalid pensioners, and for other purposes; which was twice read by its title and committed.

A message, accompanied by sundry documents, was received from the President of the United States, communicating to Congress the fact of the United States' forces having taken possession of Amelia Island.

The house having resumed the consideration of Col. Anderson's case,

Mr. Spencer rose, and withdrew the preamble to the resolutions he had offered-leaving alone for consideration the resolutions, directing all further proceedings against the accused to cease, directing the Attorney. General to institute proceedings against him, and instructing the judiciary committee to inquire into the expediency of providing for the punishment of contempt of either Houses, for breach of privilege, &c.

On the general question previously discussed, the debate was renewed, and continued with unabated animation to the close of the sitting. Messrs. Tallmadge, Hopkinson, and

Sergeant delivered their sentiments at large on the subject.

In the course of the debate, Mr. Rhea, with some incidental remarks on the resolutions, proposed a substitute to them, by way of amendment, in the following words:

Resolved, That this House possesseth the competent power to punish John Anderson for his contempt of the House, and his outrage upon one of its members; and, therefore,

Resolved. That the Sergeant-at-Arms be directed to conduct the said John Anderson to the bar of the House.

This motion was undecided, when, at a late hour the Hou e adjourned.

Wednesday, January 14.-Mr. Lowndes, from the committee of ways and means, reported a bill, making appropriations for the payment of the arrearages which have been incurred for the support of the military esta blishment previous to the 1st January, 1817; and also a bill making an appropriation for the military establishment of the United States for the year 1818 which bills were committed.

The House resumed the consideration of the proposed proceedings in the case of Col. John Anderson, and the debate was continned.

Messrs. Claggett, Whitman, Ross, Rhea, Beecher, Spencer, Forsyth, and Burwell, addressed the chair on the main question, and Mr. Hopkinson and Mr. Storrs on incidental points.

The sitting was prolonged to a late hour, the question being loudly called for in the in terval, between each member's speech; but an adjournment finally took place, without having come to a decision, on the motion of Mr. Burwell, who, with many others, wished to have the present shape of the proposition so varied as to enable the House, in their voting on it, to express a definite opinion.

Thursday, January 15.-The House resumed the consideration of the case of Col. Anderson. The resolutions moved by Mr. Rhea, by way of amendment, being yet under consideration.

Mr. Rhea, with a view to put his amend ment in a shape more acceptable to gentlemen, modified his motion for amendment, so as to make the first resolution read as follows:

Resolved, That this House possesses adequate power to punish for contempts against it.

Mr. Pitkin assigned the reasons why he wished to avoid placing on the Journal any thing affirming the authority of the House on the one hand, or denying it on the other: and to escape the alternative presented to the House by the proposed resolution and amendment, he moved to postpone indefinitely the consideration of the main question and the amendment proposed thereto.

After some questions to the chair, and explanations therefrom, respecting the effect of such a postponement, that effect was pronounced from the chair to be, to place the

question in the state in which it was when the motion of Mr. Spencer was first made; and, if this course were pursued, that the House would be at full liberty to take any course in respect to John Anderson, which in its opinion was within the scope of its constitutional powers.

After explanatory remarks from various members, among whom were Messrs. Rich, Rhea, Tallmadge, Ballard, Smith, and Culbreth

The question was taken on the postpone ment, and decided as follows: for postponement 117, against it 42.

The propositions before the House were indefinitely postponed.

Whereupon Mr. Tallmadge offered the following resolution for consideration.

"Resolved, That John Anderson be forth with brought to the bar of this House." Mr. Rich proposed to amend the resolution by adding thereto the following:

"And that he have an opportunity of of fering to the House any explanation of his alleged offence which he may think proper."

This motion Mr. Rich supported by observations regarding the general question, in which he opposed the expediency of proceeding further than he had suggested in the present case.

After a few observations from Mr. Sergeant, however, Mr. Rich withdrew his proposition.

Mr. Rich subsequently moved to insert an amendment, denying the power of the House to judge or punish any individuals, its own members excepted, which motion was negatived by a large majority.

Mr. Culbreth then moved to strike out the whole of Mr. Tallmadge's resolution, and to substitute, by way of amendment, the follow'ing:

66

Whereas John Anderson is in custody for an offence which this House does not possess the constitutional power to try, or right to punish: Therefore,

"Resolved, That the said John Anderson be discharged from the custody of the Sergeant-at-Arms."

And the question was taken on the amend ment thus proposed, and decided as follows: Yeas 47, Nays 119.

So the House refused to agree to the amendment proposed by Mr. Culbreth.

The question was then taken on the motion that "John Anderson be forthwith brought to the bar of this House," and decid. ed in the affirmative, by Yeas and Nays:

118 to 45.

Whereupon the Sergeant-at-Arms brought the prisoner to the bar, and the Speaker propounded to him the following interrogatories, to which he made the replies thereto :

1. Do you acknowledge yourself to be John Anderson? Answer. Yes.

2. Did you write and deliver to Louis Williams, a member of this House, the letter of which a copy has been furnished to you by the Clerk? Ans. I did.

3. From what part of the city did you write the letter? Ans. I wrote it at Mr. Bestor's, where I board.

4. What is the amount of your own claims which you are attempting to liquidate? Ans. About 9.000 dollars.

5. What is the amount of those of others, which you are soliciting? Ans. About 21,000 dollars.

6. Have you any interest in the latter? Ans. None of a pecuniary kind, but am influenced in their pursuit by motives of charity.

7. Had you any authority from the persons you represent to make the offer contained in your letter? Ans. I have a general power of attorney to do for them as I would do for myself, but had no instructions to make that or any other offer.

8. Are you acquainted with any persons' now in the city soliciting the claims of others? if so, name them, Ans. I am: there is a Mr. Pomeroy, who is soliciting his own claim, and Col. Watson, who is a general agent.

Have you made any other offer to any person. Ans. No.

10. Did you consult or advise with any person before you wrote and delivered the letter? Ans. I did not.

11. Who is the Mr. Hulbard you mention in the letter? Ans. He is a gentleman I became partially acquainted with during the troubles at the river Raisin. I have not seen him since that time till I arrived in this city, at the present session of Congress, and did not recognise him until he made himself known to me.

12. Has he any claims to solicit? Ans. None, to my knowledge.

13. Have you, any witnesses to examine, or defence to make, in justification or expla nation of your.conduct? If you have, the House is now ready to hear you,

The prisoner at the bar then called upon his witnesses, viz. Gen. Harrison, Col. Johnson, members of the House; Mr. R. J. Meigs, post-master-general, Capt. Gray, Mr. Cyrus Hulbard, Capt. Larrabec, Col. Jos. Watson, Mr. John H. Pratt, Capt. S. D. Richardson, Mr. Pumroy, Lieut. Conway, who all being previously sworn delivered in their testi

mony.

The testimony was uniform, as far as the knowledge of the witnesses extended in giving the accused a high character for probity, correct deportment, and patriotic conduct. It was too diffuse for publication entire; that of Col. R. M. Johnson is selected as a specimen of the general tenor of the evidence.

Mr. Johnson having been called on by the prisoner to give to the House any informa tion in his possession, touching his character and conduct, testified to this effect, that his knowledge of the character of Col. John Anderson was not derived so much from personal intercourse as from the information of others; but, so far as his personal information extended, was corroborated by it. When Col. J. was on the north-western frontier,

Col. Anderson was a fugitive from Detroit on the River Raisin, as Col. J. had understood; and, being well acquainted with the frontier of that part of the United States, attached himself to the mounted regiment. How long he acted in that capacity Mr. J. did not recollect. As far, said Mr. J. as his conduct came within my own knowledge, I considdered him a very gallant and very brave man. In relation to the information he had received from other quarters, there was a general consent of opinion that, during the war, Col. Anderson had been considered not only a gallant and patriotic man, but a man of integrity, who had made uncommon sacrifices, of nearly all his property, from his devotion to the cause of the country. Mr. J. said he did also understand, from several sources, that Col. Anderson, at the risk of his own life, did, at the River Raisin, rescue individuals from the hands of the savages. Col. J. had further understood, he said, that Col. Anderson had refused the command of a regiment, offered to him by the British commander, when the enemy had possession of that country; and Col. Elliott, on being pressed to repeat the offer, answered, that he knew the character of Col. Anderson fully, and that he knew he would as soon submit to have his head chopped off as to accept of it. Of John Anderson, said, Mr. J. in relation to his conduct to me at the last session and at this, I can say, without prejudice to the merits of others, I have never known an individual, whose losses were so great, and who knew I was disposed to advocate his claims, to take up so little of my time, and to be as modest in urging his claims. All these circumstances together had given to Mr. J. a high idea of the integrity, of the gallantry, and of the patriotism of Col. Anderson.

Other facts than those above mentioned were established by ample testimony, descriptive of the sufferings and steadfastness of John Anderson in the cause of the country during the war, &c.

The examination of the witnesses had not closed when the house adjourned.

Friday, Jan. 16. After some other proceedings which we have not room to notice particularly, a resolution was adopted to appoint a committee to inquire whether any of the clerks or other persons in the offices of government have conducted themselves improperly or corruptly in the discharge of their duties.

CASE OF COL. ANDERSON: John Anderson was then remanded to the bar of the House, and proceeded in the further examination of his witnesses.

General P. B. Porter, Wm. O'Neale, and W. P. Rathbone, were then examined as witnesses in behalf of the accused, whose testimony was to the same effect as that given yesterday.

Mr. Williams of North Carolina, was then called upon by the accused, who put to him this question:

Q. Did I ever directly or indirectly, by
VOL. 11.-No. tv.

40

any verbal communication, offer you any reward or inducement to influence your good opinion in favour of my claim, or of any other claims?

Answer. You never made me any verbal offer of the kind.

Col. Anderson. That is all I wished the House to know from your testimony.

Mr. Williams, I presume, if you had made me any such offer, the House would have known it, without your asking it.

Mr. Wilson, of Pennsylvania, being also called upon, testified that Col. A. had disclaimed, on finding the letter had offended Mr. Williams, any intention of offering the money to him with any other view than as a compensation for extra trouble.

On further questions by the Speaker to John Anderson, it appears that the accused is a native of Scotland, came to this country at three years old, and is a naturalized citi

zen.

The Speaker then said he had been instructed to propound to the prisoner the following interrogatory, to which Col. Anderson made the reply subjoined.

Question.-In writing the letter to Lewis Williams, a member of this House from North Carolina, in which you offer to him the sum of five hundred dollars, for services to be performed by him in relation to claims for losses sustained during the late war, had you or had you not any intention to induce him to support your claims against his own convictions of their justice, or to interfere with the discharge of his legislative duties, or to offer any contempt to the dignity of the House of Representatives?

Answer-No, sir: I call God to witness to that, which is the most sacred appeal I can make. I repeatedly assured him, that the offer was made without any wish to influence his opinions in any degree.

The accused was then questioned whether he had other witnesses to examine: he replied in the negative. The Speaker then called upon him for the defence which he had intimated it was his intention to offer.

The prisoner then addressing the chair, with much earnestness, in a brief manner, stated the palliations of the offence with which he stood charged, as explained more at large in the address, which he concluded by delivering to the clerk, by whom it was read.

We have not room for this paper, in which the prisoner confessed his error, but disclaimed any sinister intention, imputing his indiscretion to an over earnestness to accelerate that relief which justice demanded for the sufferers in whose behalf he acted, and to whom delay was an evil of the heaviest nature. With many expressions of contrition for his inadvised conduct, and with renewed asseverations of the purity of his intentions be threw himself upon the candour and lenity of the House.

The prisoner, being asked if he had any thing further to say, and answering in the

negative, was taken from the bar: and the House proceeded to deliberate on the course now proper to be pursued.

Mr. Forsyth offered for consideration a motion in substance like that which was ultimately adopted, but which proposed Wednesday next as the day on which John Anderson should be brought to the bar.

A variety of propositions, suggestions, and remarks, were made on this occasion, which it would be difficult, if it were important, accurately to report.

One motion on which the yeas and nays were taken, is worthy of particular notice. It was made by Mr. Poindexter, to strike out of that passage which charged John Anderson of being guilty of a contempt against the privileges of the House, the "words the privileges of," thus denying the House to have any privileges not conferred on them by the constitution. This motion was negatived, 108

to 54.

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port of your character and good conduct heretofore, is its deep regret that you have deliberately attempted to commit a crime so entirely incompatible with the high standing you have heretofore maintained. You have the less apology for the attempt which you made, because you had yourself experienced the justice of this House but a few days before, by the passage of two bills in your favour, founded on petitions presented to the House. Your attempt to corrupt the foun*tain of legislation, to undermine the integrity of a branch of the National Legislature is a crime of so deep a dye that even you must acknowledge and be sensible of it. And if, John Anderson, you could have been successful in such an attempt; if it were possisible that Representatives of the people could have been found, so lost to their duty as to accept your offer, you must yourself see the dreadful consequence of such a deplorable state of things: In your turn you might fall a victim for your rights, your liberty, and your property, might in the end equally suffer with those of others. The House has seen with pleasure, that, at a very early period after making your base offer, you disclaimed, with symptoms of apparent repentance and contrition, any intention to corrupt the integrity of a member; and, in directing me to pronounce your discharge, the House indulges the hope that, on your return home, you will be more fully convinced of the magnitude of your offence, and by the future tenor of your life endeavour to obliterate, as far as it may be possible, the stain your conduct on this occasion has impressed on the high and honourable character you appear to have previously sustained. You are discharged from the custody of the Sergeant-at-Arms.” Whereupon John Anderson was discharged from custody.

:

And the House adjourned to Monday.

ART. 14, DOMESTIC OCCURRENCES.

NEW-HAMPSHIRE.

The great cause between the Trustees of Dartmouth College and the Trustees of the University, has been removed to the Supreme Court of the United States. The term of that Court commenced the first of February.

MASSACHUSETTS.

The Massachusetts Agricultural Society, have advertised their intention of awarding 77 premiums at the annual Brighton-Cattle Show and Fair, next autumn. The spirit of agricultural enterprise and improvement has heen greatly excited by the doings of this Society.

A picture of the large oxen and the heifer, which obtained the premiums at the last Brighton Show, has been finished by Mr. Fisher, the celebrated painter of animals; and it is said to be admirable for accurate deJineation and beautiful colouring.

The elegant picture painted by Col. Sargent of the Landing of our Forefathers' at Plymouth, has been entirely destroyed by damp. It was rolled up, and placed in a chamber where it remained undisturbed for some time; but upon unrolling the canvass it was found to be so entirely decayed that it would not hang together.

The wife of capt. Daniel Young, of Squam, (Gloucester,) was delivered not long ago of two fine boys, and a fine girl: the mother and children all alive and doing well. The first was born on Wednesday morning, the second on Thursday, and the third on Friday night.

By a statement in the Salem Gazette, it appears there are now owned in the town of Salem, and employed in the India trade, 54 ships and brigs, amounting in all to 14,120 tons.

Estimating the value of these vessels at $50

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