2)3 ·
WRITINGS OF 5AM HOUSTON, 1831-1832
made, said Stanbery refused to give any answer, in a manner calculated still further to injure the accused. The accused ad- mits that he was greatly excited by these provocations, and that, under the influence of feelings thus excited, he did, on accidentally meeting the said Stanbery, assault and beat him, the accused be- ing unarmed with any other weapon than a common walking cane, and believing the said Stanbery to be, as he in fact was, armed with pistols; that the meeting took place several hours after the adjournment of Congress, about 8 o'clock in the eve- ning, on the Pennsylvania avenue, and nearly half a mile from the Capitol, and on the opposite side of the avenue from where Mr. Stanbery's boarding house is situated; and that, at the time of this occurrence, he was neither seeking for, nor expecting to see the said Stanbery. The accussd denies that he intended to commit, or that_he believed he was committing, any contempt towards the House of Representatives, or any breach of its privileges, or of the priv- ilege of any of its members. He denies that the act complained of constitutes any such contempt or breach of privilege, and is prepared to justify his conduct, so far at least as the rights and privileges of this House and its members are concerned, by proof. Interrogatory. Do you admit, or deny, that the same assault and beating were done for, and on account of words spoken by the said Stanberry in the House of Representatives in debate? Answer. I consider the answer already rendered to the first interrogatory, as embracing an answer to the second. 1 Hollse Execlltive Docllments, No. 210, 22d Cong., 1st Sess., Vol. V, Serial No. 220, pp. 1-2. 2 William Stanbery (August 10, 1788-January 23, 1873) Representative in the United States Congress from Ohio, 1827-1833, was born in New Jersey. He is remembered chiefly for this conflict with Sam Houston. See Biographical Directo1·y of the American Congress (1928), 1559. 3 See Houston to Stanbery, April 3, 1832, also see James Parton, Life of Andrew Jackson, III, 388-392.
To JAMES PRENTISS 1
Washington City 1st May 1832 My de1r Sir, My trial progress:s slowly, and tho I play the part of a patient 1nan, I do not feel precisely so composed,- ! apprehend no difficulty, beyond the trial, & discussion upon the subject. Congress can do nothing with me, and of this they are satisfied, as I believe. It is the test of a great principle, in
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