Mr. SPALDING. Mr. Speaker, in bringing this protracted debate to a close I desire to place before the House and the country certain propositions which I believe to be abun dantly supported by constitutional and parlia mentary law: 1. Either House of Congress has the inherent power of protecting itself from injury or insult; and it as also the itgilied power of punishing what are termed contempts and in ‘ringements of its privileges by the exercise of a summary jurisdiction correctly deduced from the Constitution itself. Rawle on the Constitution, 48; Anderson vs. unn, 6 Wheaton. 204.) 2. For any speech or debate in either House, a member cannot be questioned in any other place. (Article 1, section 6, of the Constitution.) Not even for words reflecting upon the charactor or conduct of a fellow member. “ Taking carenot to say anythin disrespectfulto the House.a member may statew ntever he thinks fit in debate, howeverqfferuiive it maybeto[liefrrlinpa or u'ru'un'ouInn the character f r iqidunlo, and he is protected by his privilege from any action for libel. as well as from any otherquestion or molestation."Min/'11Par innieiimruPractice, page 114. 3. Although a member may not be questioned in any other place for offensive words spoken in the House, yet he is liable to cen sure and punishment by the House itself. In the English House of Commons members have been censured, imprisoned, and even ex‘ pelled for intemperate speeches on the floor. (May’s Parliamentary Practice, 113.) The conclusion of the whole matter is this: no member of either House of Congress is permitted to assault the person of any other member for any language, however offensive, used in debate. A different rule, or one that would measure out the punishment for such a breach of the privileges of the House, in accordance with the provocation given, would establish a despotism of the most revoltin character. Every speaker on t (2 floor of Congress would have occasion to look over his shoulder and take note of the effect of his words upon every one of his hearers, lest, forsooth, on leaving this Hall for his lodgings, the “ bludgeon of a bully” should arrest his footsteps. If such is to be the practice hereafter, the responsibility shall not rest with me. I now ask a vote on the resolution.