"It is easily conceivable, as in the recent changes in France, that this spirit of caucusing may be conducted in progression down to two or three persons; thus three leading characters may agree to act upon measures approved by any two of them; these three may add two others, and they would be a majority of five: and those adding four others would be a majority of nine; and this nine possess all the power of a majority of twenty-three!
"Yet such is the way we are treated by those who call themselves Federalists.
"The following bill is an offspring of this spirit of faction secretly working; and it will be found to be in perfect accord with the outrageous proceedings of the same party in our State Legislature, who are bent on depriving this State of its share in an election that may involve the fate of the country and posterity."
Resolved, That the said publication contains assertions and pretended information, respecting the Senate, and the Committee of the Senate and their proceedings, which are false, defamatory, scandalous, and malicious, tending to defame the Senate of the United States, and to bring them into contempt and disrepute, and to excite against them the hatred of the good people of the United States: and that the said publication is a high breach of the privileges of this House.
Resolved, That William Duane, now residing in the city of Philadelphia, the editor of the said newspaper called the General Advertiser, or Aurora, be, and he is hereby, ordered to attend at the bar of this House on Monday, the 24th day of March, inst., at 12 o'clock, at which time he will have opportunity to make any proper defence for his conduct, in publishing the aforesaid false, defamatory, scandalous, and malicious, assertions and pretended information; and the Senate will then proceed to take further order on the subject: and a copy of this and the foregoing resolution, under the authentication of the Secretary of the Senate of the United States, and attested as a true copy by James Mathers, Sergeant-at-Arms for the said Senate, and left by the said Sergeant-at-Arms with the said William Duane, or at the office of the Aurora, on or before the twenty-second day of March, instant, shall be deemed sufficient notice for the said Duane to attend in obedience to this resolution.
Saturday, March 22.
Mr. Dayton, from the Committee of Privileges, to whom it was referred to prepare and lay before the Senate a form of proceedings in the case of William Duane, reported in part; which report was read, amended, and agreed to, as follows:
When William Duane shall present himself at the bar of the House, in obedience to the order of the 20th inst., the President of the Senate is to address him as follows:
1st. William Duane:
You stand charged by the Senate of the United States, as editor of the newspaper called the General Advertiser, or Aurora, of having published in the same, on the 19th of February, now last past, false, scandalous, defamatory, and malicious assertions, and pretended information, respecting the said Senate and Committee of the Senate, and their proceedings, tending to defame the Senate of the United States, and to bring them into contempt and disrepute, and to excite against them the hatred of the good people of the United States; and therein to have been guilty of a high breach of the privileges of this House.