DATE: 31 October, 1851
CREATOR: John J. Criddenden, Representative and Senator from Kentucky and Attorney General under William Henry Harrison, Joyn Tyler, and Millard Fillmore.
EXTENT: 1 letter, dated October 31, 1851. autograph letter signed
SCOPE: Letter to Antoine Chas. Cazenove, concerning 6th section of the first article of the Constitution.
HISTORY: John Jordan Crittenden (1787-1852) was a United States Senator from Kentucky and Attorney General of the United States. This letter seems to be a response to a request by A.C. Cazenove, a prominent Alexandria, VA businessman and Consol for the Swiss Confederation. This request must have pertained to the privileges of U.S., Congressmen.
The Cazenove family dates to the 15th century in southern France. Family members were Huguenots who sought refuge in Geneva, Switzerland, after the St. Bartholomew's Day massacre - 1572. Active in international commerce, branches of the family settled in England, Italy, Spain, and the United States
Anthony-Charles Cazenove, (1775-1852), merchant and banker, was the second son of Paul Cazenove and Jeanne Elizabeth Martin. He was born 1775 in Geneva, Switzerland. In 1790 he went to London to work for a time in the counting house of James Cazenove & Co. In 1794 he and his brother, John-Anthony emigrated to Philadelphia, to escape the French Revolution which had come to Geneva. He settled in Alexandria, Virginia. About 1795 he became a partner in the firm Albert Gallatin & Co. Gallatin, also from Geneva, was a prominent businessman, legislator, diplomat and US Secretary of the Treasury. In 1797, Anthony married Anne Hogan in Alexandria. They had nine children. Cazenove’s granddaughters married into other prominent families, particularly the Lee’s and du Pont’s. In 1850 his son Louis-Anthony Cazenove (1807-1852) bought the Lee-Fendale House (built in 1785 and still existing) in Alexandria. Both Louis and Anthony died in 1852.
J. J. Crittenden was a politician and Senator from Kentucky on four occasions (1817-19, 1835-41, 1842-48, 1855-61). He served as Governor of Kentucky and twice as U.S. Attorney General - March-September 1841 and 1850-1853.
ACCESS: This is collection M-025. This collection is available for on-site use only in the Rare Book and Manuscripts Reading Room. Some of the collection may be photocopied, digitally scanned or photographed, depending on condition. Researchers are advised to call ahead concerning changes in hours due to University intersessions and holidays. The St. Louis Mercantile Library is located on levels one and two of the Thomas Jefferson Library building. More information about conducting research with the archival collections of the Library, including current building hours and reading room policies, can be found on our Research page.
RESTRICTIONS: None
Preferred Citation note: The preferred citation for this collection is “From the Special Collections of the St. Louis Mercantile Library at the University of Missouri – St. Louis.”
TRANSCRIPTION
Please note that this transcription preserves the original spelling, grammar, and line breaks, whenever possible.
Letter to Antoine-Charles Cazenove, Oct 31, 1851 A.L.S
Washington, October 31st, 1851
J.J. Crittenden
Atty Gen’l of the U.S.
(Page 1)
Sir
In reply to your note of this day which I have had the honor to receive, I have to inform you that the privileges of the members of the Congress of the United States, are conferred by the 6th Section of the 1st article of the Constitution in the following language, to wit, “The senators & Representatives shall receive a compensation for their services to be ascertained by law, and paid out of the Treasury of the United States. They shall in all cases, except treason, felony, and breach of the peace be privileged from arrest during their attendance at the session of their term respective Houses, and in going to the returning from the same; and for any speech or debate in either House, they shall not be questioned in any other places.”
The privileges conferred by the provisions above recited, are the only constitutional privileges of Member of Congress and these privileges being granted by the Constitution can not be abrogated or taken away by any act of legislation. They are
(Page 2)
permanent & unrepeatable as the Constitution itself.
An act of Congress has conferred upon also the privilege of sending letters by the public mail, free of postage. This, however, is a privilege limited to the time of their continuance in office as members & to meeting of the next Congresses thereafter as this privilege is derived from and act of Congress it may modified or replaced at the pleasure of Congress.
The members of our Congress have no other privileges than as above stated and these have been conferred not for the purpose of personal distinction as advantage to themselves but upon the principle of promoting the public service.
I have the honor to be
Very respectfully
Yours
J.J Crittenden
Monsieur Antoine Chas. Cazenove
Consul of the Swiss Confederation
Alexandria
Related Collections
M-019 Calhoun, John C. (includes a letter from Senator John C. Calhoun to Cazenove dated July, 1822)
M-023: Clay, Henry (includes a letter to Cazenove from Henry Clay)
M-098: Webster, Daniel (includes a letter to Cazenove from Senator Daniel Webster, dated February 1, 1845)
