CONTEMPT. A wilful disregard or dis obedience of a public authority.
2. By the constitution of the United States, each house of congress may determine the rules of its_proceedings, punish its members for disorderly behavior, and, with the concur rence of two-thirds, expel a member. The same provision is substantially contained in the constitutions of the several states.
8. The power to make rules carries that of enforcing them, and to attach persona who violate them, and punish them for oontempts. 1 Kent, Comm. 236 ; 37 N. H, 450; 3 Wils. 188 ; 14 East, 1, But see 4 Moore, Priv. Colin. 63 ; 11 id. 347. This power hig for contempts is confined to punishment during the session of the legislature, and can not extend beyond it, 6 Wheat. 204, 230, 231 and it seems this power cannot be exerted beyond imprisonment. The arrest of the of fending party is made by the sergeant-at, arms, acting by virtue of the speaker's war rant, both in England and the United States. 6 Wheat. 204; 10 Q. B. 359. And see 23 Bost. Law Rep. 7.
4. Courts of justice have an inherent power to punish all persons for contempt of their rules and orders, for disobedience of their process, and for disturbing them in their pro ceedings. Bacon, Abr. Courts (E); Abr. 219 ; 8 Coke, 38 b ; 11 id. 43 b ; 22 Me. 550; 5 'red. No. C. 199 ; 37 N. H. 450; 16 Ark. 384; 25 Ala. s. 81 ; 25 Miss. 883; 1 Woodb, & M. C. C. 401. A court may com mit for a period reaching beyond the term at which the contempt is committed, 13 Md. 642.
5. In some states, as in Pennsylvania, the power to punish for contempte me restricted to offences committed by the officers of the court, or in its presence, or in disobedience of its mandates, orders, or rules ; but no one is guilty of a contempt for any publication made or act done out of court which is not in violation of such lawful rules or orders or in disobedience of its process. Similar pro
visions, limiting the power of the courts of the United States to punish for =tempts, are incorporated in the act of March 2, 1831. 4 Sharsw. cont. of Stor. U. S. Laws, 2256. See Oswald's Case, 4 Lloyd's Debates, 141 et seq.
6. It is said that it belongs exclusively to the court offended to judge of conterapts and what amounts to them, 37 N. H. 450; and no other court or judge can or ought to US dertake, in a collateral way, to question or review an adjudication of a contempt made by another competent jurisdiction. 3 Wile. 188; 14 East, 1; 2 Bay, So. C. 182; 1 Ill. 266; 1 J. J, Marsh. Ky. 575; 1 Blackf, Ind. 166; T. U. P. Charlt. Go, 136; 14 Ark. 538, 544; 1 Ind. 161; 6 Johns. N. T. 337 ; 9 id. 395; 6 Wheat, 204; 7 id. 38. But it has been repeatedly held that a court of superior juris diction may review the decision of one of ire ferior jurisdiction on a matter of contempt, 1 Grant, Clas. Penn. 453 ; 7 Cal. 1811 13 Grath Va. 40 ; 15 B. Monr, Ey. 607 ; though not on habeas corpus, 14 Tex. 436, It should be by direct order of the oourt. 5 Wise. 227. A proceeding for contempt is regarded as a distinct and independent snit. 22 Eng. L, 4 gq. 150 ; 25 Yt. 680 ; 21 Conn. 185. See, generally, 1 Abb. Aden. 508 ; 5 Du, N. Y. 629 ; 1 Dutch. N. J. 209 ; 16 Ill. 534; 1 Ind. 96 ; 5 Blackt Ind, 574; .3 Tex. 360; 1 Greene, Iowa, 394 ; 18 Miss. 103.