>> Sgt at Arm’s arrest powers don’t extend beyond the curb at Capitol Hill
Sam Houston’s assault of William Stanbery occurred on Pennsylvania Ave, not within the Capitol.
The discussion isn't about how far the Sgt-at-Arms' authority extended in 1832. It's how far do they extend today?
I don’t know where the arrest of Houston took place.
Since the assault was not within the Capitol there was not a spontaneous arrest, as in the arrest of Rep. Henry Edmundson (D-VA) who was arrested on the floor of the House. http://books.google.com/books?id=bQ0WOeABRrkC&pg=PA486&lpg=PA486&source=bl&ots=BzN4qJ4FrS&sig=sWG21pKZ-0C1o9zPVsMMWhCXSyQ&hl=en&ei=f1ywSc_qNpL2MMeEpMUE&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=2&ct=result#v=onepage&q&f=false
Stanberry wrote to the speaker of the House, claiming a breach of privilege. Houston was arrested and brought to the bar of the House. http://books.google.com/books?id=mpUEAAAAYAAJ&dq=GEORGE%20%20BRYAN%20%20sam%20houston&pg=PA47#v=onepage&q&f=false
The House ordered its sergeant-at-arms to “take in custody, wherever to be found, the body of Samuel Houston”.
“Wherever to be found” is unambiguous.
There has been no Amendment modifying or removing the authority of either house of Congress to enforce its subpoenas. Nor has any statute done so or could do so.