The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1873-03-01
WASHINGTON.

House directing an inquiry as to the i'm
parchment of any officer of the United
States government. The majority of the
committee. in their report, first consider
what officers are liable to impeachment,
and arrive at the conclusion that in this
case. there are but two who could be brought
der articles of impeachment by the House,
viz: The Vice President, and Mr.. Brooks,
late government director of the Union
Pacific road The latter having long since
ceased to be a director of the road, and his
case being before another committee of the
House, the inquiry into his case is presecu-
ted no further. The case of the Vice. Pres
ident is then taken up, the testimony re-
viewed, and the law and precedents elabor-
ately considered. The object of the con-
stitutional impeachment is considered and
| the conclusion reached that it is remedial,
| and intended to secure the removal of an
| improper officer rather than as apunish-
ment. The committee then argue at length
to show that the House has no power to ex-
| pei persons for offenses committed before
their election, and the acts alleged against
Mr.. Colfax having occurred before his cleo
ton, to his present position, and while
member of II former Congress, they find
nothing in the case ofthe Vice President to
warrant Impeachment, and report the res
| oluton back with the request that the
committee be discharged from the further
consideration of the resolution, and that
it do lie upon the table. The report is
signed by Messrs. Bingham, Butler, Ell
bridge, Peters, Shoemaker, and VOORHEES,.
In the minority reports MIR. Potter dis
scented from the report of the committee i'll
reference to what is said of impeachment,
but concurred in the recommendation that
the committee be discharged, in conse-
uuence of the short time remaining of the
session. Mr.. Goodrich dissented from the
opinion than an officer could not be i'm
peachned or member expelled for Of
| lenses committed prior to his term of Office.
| Mr.. Wilson declined to express an opin-
ion in regard to the expulsion of members,
| and the whole matter was laid over till
| Wednesday.
| The Pomeroy investigation was closed
on Tuesday evening, and the Committee
are preparing their report. MIR. Pomeroy
made a statement under oath, and was
cross examined on his statement by men,
bers of the Committee. His defense was
in accordance with one of the published
rumors that came from Kansas, that the
| $1,000 which York displayed in the joint
convention was placed in his hands to car
ry to one Page, who lived in the same
town, in accordance with previous az
rangement between Pomeroy, Page and
! York, and that it was a subscription to-
wards National bank which Page, with
! Pomeroy's aid, wanted to put into opera
ton. Mr.. Pages own testimony was con-
| tirmatory of his statement in respect to tine
understanding between him and Pome-oy,
that the money should be handed him
| through York. So far as the conflict of
! testimony between York and Pomeroy is
| not substantiated on one side or the other,
or rather against Mr.. Pomeroy, the state
ment of the latter will be believed by Sen
ators generally in determining their action,
for Pomeroy has been known to them and
regarded as truthful man, and York, ad-
hitting the truth of his statement in its
one essential point, is held to be infamous
and untrustworthy.
In the United States Senate, on Wednes-
day, Nh. Schurz presented the credentials
of L. V. Bogy, Senator-elect from Missouri.
At the evening session the Army Appro-
priation bill was passed. Among the items
| is one appropriating million of dollars to
be expended under the direction of the
Secretary of War in providing suitable
| headstoncs for the graves of the deceased
soldiers buried in the National Cemeteries.
In the House of Representative the debate
on the report of the Credit Mobiller Com
mittee occupied the whole day. Mr.. But
| Ter tried to get rid of the troublesome bus
| mess by offering resolution which provid-
ed that all the parties implicated should be
| turned over to the Criminal Court of the
! District of Columbia, but Mr.. Poland,
| Chairman of the Committee, would not
yield the floor, and Mr.. Butler subsided.-
Mr. Poland proceed with his speech and
reviewed at some length the testimony on
which the report had been based. He was
particularly severe upon Mr.. Brooks. The
substantial point at issue is whether Con
gress can punish for misdemeanors or other
wrongful acts committed at a previous ses-
sion, Mr. Poland maintaining the atfirma-
tive Mr.. Ames handed his speech in reply
to Mr.. Mcpherson, Clerk of the House,
who read it. We regret that we have not
room to print the whole of this able argu-
ment. 1t is defence of himself and his
connection with the Pacific railroad and
the Credit Mebilier, and had marked eff
feet upon the House. He declared that he
would have been better off had he never
had anything to do with the road. AS to
bribery. when he sold the stock it was
drug on the market, the financers of the
country refusing to touch it, Some of his
friends, both in and out OF Congress. took
some of the. stock upon his assurance to
them that it would pay at least ten per
cent. There was no action taken upon the
affairs Of the road for three years after he
sold the stock, and none then that.a mem
Der could be bribed to vote UPON. Con
gress had always given the road all that it
asked and the country approved of its ac-
ton, hence there was no occasion to bride
anybody.
In the House of Representatives, on
Wednesday, the debate on the report of
the Credit Mobiler Investigating Commit
tee was continued. Mr.. Richie offered rs
a substitute for the resolution recommending
the expulsion of Cakes Ames and James
Brooks, a resolution censuring the above
named gentlemen, also Henry l.. Dawes,
Glenni w. Scotleld, James A. Bingham,
VIM. D. Kelley and James A. Garfield, but
| Mr.. Bingham objected. and the resolution
was not entertained. Mr.. Beck led off in
ferocious speech against the Credit Mobilier
party, but wound up by denying the right
of Congress to take any jurisdiction of of
fenses committed before the election of the
present Congress. Mr.. Voorhees, made an
eloquent speech defending Mr.. James
Brooks. 1t will be seen that the two ablest
| of the Democrat members of the House op-
| pose any action i'll the matter. Mr.. Steven
son made speech in favor of the report.
Mr.. Whitthorne argued that all the Credit
Mobilier members should have been includ
ed in the resolution of expulsion. Mr.
| Niblack made a speech in favor of the re-
port. Mr.. Bingham defended Mr.. Brooks.
and denied the jurisdiction of Congress in
! the premises. Mr.. Banks made an able
speech in favor of the report. At the even
ing session Mr.. Butler made characters
tic speech, in which he slashed the over
virtuous men who are clamoring for Il pnri-
fication of the House, right and left. Some
of his points were like sharp swords. Mr..
Shellabarger spoke in favor of the report.
and Messrs. Young and Eldridge opposed
it on the ground that the House had no
jurisdiction.
In the House of Representatives, on
| Thursday, the debate on the Credit Mobil-
Ter report was concluded, and the whole
subject finally disposed of. Mr.. Poland,
Chairman of the Investigating Committee,
closed the debate, arguing that Congress,
had power to expell member for acts COM
mitted during the session of a former Con
gress. Mr.. Sargent offered a substitute
for the resolution reported by the commit
tee recommending the expulsion of Cakes