The Leavenworth weekly times. [volume] (Leavenworth, Kan.) 1870-1880, 1873-02-27
HOCsE.

This being judgment day the galleries are
crowded; every seat is occupied and every
standing place filed. The corridors, cloak
rooms and all the places at the rear of the
members seats were jammed with people,
and there never was before such crowd Of:
curious sight-.ee,s in the Capitol. 1t was
more than half past eleven when the read
ing of the Journal and other preliminary
business had been disposed Of. In the
meantime the crowd had become
denser and noisier. and the ladies who
had been admitted within the body Of
the hall stood grouped around at the mouths
Of all the sislea, and pressed around at the
back of the circle. At II As the Speaker
announced that the special order was the
report on the Credit Mobilier.
Mr.. Butler, of Massachusetts, as if I'M
prepared, moved that the House go in .
Committee of the Whole on the legislation
appropriation bill, whereupon Mr.. Garfield
intimated that it would be just az we'll for
him to attend to his own business and leave
the Committee on Appropriations to manage
its own affairs.
The House then proceeded with the
special order, when the Clerk read the resO-
lutioDs for the expulsion of Ames and
Brooks.
Mr.. Butler offered substitute for the res
olution reported from the Poland Committee,
to the effect that the criminal acts complain
ed Of in the report having been committed
before the election of present Congress, and
may have been committed within the Dis
trct Of Columbia, therefore the Clerk Of the
House should certify 10 copy Of all the
testimony taken 90 far n relates to members
of the House, to the District Attorney Of
the United States for the District Of Colum-
bia in order that he can lay it before the
Grand Jury for such action, as they may see
proper to take.
Mr.. Poland objected to the reception of
the resolution, and it was ruled ont.
Mr.. Poland then opened the case for the
prosecution in q speech, reciting the fsc's
ju-tifying the report OF tae Committee. He
smoke for an hour and half, and made an
elaborate argument to show that Ames had
been guilty Of the intention to bribe MEM
bers BY selling them stock at par, which was
worth from two to three times that amount.
He ridiculed the report Of the Judiciary
Commitsee, presented yesterday, that the
House could not exPel member
for conduct, prior to his term, and
assail.d Mr.. Butler for the part he
took in the preparation of that report.
Mr.. Beck of Kentucky disputed the point
% to expelling a member for his previous
acts, and said the House was disgraced by
Infamous characters, and the trouble was ~
to the power TO expel them.
Mr.. POLAND ciiesl two or three cases of ex-
pulsion BY the English Parliament, and
contended that Congress had a right to do
ANYTHING Parliament had done. When Mr..
Poland concluded, the Clerk of the House
proceeded to read the argument of
Ames, which was listened to with
the greatest attention. 1t gave at length the
history Of the Credit Mobilier transaction,
and commended that il is unreasonable and
unjust to accuse Of bribery where it is not
.howu that any one had been bribed. He
cnntroverts the Law a. applied 10 the case
BY the Poland Committee, shows
the advantages to the Government Of the
Credit Mobilier, and in Conclusion
declared that it seems TO be
the Of ject to have him made single VIC
tim, but il this body shall order that victim,
he shall accept its mandate and leave to HIS
tory his vindication, which in denied him
here. In peroration was received with half
suppressed murmers Of appreciation.
The storm compels me to discontinne.-
OPERATOR