New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1873-02-25

uubcans have yet decided what they Will do, Dut
Will be guided almost wholly by the arguments to be
made.
MR.. COLFAX NOT TO BE IMPEACHED.
ANOTHER COAT OF wHITEwASI-THE JUDICIARY
COMMITTEE DODGE THE QUESTION REFERRED
TO THEM-THEY CLAIM THAT A MEMBER
CANNOT BE EfPEACHED OR EXPELLED FOR
OFFENSEs COMMITTED BEFORE HE BECAME
MINORITY REPORTS.
by TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUNr1
WASHINGTON. Feb 24.-The House Judiciary Com
nittee through Mr.. Butler, made a report to-day on
the resolution directing them to ascertaiR Ii there
was anything IN the evidence taken by the Poland
Committed that called for the impeachment Of any
officer of the Government The report was OF tedl-
Gus length, and the Speaker made the House listen
70 il from beginning 10 end with the gravity and
dscorun Of wei regulated Sunday-school. Very
little related in the remotest degree to Mr.. Colfax
whose ease was dismissed in a few paragraphs. with
the exception OF q brief mention of the Nice-Pres-
dent IN the beginning, and few lines concerning
him at the end. The entire document was an IN
geu0us. able, but wholly uneaued-fOr attack upon
the report 0f Judge Poland and a discussion of the
question Of the report ot the House TO expel MEM
hers for 0fIenses committed IN prior Congress or
for any otenses against good morals. This question
was not referred the Committee at all. and they
went out Of their way to take II up and fosted their
opinions upon il unasked on the House for the puI
pose apparently, Of influencing action on the cases
Of Mr.. Ames and the Credit MobIier victims which
ome up Tomorrow The report was, in short,
speech against the power Of the House 70 egel any
tody for the Credit Mobilier corruption.
The Argument was III essence as follows: Tue
House cannot expel member Tor any Ohense COM
mitted before he became q member, no matter
whether ms constituents had knowledge of
his turritude when they elected hiIn not,
a member be expelled for any act committed in a
previous Congress. The power of expulsion should
not be exercised except where necessary to preserve
good order u tile body to secure members against
danger from insane OF violent man, and never 10
get rad OF an immoral corrupt person, the cOnstit-
uenoy OF a member being the only proper judges
Of ms moral qualifications The qualifications
Of members are prescribed by the Constitution and
good moral, does not figure as one Of them; there
fore the House has no right to use the power Of
pusion TO purge the body of immoral members.
These arguments. supplemented by a dissertation
on the danger OF the exercise of the power of eX-
puSoH. and b0isered up by citations Of everything
IN English and American parliamentary history that
appeared 90 sustain them, were spun out 70 an IN
ioleIable l.8gth. Compared with The space devoted
to them boz the report that given to the question OF
Mr.. Collar and Impeachment was like FalstatFs
zone poor penuywOrth of bread TO an lntoleIable
deal Of sack"
The conclusion in Mr.. Colfax's case was that,
granting that he took the stocks and got the dlv-
dends and giving no weight to his explanations, the
ofense was committed before ne became Vice-Presi-
dent and therefore the House has no jurisdiction
over il, and there is nothing to warrant his i'm
Parchment. The power Of impeachment the report
claims, is not punitive but remedial and applies
only 70 ofionses committed in Office. There vas no
Sufficient answer to the argument in the Poland re-
port that a bribery Of a member may be continuous
us effects and may influence his conduct after the
Congress in which it took place; nor was any
reference made 70 Mr.. COlfax's apparent prevarlca-
tons and false swearing befOr the Poland Commit
tee which were as grave ofenses as his acceptance
Of the Credit Mobiher stock. The report was signed
byslxmembers Of the Judiciary Committee, Messrs
Bingham, Butler, Peters, Eldridge, Shoemaker, and
voorhees, j. W. Wilson assented TO the portion OF
TIE report relative TO the impeachment but sensibly
declined 70 express any opinion the question OF
The power Of the House 10 expel members, because
aequestOn had not been referred 70 the Commit
10. Two minority reports we're submitted, one by
NJ Potter and one by Mr. Goodrich.
When the reading of Mr.. Buffers report I'm
ished the weary members whom the Speaker had
compelled 10 keep dstressingly quiet got no relief
ioi another formidable pile Of manuscript was sent
Up by Mr. Potter. 1t was his minority report, COW
alng about 20 pages of elosely-written toolseap.
lie gist OF II that the question raised IN MI
'SaiAx ease. Of the power Of the House TO mpeacn
A. eheer for act committed before he entered on
zoe duties Of his Office, was unsettled one; that
uf pTecedents appeared 10 warrant the exercise OF
'Oe power; that the rghtfulness Of impeachment on
sech grounds could not be determined IN Mr.. Col
az ease because there was not time enough re-
naming Of his term 20 admit Of his trial by the Sen
AZ; that il wac dangerous 10 extend the power of
Impeachment or expulsion beyond well established
peeedents, and finally that, although the Vice
l'es'deBts offense might justify his impeachment
"~o7d he unjust TO a man inst passing out OF the
eh Of any verdict Of judgment acqoittaI for the
mouse 70 iDdict him by impeachment, when he can
'-'e no opportunity 10 establish his innocence by
nal
MT Goodrich submitted short minority report,
s'sentng entirely from the view OF the majority
mai public officer or a member OF Congress cannot
y impeached OF expelled for Offense committed
sof 70 the commencement of the term Of ofhce
s"hog which the question is raised, and maintain
s IN forcible language that any and every officer
- member may be impeached OF expelled Tor an
~<lst which IN It's character u CONTINUOUS IN Its