Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1873-03-07

Oou ~ newer Wouiu DC, OF tndb ~ was
ever to be held in this country that the
vilest criminal, a murderer even, who
had concealed the crime from the public
and who had been elected member of
the House, was to come here and be al
lowed to sit beside such Christian gentle
men as are here from Massachusetts,
Qaughter), and that the House had no
power to expel such man, but that
members must take him to their bosoms
as an associate. To say that was law,
was mockery. He believed no such alb
surdity, and no such ingenuity on the
part of the gentleman from Massachu-
sets (Butler); or any body else, could
make the intelligent people of the coun-
try believe it. 1t needed the man who
was the inventor of the Credit Mobilier
machine to have devised such doctrine.
daughter and applause).
MR.. BECK SEEKS FOR LIGHT.
Mr.. Beck of Kentucky, here inter-
rupted Mr.. Poland, and said he wanted
to ask him question, as the point he
was discussing was point of difficulty
with him. They had both been mem
bers of Congress when Mr.. Bowen of
South Carolina presented him to be sworn
in as member. Mr.. Mullen of Tennes-
see had risen and said that Mr.. Bowen
while major in the Confederate army
had killed his colonel, for which he was
arrested, tried and imprisoned that
while in prison the Federal army came
along and broke his letters; that he then
became loyal citizen, and General
Sickles had told him (Mullen) that Mr..
Bowen's conduct had been SO bad that
he had incarcerated him again. The
man was known to be a bigamist, yet he
had been sworn in, and no member OF
the House ever moved to expel him. He
(Poland) was a member of the House at
the time, and had not made such a move.
He himself Deck had thought the
House disgraced by the presence of men
white and black, of infamous character,
sent to Congress from the Southern States,
but the trouble was the power to expel
them.
Mr.. Poland did not see the precise
point of Mr.. Beck's question. He might
as we'll ask it of himself as of HIM.
Mr.. Beck-The gentleman argues
that the House has clear jurisdiction
over the past conduct of members prior
to the election.
| WHY DID MIR. BECK MAINTAIN
SILENCE?
Mr.. Poland had not the slightest doubt
of it. When the question as to Bowen
was raised it had been prematurely rails
ed. A man being murderer did not
make him ineligible as member of Con-
gress. The votes cast for him had to be
counted and he had to be admitted. but
as soon as he had got his seat, it was the
duty of other members of the House, as
honest and decent men, to expel him,
and if what was alleged against Bowen
was true he ought to have been expelled.
The gentleman from Kentucky (Beck)
seemed to know more about that case
than he (Poland) did, and, therefore, he
was to be more blamed for non-action
than himself. If Bowen had been guilty
of the charges alleged against him, the
House had the amplest and fullest legal
jurisdiction of the matter, and most GER
tainly if the case had ever been proper
lY presented, and if his conduct had APP
peared to have been what was charged,
he Poland would have voted for his ex-
pulsion.
ENGLISH PARLIAMENTARY LAW QUOTED.
Mr.. Poland then proceeded to discuss
the report made by Mr.. Butler of Mass
aehusetts, yesterday, and denied that
there was any precedent in Parliamenta-
ny law for the assumption in that report.
On the contrary, with the little search
he was able 10 m axe since last evening
he had found in English parliamentary
history two cases subsequent to that of
Wilks--one the case of Ward charged
with forgery, and the other that of At
kins charged with perjury, who were
both expelled from the House of Com
mons, the officers having been commit
ted before the election. There had new
er been question raised in the English
Parliament as to the power to expel I'M
worthy members, no matter when their
offences were committed.
THE POWER OF CONGRESS.
Mr.. Eldridge of Wisconsin-Does the
gentleman claim that Congress has the
same power as the British Government
Mr.. Poland-Certainly / do.
GOOD NATURED sPARRING.
The half-hour extension of time hay
ing come to an end, it was proposed by
some of the members that the time be
AGAIN extended.