Ottumwa weekly courier. (Ottumwa, Wapello County, Iowa) 1872-1899, 1876-04-26
WASHINGTON.
The Delknap Impeachment,
Trial-RcplicntfOns, Re-
jOinders. Demurrers,
Etc, Etc.

WASHINGTON, April 24-This after
noon the counsel for Belknap fled
with Secretary Gorham, Bclknap's
rejoinder to the replications of tho
House of Representatives in the mat
ter of his impeachment. A general
demurrer is interposed to the first of
the two replications, alleging its in
sufficiency. He next denies the state
ments contained in the second rcpli-
cation, that he was Secretary of War
until and including the End of March
1875. He then denies the assertion of
the replication to the effect that he
was Secretary of War until COM
mittee having authority from the
House had investigated his official
conduct, and asserts that up to the
time of his resignation the House had
not given authority to any committee
to investigate any of the charges set
forth in the charges made against
him in the certificates of impeach-
ment.
The last plea Of the rejoinder says
AS the second replication of the
House of Representatives, secondly
above, further said that the House of
Representatives ought MOI, by author
ity in that replication alleged, to
have or maintain said Impeachment
against Belknap, because he says, al
though true ii is that he did resign
his position as Secretary of War on
March End, 1876, by resignation
in writing, addressed to the Prcsi-
dent, and the President did then ac-
cept his resignation in writing, new
erthelcss 1t is not true, rs alleged in
the replication, that Belknap resigned
his position with an attempt to evade
any proceedings of said House to i'm.
peach,
The reioinder goes on to say that
the Committee OH Expenditures OF
the War Department had examined
Marsh, who had made a statement to
the committee which if true would
not have sustained the articles of i'm
parchment against Belknap, but which
was of such a character in respect to
other persons, some Of whom had
been and one of whom was SO nearly
connected with Belknap by domestic
ties as to greatly affect him and make
him willing to secure the suppress
sion OF SO much of said statement as
affected such others at any cost tc
himself. He therefore proposed tc
the committee if the committee wo'd
suppress that part ef the statemen,
which related to said other persons
Belknap, though contrary to the truth
would admit the receipt by him of al
the monies stated by Marsh to have
been received by him from one Evan.
and paid over by Marsh to any Other
person or persons, but the committed
declined to accede to the proposition
and Hon, Hester Clymer, chairman
Of the committee, then declared t.
Belknap that he (Clymer) should
move in the House of Representa-
tives upon the statement of Marsh fol
the Impeachment of him (Belknap
unless Belknap should resign his pc
sition as Secretary of War before
morning of the next day.
The reioinder continues to say tina
Belknap regarded this statement o
i Clymer as an intimation that h,
could by resigning avoid the disgrac,
and humiliation of public trial, II,
awaited himself Of the defense sug
gested by tlymer, believing it to- hav,
been made in good faith, and that h
would secure speedy dismissal o
the case from the public mind which
statement, though it involved NJ
criminality on his part, was deepl,
painful to his feelings, and he did re
sign his position as Secretary of Wa
on the I'd day of March, 1876, at l
O'Clock. In the afternoon of the sam,
day Belknap caused the committee t,
be notified of his resignation and it
acceptance, all Of which was in pur
suance of a suggestion made by ely
mer and thereupon the committe,
declared they had no further duty t.
perform in the premises, and Belknal
admits that while the House of Rep
resentatiyes' claims that Clymer wa
acting on its behalf in the pretended
examination of Marsh, the Hous,
ought in honor and law to be cstop
ped to deny that Clymer was alst
acting on behalf of the House in sug
costing the resignation of Belknap
and ought not to be heard to complain
of the resignation thus induced, ant
this Belknap is ready to verify
wherefore he prays that the judgmen
of said Honse of Representative
ought not maintain the impeachment