Bristol news. [volume] (Bristol, Va. & Tenn.) 1867-189?, 1876-03-07
.,hingten special to the cincinnati Commercial
BELKNAP !
THE GREAT SENSATION.

No event since the assassination of
Lincoln has produced an effect So pro-
| found a. was made toy the revelations
OF the corruption of Secretary Belk
| nap and the resultant Impeachment
this afternoon uy the House. The
! deep feeling Of regret and Indignation
! that has been aroused in common to
men Oi all phItes and ia all circles
! the pregnant theme has been Il topic
! to-day Of everybody, including the
! huOt-hlack ON the street corner, the Oc-
! cupauts Of the White House and the
/ inmates of the bOudOIrs of Vanity
| Fair, who find the frat restful cam of
! the Leuten season thus abruptly aud
violently disturbed. Tonight il is
| discussed over walnuts and wine at
! the tables of The upperteudOm i'm the
/ lUbhies of the theatres, where shaIu
| dramas paie in interest before the SUI
! prCme interest of the real life story of
| the wrecked career OF hitherto re.
! speCtpd and distinguished family ; in
! the thruuged halls aud corridors Of
! hotels, everywhere, politicians are he
! wildpred and saddened. No man il
! found who betrays the signs of graft.
| ficati0n, or who expresses anything
| else but sincere sorrow that one who
WIS yesterday so high, has been
| brought to-day so low through his own
! dishonesty and petty cupidity, and
utter disregard Tor the most solemn
/ obligations of honor and good cor
science. The long sigh Of relief on the
ncuuitlnl of the Presidents private
| secretary of the charge of completely
| with the whiskey ring, was interrupt
| ed by the revelations showing that
one equally trusted and more highly
| hnnorGd 10y the President has been
/ guilty for years Of
THE MOST CORRUPT PRACTICES,
| and the suspicious and fears that were
| partially lulicd 10y the acquttal of the
one, have been tanned to u stronger
! heat hy the conviction of the other 3,
! and men looking at each other, inquire
| anXiuusly, "Where will this end q?
! Who then is innocent? What greater
measure Of disgrace is yet to he heaped
| upon the Nation p" WORDS will not
| suffice to DO justice to the feeling that
| ii lls the very atmosphere of Washing.
I ton 10 night.
The impeachment of Andrew John
son was the minor importance in u
sensational way to this, because it was
gradually approached through long
series of weeks. The excitement had
spent it, force hv the time the climax
was reached. But the Impeachment
of Belknap was not limited of until
last night. and then t was of such an
extraordinary nature that it was,al
! most universally disCTedItod and set
down IA wild canard, the las, lrs-
invention of some crazy brain. v h II
it. came to day, with all its ter hlr
force, there was no preparation for it,
and it came like hunderhnlt.
THE SCENE IN THE HOUSE
during the impeaCh meut proceedings
wa most impressive; Il feeling of 50
lemuiIy ptrraded the membership
and the spectators. The galleries were
filled and many outsiders crowded in
upon the floor, making dark, heavy
! background To the senIl-ciTcular rows
of desks, while tn" representatives. OF
foreign nations were present viewing
the scene with deep interest. During
the reading of the committees report,
the evidence, etc, the quiet was al
most painful, and the voice Of the
, reader, Mr.. Clymer. seemed to shake
Hith Suppressed emotion, especially at
those points where the details at do
! nestle secrets and the uuheSitating
devotion of the wife were laid bar
with such dreadful simplicity At
these Joints strong mems fnCes were
seen To hlanch and change. while they
seemed to shrink with horror from
the awful recital, while alternating
with this feeling came fiery indipna-
ton, that blaZrd from their eyes, that
this mar had held his wife and baby
MS a shield between him and his crime,
aud as II means to ward off his punish
ment.
WHERE THE MONEY WENT.
Belknap, it has been observed, has
! been growing rich suddenly, just as
! BahcOck did. lie has made exten.
sive purchases of real estate on no
other apparent income than that Of
! Cabinet Minister, which, with strict
| economy will scarcely meet the de-
maud upon 1t. 1t has been remarked
| that Mrs. Belkrap has been the most
superhlv dressed lady in Washington.
| II Ter toilets have been of the most e!ab-
crate aud costly description, AVID have
! not been approached in Magnificence
| 10y those of any of the ladies of the
! foreign legations, or of one of the
W. slthieSt citizens in this eXtravigant
rlnita.. The salary of her husband
would scarcely suffice to dress tn
wife The 'amily have always been
popular i'm official society, and their
downfall has ,.roduced sensation SO
profound i'm socia. circles that il scarce
~ rqualled 10y that pro'uccd IN poiti,
cal eli Cles.
THAT RING.
Well informed persons assert posi-
lively That it will he shown, hefcre TIE
close o, the session, that prlkuap,
Bahrnck, Boss Shepherl, Rnhesnn,
ingalls, and Horace Porter have CON
constituted ring and made n great
deal of money farming out offices.
THE BEGINNING OF THE Esd.
This case il the beginning of the
end. Rnhesun will 20 next. and nf-
'cr him viii follow a host Of suhordi-
mates in the different departments.
The Attorney General will rohahly
he forced To resign. not, indeed for put
ting money in his own pocket, he-
I tutsa az, Ana ng,ttaas, him, e tI,,t I,,t