The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1876-04-28
FORTY-FoURTnc CONGRESS-
WAsHINoToN, April q.
aENATE.

| 1ne Shilerles were again CROWDED 70
day, two-thirds of the audience being
ladies. At 1890 the legislative business
wss suspended and the Impeachment,
trial begun. i.. ~
! Mr.. Lord submitted o motion that the
evidence relating to the question Of the
Jurisdiction Of the Senate be given before
the arguments I, lating thereto, and If
such plea is overruled, that the defendant
be required to answer the articles OF i'm
parchment within two days, and the
House reply if they deem it necessary
within three days, that the trial pro-
ceed the next day after the joining of
the issue.
Mr.. Carpenter, of counsel for the &C
cused, moved that the trial be postponed
until the first Monday of December
next, and asked that the time for discus
sing this motion be fixed at two hours tor
each side.
The request was granted by vote of
4s to 13.
Mr.. Blair addressed the Senate in
favor Of his motion. He argued that it
was impossible for tho Senate to do JUS
tIce 10 the great and important question
involved on account of the advanced
stage of the session, and counsel
had not had time 10 make
q suitable investigation before
presenting themselves to argue this great
question. Again, the House was even
now making important Investigations,
with a view of presenting additional
articles OF impeachment, and if addition
al charges are 10 be made, the coansel for
the accused would then have time for ex-
emination. They invited the closest
scrutiny into the official conduct of the
accused. He referred to his life and
stated that he had won his way into the
councils of the nation on the battle field.
Another reason why the Senate should
postpone the trial was that it connected
itself decidedly with the political issues
of the day, and both parties were almost
committed to his destruction.
Judge Black followed on the same
side.
Judge Black spoke fsr an hour and
dwelt at some length on the political ex.
citement against the accused, contending
that that it was so intense that each party
was committed TO his ruin. 1t was i'm
possible for him to have fair trial,
though he might have an honest one.
He also iEtimated that his duty would be
SO painful that nothing but the fear Of
the absoluts loss of his reputation could
move him to it.
At the cor cluslon of Judge Blacks,
speech Mr.. Edmunds moved that the SEN
ate withdraw for consultatioH. The motion
was agreed to. Yeas, 35; nays "a.
Before the Senate retired Mr.. Hoar, one
Of the managers, ,calledits attention to the
rules of parliamentary law, which re
stricts the Senate in the discussion Of
what has occurred in the House Of Rep
-esentstives. He desired 10 know whether
t.at was rule governing pro.
ceedings IN the trial SO that the managers
of the House might govern themselves
accordingly. He was led to sllude to
the subject from the fact that one of the
learned counsel had been permitted to
state that scene of disorder took place
in the House on certain occasion.
He did not make any
motion on the subject but merely desired
the attention Of the Senate to it
in order that the managers might under
stand what their duties were in the prem
ises
Mr.. Carpenter said that on the part of
the defendants counsel be wished TO be
heard before that important question was
decided.
The Senate then at 8 o'clock retired
for consultation and returned to the Sen
ate chamber at 4;30 o'clock, when the
presiding officer announced that the mo.
ton on the part Of the defendant
was denied and that the counsel
on the part of the respondent would now
be heard on the motion submitted by the
managers, which is that the evidence on
the question pending TO the pleas OF
jurisdiction be given before the argu-
ments relating thereto are heard, and
that if such plea is overruled defendant
should be required to answer the articles
of impeachment in two days, and that
the trial shall proceed on the next day
after joining the issue.
Mr.. Blair, counsel for Belknap, rose to
open the argument, but on motion OF
Mr.. Anthony the Senate, sitting as
Court of Impeachment, adjourned till
1890 o'clock tomorrow.
Alter a short executive session the
Senate adjourned.