The Grange advance. [volume] (Red Wing, Minn.) 1873-1877, 1876-03-08
little matters of etiquette made recoe.
milton of each other necessary.


milton of each other necessary.
The Scene In the House.
Washington Special March p CHICAGO Tr;.
. - bune.l
Yesterday William Belknap, of iowa.
was Secretary of War, and in the ewes Of
the world an honest man. To-day. bv a
unanimous vote of the House of Renre-
sentatives, he stands impeached of hich
crimes and misdemeanors. The story Of
this great crime and national dishonor
was told in part in the House of Repre.
sentatives. There has been no such
scene in Congress since the days when a
Republican member rose in his place in
the House and said:
'Resotued, That Andrew johnson.
President of the United States, be i'm.
peached Of high crimes and misdemean.
ors.''
The story, which had SO rapidly srread,
and had gained so little crcdonce during
the carly hours of the day, was soon be.
lieved when, at 4 o'clock, the Speaker
called the House to order. The stiffness
OF the grave came over that body: the
members gathered together as decorously
as if to pay the tribute Of respectful
memory to one of their own number.
They had assembled for . more solemn
purpose than that; they were present IS
mournful witnesses to : story Of national
dishonor. The galleries were denselv
packed. The diplomatic and members
galleries were filled with ladies who came
to hear the sad tale of the
TEMPT ATTON Mn rAvv Nm ovv m ,...--,~
QUEENS.
The general galleries were filled with the
idle and curious. The members crowded
to the semi-circle in front of the Speak.
er s desk. some even sitting upon the
door. The vacant seats and the space
between the seats were crowded with
Senators who came to witness the prelim.
mary proceedings in the case in which
they arc so soon to sit rs judges.
A DEATHLY STIFFNESS 800
fell upon the House when Hester Clymer
rose. What sense Of decorum and re-
gard for business could not accomplish
this CHASTITY days business d,d-thc
House was stilled. Clymer, Belknap's
old classmate, had become, by virtue of
his position of chairman of the commit
tee ON expenditures in the war depart.
ment. the person designated to arraign
his old comrade. That he felt his posi-
tion his tremulous voice well showed.
Mounting the tribune, and speaking from
the clerks desk, Clymer read the evi.
dence, and the resolutions of impeach-
mcnt, with pathos which would have
commanded the attention of the House
had it not been
PARALYzED By THE DREADFUL FACTS THEM
SELVES.
The fuller details of this story will be
told below in the general press report.
They affected the House IS they cannot
fail to affect the nation.
PREL1M1NAR1Es.
The judiciary committee of the House
was instructed to prepare articles of i'm.
parchment, and the committee on expen-
ditures in the War Department was in.
struc:ed to communicate the action of
the House to the Senate. When the ar
t;cles Of Impeachment have been prepared
by the committee they will be reported to
the House, discussed, and doubtless adopt
ed. The managers will be then chosen by
ballot to conduct the impeachment. The
trial will proceed before the Senate sitting
as court. with Senator Ferry as it's pre-.
siding officer, but when the articles of
impeachment are presented, the Senate
may decide that it has no right to sit in
judgment on the accused, on the ground
that, he having previously resigned, and
the President having accepted his resig-
nation,
THE FULL PENALTY
cannot be inflicted. The Constitution of
the United States provides that ':judg-
ment in cases of impeachment shall not
extend further than to removal from
Office and disqualification to hold and en-
joy any Office Of honor, trust or profit
under the United States.'' Belknap,
having resigned, cannot now be removed
from Office. Should Belknap be convict
ed and ''disqualified to hold and enjoy
any office of honor, trust, or profit under
the United Statcs,'' he will nevertheless
be liable and subject to indictment, trial,
Judgment and punishment, according to
aw, and the law provides that he ''shall
be punished by fine of not more than
ten times the amount asked, accepted, or
received, and by Imprisonment not more
than two years. Should the Senators
decide that they have not the power to
try him on the impeachment of the.
House because ofhis resignation, Belknap
WILL STILL BE SUBJECT
TO criminal prosecution in the courts and
bic by fine and imprisonment, as
above stated. This may force
Mrs. Belknap to disgorge the large sum
of money which she is said to have depos-
tied in banks, amounting to 1926, 900, be-
ing the balance left after her luxurious
Montgomery Blai-, who is