American citizen., 1876-04-29
CUR WASHINGTON LITTER
Impeachment Scenes and Proceedings
The Way Tucker and Blaine Mis-
represent their Districts-The
Presidents Bribe and the
Presidents Veto.

This week has been eventful in
the commencement of impeachment
proceedings in the Senate, in All ell
counter between Mr.. Tucker, OF
Virginia, and Mr.. Blaine, of Maine,
in the House, i'll the veto of the
Presidential salary reduction bill
by the President, and in the testi
mony of ex-Attorney General Will
liams before the Committee of Tx
penditures in the Department of
Jnstice-that $32, 900 were paid out
of the secret service fund to carry
the elections in New York city by
order of President Grant.
| Gu Monday, full hour before the
time for the cOnvening of the Sen
ate as high court of impeachment,
the galleries were densely filed
with ladies, attaches of foreign lie
cations, representatives of the
press, and the families of members
of Congress-. Hundreds, after wait
ing at the doors for an hour or more,
went away unable to gain admis-
sion.
The first scene in the imposing
drama was the appearance of Chief
Justice Waite, walking slowly down
the main aisle, arrayed in his long
silk robe, and escorted by Senators
Thurman and Edmonds, the two
most distinguished lawyers Of their
respective parties, unless Senator
Conkling may contest the palm
with the latter.
The Chief Justice was conducted
to seat OH the right of the Vice.
President, and he then administered
the oath to the Senators: who took
their positions upon the right Of the
stand in divisions of six. As soon
as the last division had resumed
their seats, there was Il murmur of
excitement in the galleries as the
notorious accused appeared inside
the front door cf the Senate cham
Der, accompanied by his counsel,
ex Attorney General Black, lion.
Montgomery Blair and ex-senator
Matthew Carpenter. Gen. Belknap
was in a closely buttOned frOck
coat, and his attire was scrupulOus-
ly neat. There was nothing in his
(dress or appearance that suggested
the slightest trace of remOrse or
mental suffering. He appeared con-
siderably embarrassed under the
plunging fire OF eyes and lOrgnettes
from the gallery, as the group
paused for moment, waiting for
the Sergeat-at-Arms to conduct
them to their seats; but when Mr..
Carpenter passed his arm through
his and led him down the main
aisle, his cOuntenance assumed an
exprecsion of pleasure-as Of one
who had found a friend in tile camp
Uf the enemy.
The next to appear were tue i'm
lpeachment managers Oh the part Of
the House, who took their seats at
"a table OH the opposite side of the
area, to tho left OF the Vice Presi-
dents stand. Alter them came the
members Of the House of Repre-
sentatives, marshailed by the Ser
geant-at- Arms, and headed by
Speaker Kerr and Mr.. Randall, who
walked arm aud arm.
The members Of the House Occu-
pied chairs in the rear OF those Oc
cupied by the Senators. After the
minutes had been read the Ser
geant-at-Arm made proclamation,
calling upon William w. Belknap
to appear and make answer to the
articles Of impeachment, to which
he made the plea, through his coun
sci, Mr.. Carpenter, that the Senate
had no jurisdiction Ill his Case, he
being at the time the articles of i'm
peachment were exhibited a private
citizen of the United States aud of
the State of Iowa.
To this plea Mr.. Lord, on the part
of the managers, made replication
that the Senate has jurisdiction,
because at the time said acts were
done William w. Belknap Was
Secretary of War.
Mr.. Lord. although he has not the
national reputation of MIR. Car
penter and Judge Black, is a very
able lawyer. He is the law partner
of Senator COnkling, aud a man of
very modest bearing; but he is SO
unfortunate as to resemble Nast's
caricature of Tweed.
Mr.. Carpenter appears in full
dress--spike-tailed coat and white
cravat. He speaks with almost
flippant ease, but always to the
point and without verbiage. In
this respect he is in marked con.
trast with Mr.. Lord, who hesitates,
is not graceful, and seems to have
detective utterance.
Judge Black has so long been the
target of paragraphists that is not
easy to say anything new about
him. He is cleanly shaven, we'll
dressed, and looks more like a
wealthy farmer than one of the
greatest lawyers of the country.
He has a silver tobacco box in his
hand, and chews necessarily. 1t is
said that members of the bar in the
Supreme Court have learned to
place their hats out Of reach when
ever he gets up to speak with
bolus of tobacco in his mouth.
Hooked at the ex Secretary with
a keener scrutiny than 1 had ever
given him before. He is almost
colossal in size, with a very slight
tendency to COZ pulence lis physi-
onomy is stamped with feebleness;
his head is smaller i'll the cerebel
lum than in the lower portion.
There is much grossness and sensu-
,I;tx. 1,iS fnafrproa Inf nnfhinn