The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1876-03-16

sion OF evidence on which an indictment
can be found, and having in its posses
sion every paper in the case, the House
puts itself behind its technical privilege
and throws itself across the Indictment
OF Belknap, and that to-day it stands as
an obstacle to the indictment of the late
Secretary of War?
Mr.. Lamar-Neither the gentleman
from Mississippi, nor the country, nor
the gentleman from Maine sees any such
thing.
Mr.. Blaine-It is nothing but that.
Mr.. Lamar-It is anything but that.
The question is simply whether this
House will permit its records to be at the
beck and call of the District Court.
There is no doubt but that when the in
vestigatiOn is completed it will be within
the discretion Of the House to permit
the courts of the country to chime il and
get the evidence, but not pendente lite
while the investigation is going on and
while the committee is taking further
testimony. Such proposition was mon
strous and ridiculous.
Mr.. Blaine said be agreed with Mr..
Lamar that while the affair was in Hmtne
1t would be improper for court to inter
iere, but that was not the case here. The
question was whether the House would
furnish the testimony and papers in the
hands of its committee to be sent to the
court. The House could refuse it or send
it, "and now," said he, impetuously, 81
dare-l dare that side of the House to
refuse It," Applause on the Republican
side and great excitement.
Mr.. Lamar continued his remarks,
which he closed by offering resolution
reciting the history Of the case, declar-
ing the mandate of the court to be
breach of the privileges of the House,
and directing the members of the COM
mittee to disregard such mandate.
Mr.. Kasson invited the House to look
coolly at the situation developed this
morning, The question was raised here
as question Of privilege on the part Of
member of the House, who had re-
ceived a judicial invitation to aid in the
indictment and punishment of crimi-
nal. 1t was an extraordinary case and
one without precedent. He asked
whether there had ever been any such
proposition as had been suggested to the
House cOndemning sworn executor of
the laws because he had directed his
subordinates to enforce these laws. The
grand jury was sworn to indiCt men
guilty of crime within their jurisdiction,
and the House and committee had NO
right to emDarrass the grand Jury in the
execution of the laws ofthe land.
| NV X IN tho sc C,,,
ther remarks, referred to the interview
which Mr.. Blackburn had had with some
of the parties implicated, and suggested
that the grand jury might have desire
to examine him about it.
Mr., Blackburn replied, with some heat
of manner that if the gentleman from
Iowa said that he had had conversation
with Mrs. Beiknap, and at great length,
he would copy the remark of Senator,
and would authorize the gentleman from
Iowa, whenever he heard anybody max
ing such a statement, to say he had
his (Blackburn's) authority for telling
that man he lies. (Excitement)
Mr.. Kasson-Do understand the gen.
>tleman to say he had no conversation
on he subject involved in this prosecu-
ton, in this criminality outside of the
committee room2
Mr.. Black burn-Will the gentleman
from Iowa inform the House whether the
newspaper report is true that he and his
colleagues waited in body on the former
Secretary Of War?
Mr.. Kasson-I will answer the ques-
ton with more cheerfulness than the
gentleman has answered mine.
Mr.. Black burn-Then trust the gem
tleman will tell us what occurred and
whether he is repository for confess
sion of guilt.
Mr.. Kasson--I will respond to sub
p9na to give any statement of fact in aid
Of the prosecution of the crime. Will
the gentleman do so much, or will he
plead his privilege and decline to aid in
the prosecution? Before the committee
made its report there came request
to the entire Iowa delegation in both
Houses to call on the Secretary of War, as
he wanted to see them that day. We went
in the evening, Senators and members,
and we met this statement from him
NJ When l sent for you, gentleman, sup
posed there would be some opportunity
to be heard in the House on this subject.
have now learned that l am impeached,
so that it is useless for me to trouble you
with what was going to say as to the
evidence in this case" and we left him.
Mr.. Ainsworth asked why the Iowa
delegation had left him out. Laughter
on the Democratic side of the House.
The debate continued amid great ex-
citement, and with frequent demonstra-
tiOns of applause and laughter on either
side of the House.
Mr.. Blaine was the central figure on
the Republican side of the House. at
which all the shafts of eloquence were
launched from the Democratic side. The
debate was of such length, extending
over four hours, that it is impossible to
give connected summary of it. 1t was
participated in by Messrs. Robbins, Sin
getOn, Danforth, Beebe, Cox IN. W,
Bright, Hoar Knott and Hooker. 1t was
charged on the Democratic side that the
President and Cabinet were instrumental
in driving him out of the country through
intimidation. His escape was character
lied by Mr.. Beebe as that of an obscure
petty thief, and he suggested that the
Democrats were so intent on greater
game that they had allowed that mis-
cradle offender to slip through their
hands through the Vaccinations of the
Executive and Cabinet officers. The
Democrats, however, he said, proposed to
pursue not the Marshes, who were mere
trichine, but the villains in high places,
and in that connection he quoted d dog
geral rhyme:
Some bait their hooks with mites of cheese
And Sit On kennel tU bob for fleas
Others bait their hooks with tigers tails
And sit on rock and bob for whales.
gentlemen on the other side might
pursue their flea, catching it if they
pleased, but the Democrats would drag
from their turbid waters of pollution the
whales, and would supplement it, per-
haps, by dragging out heleviathan him
self and exposing him to the indignation
of an outraged community.