Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1876-03-16
WASHINGTON.
A REM AND START
LING SCENE IN THE HOUSE.
Brilliant Tactics Oh the Part oi
the Republicans.
Special to the Cincinnati Gazette
WASHINGTON. March ;.

WASHINGTON. March ).
THE DEBATE IN THE HOUSE.
/ The proceedings of the House to-day were
/ lively and varied. \ great crowd was present
expecting articles of impeachment. After
denial of all charges affecting his integrity,
be Representative Purman, of Florida, and
! the reference Of his case to the committee for
/ investigation. the witness who had refused 10
answer before the naval Investigation, was
brought to the bar OF the House and given
chair. He had scarcely taken his seat when
the ewes of the whole House were ON him.
when he fell off in fit, and rolled over into
the space before the Speakers desk. Ladies
screamed. the galleries rose, and members
crowded down about him. The Speaker call
ed to the galleries for physician. After
while the struggling patient was carried out.
Having clearly answered before the committee
questions he declined to reply to yesterday,
he was discharged from custody by a formal
vote There are many wild rumors about his
testimony, and it is reported generally that he
testified as to money going into Secretary
Robeson's family. This is without the least
foundation. He only implicated two clerks,
one of these of long connection in the Depart
ment, denies the story of the witness in all its
parts. Subsequently the proceedings became
bitterly partisan. The Judiciary Committee
finally reported the articles of impeachment of
Gen. Belknap, but reported them only to con-
fess to the House that the entire impeachment
proceeding is at present failure, owing to the
absence of the witness Marsh. 1t was pitt
able confession for the Democrats, who yolun-
tarily relsased Marsh from the custody Of the
House. 10 have to make. The committee ask
that the impeachment articles might be re-
committed with instructions to take further
testimony. 1t was a request by the Demo-
cratic leaders to be permitted to find the evil
dence after the Indictment had been found.
The Republicans shOwedt their zeal nthe pros
ecution of the late War Secretary by voting
with the Democrats without dissenting
voice. so the grand inquest is TO be renewed
by the Judiciary Committee from the outset.
The Republicans were not so readily disposed
to Weld to the Democratic demand for the
passage of the bill relative to the intimidation
of witnesses. but the result showed that this
operation was due to the form rather than to
the substance Of the Democratic demand. The
Democrats, after having two speeches from
their own side moved for the previous ques
ton, and proposed to exclude Republicans
from debate The bill was one Of vast i'm
portance. had only been reported to the
House. in manuscript, this morning, and had
not been printed. 1t contained provisions
which seemed TO be Of avery dangerous char
acter. yet the Democrats refused the Repub-
licans the privilege of one word. The Repub-
licans chen, outraged by this injustice of ar
bitrary power, for the first time this season
showed their power. They forced the Demo
Gratis, by filibustering, to grant them half an
hour. The Democrats were surprised and
chagrined at the skill in parliamentary fence
exhibited by the Republicans, which was so
in contrast with their own blundering. The
Democrats so flippantly violated parliamentary
law as to force call of the House when the
last vote showed quorum. After tiresome
filibustering siege of two hours the Republi-
cans carried the day by forcing the Demo-
Gratis to a compromise, and obtained the floor.
Blaine and Kasson used it to terrible advan-
tage. They showed that the Democratic
charge that the Administration Cabinet meet
ing drove Marsh from the country was false,
and that Marsh left New York before. the
Cabinet convened, and was in Montreal be-
fore the dispatches concerning it were pub
lished. 1t was also made to appear that the
dispatches were untrue.
GEN. BELKNAP BROUGHT INTO COURT.
To-day, at noon, Maj. Richards, Chief of
Police. made formal arrest of Gen. Belknap,
ex-Secretary of War, and brought him into
the Police Court. Belknap was accompanied
by his counsel, ex-senator Carpenter, who
said they waived examination, and were pre-
pared to give bail for Belknap's appearance
before Court. Judge Smell fixed the amount
at S;25, ,000 when the parties retired to arrange
bail. Belknap showed by his movements du-
ring the short time he was in the courtroom
that he was much depressed in spirit, cover
Shortly after o'clock this afternoon Mr.
W. W. Rapley, a well-known citizen of
Washington, appeared at the Police Court
and went upon the bail bond for Belknap
PAY FOR PINCHBACK.
The long debate on Pinchback came to an
end in the Senate to-day by a vote rejecting
him by four majority. Gov. Kellog will now
have the appointment of the Senator. Mr.
Bruce intends tomorrow TO offer resolution
giving Pinchback $25, 900, the pay he would /
have had if he had been admitted.
A MICHIGAN paper is authority for
the story that Dan Rice wanted 10 fight !
a duel with Parson BroWnlOw because |
the parson wouldn't indOrse Dams |
show as "a great moral exhibition
Forty years ago you might have worm |
ed fight of almost any sort out of the |
pars0n, if you had gone about it in the |
right way, but Ofslate years his appe- |
tite has improved so much that it can |
no longer be said of him that he would |
rather fight than eat.
THE practical joker OF California now |
amuseS himself by giving his friend a
cigar in which is some nitro-glycerine |
and then seeing him light it and blow
his nose Off. 1t must be very amusing; |
but we should think that by the time |
a fellow had lost one or two noses he !
would begin to regard the thing as
somewhat monotOnouS and want to /
conceal an ounce or so of lead under /
the joker's shirt by way of a change.
AN indianapolis paper tells of a girl |
in that section of country whose moth |
or boyad her ears hpcauSo she cOuIdn't /