The weekly Oskaloosa herald. [volume] (Oskaloosa, Iowa) 1855-1885, 1876-05-11

WASHINGTON, ID. c., May 9Th, '76.
EDS. HERALD.-The question of juris-
diction in the Belknap case, the prospects
for an adjournment, the Centennial dead
head trip and the investigation muddle
are the principal topics of conversation
this week at the capital. The Senate is
busily engaged in pottering over the pre-
liminary details in the Belknap impeach-
ment business. Mat. Carpenter spreads
himself grandiloquently on the side of
of the ex-Secretary, and Judge Hoar
of Massachusetts, replies in a thin,
cracked voice for the managers on the
part of the House The Senate then re-
tires for deliberation on the motion I'M
der discussion, whatever it may be, re-
turning generally in the course of an
hour and announcing their decision. This
is the regular programme, and as might
be supposed, the proceedings are not
very interesting to outsiders Even Gen.
Belknap, who is always present, does not
seem to be much interested, but sits
stroking his beard in careless, distracted
sort of way, as though thinking of other
and more important matters. There is
strong desire on the part of the Senate to
settle the question of jurisdiction before
adjourning for the Centennial, and argu-
ment on the matter will probably be lin
tied to few hours to save time.
The investigation business is not pan
ming out very we'll for the Democrats
Stories of great frauds and corrupt prac-
tees that have been so freely circulated
fail to be corroborated or sustained when
the parties who originated them are called
upon to substantiate their statements IN
der oath. The late effort to make out a
case against the President through COM
missioner Davenport, to injure Bristow,
and to blacken the reputation of DIR.
Nichols, have all proven complete failures,
and have reacted with considerable force
upon the party that was so indiscreet as
to entertain charges that there was not
particle of evidence to sustain. The Dem
ocrats are beginning to see that they have
blundered in these matters, and the mem
bers Of the different committees are COM
ing in for large share of the blame from
their fellow members.
Tarbox, of Massachusetts, got in his
resolution last week directing the judicia-
ry committee OF the House to investigate
Blaine in reference to the Arkansas bond
business. The resolution was worded in
such a way that Blaine could not notice
it in the House, and no objection being
made it was adopted. Tarbox seems to
have particular antipathy to Blaine, and
"goes for him" whenever he thinks he has
chance. He is the same man who, by
some slight-of hand performance, got hold
of Blaines speech on the currency, be-
fore it was made public, and prepared a
reply to it, so as to be cooked and primed
to answer it as soon as it was delivered.
Mr.. Tarbox is playing with dangerous
opponent, and it is not unlikely he will rue
the day he first entered the lists in oppo-
sition to the gentleman from Maine. The
Judiciary Committee has referred the sub
ject to a subcommittee consisting of
Messrs. Hunton, of Virginia, Asher, of
North Carolina, and Lawrence of Ohio.
Many of the officers of the two boards
will be summoned, as well as the govern
ment directors of the Union Pacific Road.
The kilbourn case is destined to be
far-reaching in it's results in more ways
than one. The latest complication aris-
ing from it is a fight in the Democratic
camp over the action of Speaker Kerr in
certifying the case to the court, and thus
losing jurisdiction in the matter. He is
accused of having been too hasty, and to
have made a great blunder in not having
consulted the House and ascertained its
pleasure before he acted in the matter
The feeling is very bitter against him
among some of the Democratic members
and bill has been introduced in the
House providing that the speaker shall
not certify to the courts the case of any
contumacious witness held in custody of
the sergeantat-arms without an order
from the House.
The soft money Democrats are again
beginning to agitate the repeal of the
specie resumption act and are showing
more strength than at first. The other
day the leader of the greenback party,
Holman of Indiana, offered resolution to
suspend the rules and repeal the act, and
though it did not receive the necessary
two-thirds, and was therefore defeated,
majority voted in its favor.
The House committee on banking and
currency have agreed to report bill
authorizing the secretary of the treasury
to issue $10,O0O,OOO of silver coin in ex-
change for like amount of legal tender
notes.-the notes to be re-issued upon the
retirement of like amount of fractional
currency, the latter to be destroyed. This
is to prevent threatened famine of small
currency. Members of the banking and
currency committee, however, say that so