New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1876-03-10

High Clymer.

High Clymer.
The Washington correspondent of the
Chicago Inter. Ocean, writes under date Of
March 5:
The fish the Democrats have got ON their
hook is 50 big they can't land him, and not
withstanding the dramatic representation
OF Mr.. Clymer the Belknsp case ia liable to
fall through for want of bottom. The de-
parture of Marsh for Canada has gwen the
Democrats o great deal of trouble, especially
because he took his coatract checks and
other papers with him, and Mr.. Clymer is
getting some very severe censure from bis
fellow-retormers on the Democratic side. In
the House to-day, when it became
petered ont, as soon as the
lawyers Of the Judiciary Committee
began to examine it, Mr.. Clymer was eet
on from all directions, so that he left the
chamber angry, aud did not return again
during the afternoon. 1t has got to be q
by word: SHOWS the investigation" Menu
bers would 60 up to Clymer and ask: "Cly-
mer. h0w's your inveetigatiOnV Another.
would ,s say: "Clymer; Where's your friend
from CanadaW Another. .:Who are you
going to investigate nex.l' The Committee
on judiciary, after breaking the Sabbath in
trying to fix up law, came into their room
this morning with Q series of twenty arti-
cles of impeachment. Sixteen of these
articles covered sixteen payments of money
made by Marsh to Belknap or Mrs. Bel
knap; one of general character, covering
the taking of brlbes; another charging
him with continuing to take bribee; the
nineteenth charging that he used his Office
for mercenary purposes; the twentieth that
he made an appointment for money in the
case Of Evans. In the sixteen charges it
becomes necessary to put in the dates and
descriptions Of the method in which the
money was received. The committee dis
covered that they had no such data. Marsh
had gone, taking bis checks and papers
with him, forgetting to tell who his
banker was, SO that the checks could
be traced, and omittiDg to give
various information which the COM
mittee considered judicially important just
now. There was q feeling of blank dismay
when the facts, or rather the lack of facts,
was discovered, and Proctor Knott proposed
to 20 into the House and ask that the in
vestigatiOn be reOpened. Barney Caulfield
objected, because that would be q confess
sion of weakness, and would be comfort
and encouragement to the enemy, for Bar
ney had Chicago pluck, if he didn't have
evidence. But he was voted down, and
Knott was ordered to report to tho House
that the committee found the evidence in
sufficient to base articles of impeachment
on, end ask to have the case reopened. Bar
ney protested, but the committee adjourned.
1t was whispered around on the floor that
the committee was going to make such q
report, and Morrison. Tucker, Randall, Cox
and others entreated Knott to do no such
thing. for the Republicans were already
Laughing in their eleeves. So Knott did not
offer the report. The Democrats have been
depending great deal on Belknaps COZ
fession. 1t has been said that he confessed
to the committee, to Secretary Chandler
and to the President. What he said to the
President has already been stated in these
columns. What he said to Chandler was
committee was: Gentlemen, this is q ter
rible surprise to me. l shall have to ask
you to allow me time to make an axplana-
ti0n. l know Mr.. Marsh, and l have heard
his statement read. / am go bewildered
that can't remember much that is in the
statement, but of what do remember some
is true, some is false, and some things he
says do not know anything about" Bel
knaps tears and the manner IN which he said
it itimpressed the committee that it was con-
fesslOp; but when the Judiciary Committee
examine it as lawyers they fear court would
not admit it as such. The Committee on
Judiciary will be called together again to-
morrow, and it lie proposed that they
change their plan and write only one ar.
ticle of impeachment, leaving the general
charge OF receiving bribes, without dates
or names, and see if they can't make out q
case on tdat. The moral of the whole
thing is that the Democratic have lost an
opportunity. and the same can be applied
to every movement they have made since
they had the majority. They blundered
upon Belknap's crime, and they viii blunder
till they acquit him. To-day Belknap was to
have been brought up in the District Court,
but the matter was continued owing to .
disappointment in the matter of bail; but
it is expected that he will come up to-mor-
row. His attorneys deny that he has made
any attempt to escape, but the detectives
insist that they had evidence which justi-
fed them in taking the action they did.
The public should be reluctant to believe
the stories of official crime that are now in
circulation, for there is no foundation for
them whatever beyond the supposition of
their originators. The suddennees of the
Belknap exposure has demoralized every
body, and great deal is said here which
is made the foundation Of newspaper
statements that will be gladly recalled
soon.