New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1876-03-16
CONGRESSIONAL FARCES.
PETTY TYRANNY TO WITNESSES.

PETTY TYRANNY TO WITNESSES.
40 MARSH, AND KIGBOURN-wHT NOT PASS A
sy.rfrrE BY WHICH OBSTINATE WITNESSES
nay BE HFMANDED TO THE CRIMINAL COURTS
AID PUNISHED FOR CONTEMPT
49, "A, Editor OF The Trt6UHe.
Gro. II there no one thing about the average
,a',,rOssmen more remarkable than his sudden de-
,.Ionmeut of tho genius for tyranny latent IN our
IL il must be his talent for tying any given sub
i,i,,o the hardest of hard knots on the shortest
$50. and smallest provocation. is it the vontla-
,.on or the tropical heat that sum of evil lniu-
-. embraced in the one word Washington
-. ,,oar IL yas "Bill" King whom committee
~,.,Dtr escorted half way to Canada one week pre-
.r,orv ~ securing the continentthe neZtwoek win
oo,cbvarrants and bands of music IN scarch OF 'iie
t,aitive-fngtiye by brevet. Last week II was bel
10, ~ hom they were going TO lmpeach' amer nc
h,d resigned, under q written Constitution "Ihcn
Drovides dat remedy only win view 10 icli.o'"
from office: and somebody was saying Warren hasl-
.,,. ond somebody else Lord Melville, and the At-
torney-G General was going to indlct every pouS anu
IN the mean while the necessary witness Marsh was
making good his escape to Canada. lhtn' ~ 'i,'
vav Mr.. LYMAN Elmore who introduced inc loisc'
ful and imaginative Schumacher to tho forgotten ana
imaginary Smith, who diSburSod T"Uo,VoV Vi INC
IT.. Pacific money. and who was supposed to be
had wanted
,nittee. took advantage of the general riot ana
nionv sailed for England in the CeUnanc last sat
rrdov. Now il is Hallett Kilbouu whom they seha
70 iail because he won't produce his private DOCKS
aud pape1s. which he declares land nobody denies so
tar, contain no evidence pertinent TO anything UNI
der inquiry in Congress. What for
t;r.t. 10 lash Congress into fury and its commit
fees into confusion once more.
Second: 10 establish by the inevitable decree OF
III. highest judicial tribunal that neither tho whole
Congress nor either House thereof can, under the
written Constitution of the United States, intiict
ANY punlshmeut whatever, nor make any unreaSon-
ahia searches or scizures Nobody be lawfully
punished in this country except by due process OF
law. which mpsns the process of count. Inc ar
gunent contra rests on two grounds: Ill., Engiish
precedent which is no moro applicable than Warren
Hastings's case is TO Belknaps. o. Necessity Now.
q Congress sitting anywhere but IN bad air ana
lad company of the Capitol-in Baltimore, for ill.,
stance, or New-York, or even BrooSlyn-wouid De
apt to perceive. Some day, that this " contempt
process is not only not necessary, but moreover Is
not convenient 1t is unnecessary because Congress
has power TO pass law for the punishment OF re-
cusant witnesses leaving ITS enforcement to the
criminal courts-a law that would stare the witness
In the face at all times and eliminate all hope OF the
chances Of legislative caprice. IL Is lnconvenient
because almost every attempt to enforce this process
throws the Committees and the House itself into
feuuent and confusion. consumes much valuable
time, and costs much valuable money.
"Bdt," say the advocates OF the present happy
so-lucky PLAN hasn't the House power to protect
itsefr Yes, BY passing ldr. That law would pro-
vide apunishlnent proportional to the magnitude
and character of the ofense and not as now to the
number Of days the Congress has 70 live. As things
now stand if A. refuses to bring his private books
and papers from Oregon Texas the first day OF
the long session, he may be Imprisoned without
tria for fifteen months shut if +. hires dozen stout
raisns to throw rotten eggs at the Speaker on the
Sd day Of March in an odd-numDered year, he can
be committed for this aggravated contempt just one
day.
What Is the objection to such a statute' can
conceive Of none and its provisions would be so sim
pie that even Mr.. Clymer's Committee could hardly
make mistake about it. DUNDEE.
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