The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1876-04-06
Forty Fourth Congress-First Session.
SENATE,

minister the oath to Senators on the impeach-
ment case of William w. Belknap, but on ex-
animation with several Senators be had been
unable TO find any statute of authority for the
presiding officer to administer the oalh The
authority stood upon the rale alone. In this
state of doubt it had been deemed best to sub
NIT to the Senate proposition that the Chief
Justice of the Supreme Court OF the United
States be invited to attend at one o'clock and
administer the oath to the Senators, there be-
ing no question about his authority to do So
He therefore asked the unanimous consent to
suspend SO much of the third rule as requires
the presiding officer to administer the oath re-
ferred to. Agreed to.
Mr. Edmunds then submitted the order pro-
viding for the appointment of a committee of
two Senators to wait upon the Chief Justice of
the Supreme Court and invite him to attend in
the Senate Chamber at one o'clock to admIns-
ter the oath required in the matter of peach
ment of W. w. Belknap, Secretary of War,
Mr.. Ingalls, of Kansas inquired il the author.
ity of the Chief Justice TO administer the oath
in cases of impeachment was statutory
Mr.. Edmunds replied in the negative, but
said that all United States judges had a gen.
eral authority to administer oatbs in any case.
Mr. Hamln inquired if MIR. Edmupds knew
that the Chief Justice could attend at one
o'clock. If he could not it might be well to
modify it so as to request the attendance of any
Associate Justice of the Supreme Court in case
the Chief Justice cannot attend.
Mr.. Edmunds modified the order so as to
meet the views of Mr.. Hamln and as modified
was agreed to.
Mr.. Edmunds said bill would be introduced
hereafter to cover cases of this character.
AT o'clock Chief Justice Waite of the Su-
preme Court appeared in the Senate accompan-
led by Senators Edmunds and Thurman, and
was escorted to seat at the right of the Presi-
dent pro TEN. The following oath was then
administered, first to Mr. Ferry, and then to
the Senators, who were called by the Secretary
10 alphabetical order in groups of six:
"You do solemnly swear that in all things pertain-
ing to the trial Of Impeachment of W. W. Belknap,
late Secy of War; now pending you will do Impair
law
After the oath was administered to the Sena-
tors the Chief Justice retired, and Mr.. Freling-
huysen submitted an order nstructing the Sec
1etary OF the Senate to notify the House that
the Senate was now organized for the trial of
impeachment of w. w. Belkdap, late Secreta-
ry OF War, and ready to receive the managers
of the impeachment on the part of the House
of Representatives. Adopted.
At 30 the House managers appeared and
were assigned seats.
Mr.. Ferry. President pro tenn, said:
Gentlemen Managers-The Senate is now Or
ganized for the trial of the impeachment of w
W. Belknap, late Secretary of War.
Mr.. Lord, chairman of the Board of Manag-
ers, said:
Mr.. President-We pray for the issue of pro-
cess against W. W. Belkpap, late Secretary of
War, to answer the articles of impeachment
presented.
Mr.. Edmunds submitted the following which
was agreed to-:
Ordered, That summons be issued as re-
quired by the rules of procedure and practice
in the Senate when sitting in trial of impeach-
ment,. to w. W. Belknap, returnable on Mon
day, the 18th day of the present month, at one
O'Clock in the afternoon.
Mr.. Lord-That is satisfactory to the manag-
ers.
The managers then retired.
Mr.. Stevenson moved the Senate sitting as q
court adjourn.
The Senate, sitting as court, should adjourn
until the 18th inst, when the process was re-
turnable.
Mr.. Stevenson inquired if any conference
had been held with the counsel for Gen. Belk-
nap, whether the Time fixed for the return of
the process would suit them.
Mr.. Edmunds said that he had no such con-
ference and did not expect to have any confer
eDce with the counsel of Belknap. OF cour Sc
when the process was returned on the 18th if
they desired more time they could apply for it,
Mr.. Stevenson saw no improperly in the
managers on the part of the House having a
friendly interview with the counsel Of Belknap
to learn when they would be ready for trial.
mir. Edmunds moved that the Senate sitting
as court adjourn until the 18th inst.
wi. DOSy Sdlu Tile lttn RUE OIL Ul6 senate re-
CURED IN cases OF impeachment that the sum-
mons be returnabe at 1890 p. H., and the order
just adopted made the summons returnable at
one o'clock.
Mr.. Edmunds said that rule was a mere mat
ter of form and the Senate had the right TO
change that form and fix any hour convenient.
He referred to the johnson trial aud said that
the late Chief Justice who presided at that
trial thought all the rules of the Senate in re-
gard to impeachment should be adopted while
the Senate was sitting as a court of impeach.
ment, and the Senate adopt the rules agreed to
fectly competent for the Senate to change or
modify the rules.
Mr. Sherman said that the Senate as a court
should adjourn until IL 30 p. M, on the 18th, in
order then arrange the preliminaries for trial
II 1t was to commence at l o'clock.
After further discussion Mr.. Eimunds modi-
fled his motion so that the Senate sitting as
court should adjourn until 1890 D. M, on the
IL Ia OF April, and Insisted upon it's adoption.
MI Bogy demanded the yeas aud nays, and
Messrs. Bayard, Bogy, Cooper, Davis, Eaton,
Norwood Randolph, Salisbury. Whyte and
others voting IN the negative.
The Senate resumed the consideration of the
legislative business and Gu motion of Mr..
Hamlin took up the bill fixing the rate of pos
tage on third class mail matter and for other
purposes.
Mr. Hamlin submitted an amendment to in
sert the words "before the same shall be trans
mtted by mail, so 1t would read ''if however,
the postage on third class matter mailed at an
office shall be less than the full amount above
prescribed in cases where the sender is known,
such sender shall be notified of the fact and
the amount OF postage due shall be collected
from such sender before the same shall be
transmitted by mail, &c." Agreed to.
Mr. Bogy opposed the bill generally and Mr..
Hamlin stated also at length the reasons which
led an undivided committee to report the bill
winch he said had the sanction of the past
Office department. If he said Congress would
act wisely and make every article that passed
through the mail pay fair compensation for
transportation the rate of postage on letters
could be put down to two cents tomorrow and
the post office department be made self-sustan-
ing, the country vas just upon the threshold of
that storehouse of merchandise which if not
looked after would soon load down the mail
and deficiency would excede the whole revenue
of the department. He argued that the post
office department. should be self-sustaining as
it was distinct from all the other departments
OF the government Two amendments were
prepared by the committee the first reducing
the weight of third class matter and the second
increasing the rate of postage. There had been
great cry that this last amendment was in
the interest of express companies. 1t was a
measure designed wholly for the relief of the
treasury and to save the people from taxation
which should never have been imposed on
tucIu' NO ntLuucr VI any express company
ever approached the committee.
The first amendment was offered by the
chairman of the committee (SeLator Ramsey
and voted down. The senator from Arkansas
(Dorsy) and the chairman of the committee
(Ramseyl requested him (Hamlinj to offer the
the second amendment increasing the rate of
hostage. He did SO and it was adopted He
(Hamlin) committed one error, he did not turn
TO the statute to see what was entered as third
class matter. He thought that class embraced
merchandise only and did not suppose it ap-
piled to transient newspapers and magazines
He would not have incl1ded them in the
amendment had he understood it,
Mr. Hamlin gave official figures Letters
produced last year revenue of $19, SOC, 900 and
cost $l5, 1874 COO while newspapers and periodi-
Gals yielded only $96 600 and three cents for
transportation was $2,969,OOO. He had no con-
troversy with newspapers and did not care a
Zig what they said but he wanted to make one
word of comment on the consistency of the
newspapers in connection with the senate. He
lHamlD) voted for the abolition of the frank
ing privilege. That result was produced by
The clamor of the press. That press
wanted to be subsidized to the extent of mil
lions to carry the papers but was not willing TO,
allow ono cent for the transmission of matter
between members of Congress for their constit.
uents. The committee decided to reform The
post office department by reducing the salaries
salaries of employees Sc, and if it could have
the calm judgmeutIOf the Senata the 6ono,.