Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1876-03-09
IMPEACHMENT OF BELKNAP.

Quite a sensation was produced in the
House Of Representatives on Wednesday Of
last week, when Mr.. Clymep (Democrat) OF
Pennsylvania, from the committee on expen-
ses of the war department, presented resolu-
tions of impeachment against W. W. Belk-
nap, who early on the same day rendered his
resignation as Secretary of War, which res
ignation was promptly accepted by the Presi-
dent In the midst of great excitement, and
with an unusual stiffness in the House, Mr..
Clymer rose and said: 81 ask permission OF
the House to make a report from the Com.
mittee on Expenditures in the War Depart
ment of so grave Importance that l am quite
certain that when it is heard the House will
agree that am justified in asking that per-
mission at this time" Permission was given,
and Mr.. Clymer, taking his position at the
Clerks desk, read the following report:
"The committee found, at the very threshold
of it's investigation, such unquestioned evidence
of the malfeasance of General VIM. w. Belknap,
then Secretary of War, that they found 1t their
duty to lay the same before the House. They fur
ther report that this day, at II o'clock. letter of
the President Of the United States was presented
to the committee accepting the resignation of the
Secretary of War, together with copy of his let
ter of resignation, which the President informed
the committee was accepted about lO2O, this a.
m. They, therefore, unanimously report and
demand that the said William w. Belknap, late
Secretary of War, be dealt with according to the
law of the land, and to that end submit herewith
the testimony in the case TAKEN together with the
several statements and exhibits thereto attached,
and also rescript OF the proceedings OF the com
mittee had during the investigation Of this sub
iect, and submit the following resolutions:
Resolved, That VIM. w. Belknap, late Secre-
tary of War, be impeached of high crimes and
misdemeanors in office.
ResoLued, That the testimony in the case OF
VIM, W. Belknap, late Secretary Of War, be re-
ferred to the judiciary Committee, with instruc-
tions to prepare and report, without unnecessary
DELAY, suitable articles of impeachment Of said
VIM. w. Belknap, late Secretary of War.
Resolved, That committee OF tlve members OF
the House be appointed and instructed to proceed
Immediately to the bar of the Senate and there
impeach VIM. w. Belknap, late Secretary OF
War, in the name of the people of the United
States, of high crimes and misdemeanors when
in Office, and inform that body that formal ar
sented. and to request the Senate to take such Or
der in the premises as they may deem appro-
pirate.
Mr.. Clymer then proceeded to read the tes'
timony Of Caleb P. Marsh, taken the day pre-
vious before the committee, showing that he
had paid Secretary Belknap about $4,000 in
consideration of his appointment as post trader
at Fort Sill, Indian Territory. The reading
was listened to with intense interest by the
members of the House and by large audi
ence in the galleries. In the more pathetic
portions of the narrative Mr.. Clymer was fire.
quently forced by his feelings to pause until
his voice recovered from its tremulousness and
himself from his agitation. At the close OF
the reading, and after the many members who
had taken up positions near the Clerks desk,
the better to hear the testimony and accom-
panying statements, had returned to their
proper seats, Mr.. Clymer, who had also gone
to his own seat, again rose and said, with
great emotion:
Mr.. SpEAKER-I would not if I could, and I
could not in nv present condition, if would,
add ANYTHING to the facts just reported to the
House. Another occasion may be afforded me TO
do so. They are so plain that everywhere through
out this broad land and throughout Chrlstendom'
they will, for long years, constitute record OF
official corruption and crimes such as there is no
parallel for in our own history or in that OF any
other country that know of. If, in this hour, one
sentiment Pity word o%d of sgnpsshy cqad
that the late Secretary of War is but the proper
outgrowth, the true exponent of the corruption,
the extravaganza, the mismanagement, that have
cursed this land for years past That being my
own reflection, will discharge my duty best to
myself and to this House, by demanding the pre-
vious question on the adoption Of the resolution.
Mr.. Robbins, (Democrat) of North Carolina, a
member Of the committee, pleaded bis mental and an
physical exhaustion from bis continuous serving
on the committee as the reason why he should
not address the House at any length. He spoke
of the report as presenting case OF great shame IN
and disgrace to all American citizens As to the
question of the impeachability Of an officer who
had resigned he not to that
an Officer who was being investigated and who
had been found by evidence TO- be "a ernh bat bs
called the unseemly acceptance Of Secretary Belk-
maps resignation, and referred to the English