Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1876-04-05
FORTT-FOURTH CONGRESS.
WEDNESDAY, April 5.

mems, which provides fer the administer
ing OF the oath 10 Senators before proceeding
| 10 the trial, by the President of the Senate.
/ The committee to take charge of the i'm
peachme n proceedings discovered that there
was DO provision OF law authorizing the
PRESIDENT pro tenn 10 administer such oath.
| He therefore moved that the rule I'm this
| matter be suspended for the present. To
make an oath lawful, 1t must be admins
tered by some person empowered by law.
| The law only empowered the President of
| the Senate 10 administer oaths 10 Senators
when they first presented themselves 10 be
| sworn In. he said the committee would
presently introduce q bill so as TO provide
! for cases hereafter, giving the power TO the
| President OF the Senate TO administer the
| oath 10 Senators In Impeachment cases. and
| TO The secretary Of the Senate or the chief
! clerk the power 10 administer the oath TO
witnesses He proposed now that the Chief
! Justice ne requested to attend in the Senate
| chamber at one O'Clock and administer the
oath.
MIR. Ingalls, asked If there was auv stain
| tory provision giving the Chief Justice the
| power 10 a. minister the oath IN such case.
Mr. EdmuGds said by general provision OF
law The Chief Justice Was empowered to ad-
minister oalhs IN ali cases. Mr.. EdmundS
then submitted an order that a committee OF
Two Senators be appointed To wait on the
Chief Justice OF the United States and re
quest him To attend in the Senate chamber
at O'Clock y. m, and administer the oath 10
senators IN the matter OF the Impeachment
At the suggestion of Mr. Hamiin, Mr. Ed =.
muDdS modified his motion so rs 10 provide
that In case OF the inability of the Chief JUS
tic6 10 attend, one of the associate Justices he
invite TO Cfflciate.
The order was adopted. and the Chair ap-
pointed as the committee TO wait on the
Chief Justice, MessIs. Edmunds and Thur
man.
ELLIS PASSED.
Mr.. Withers. from the Committee on AD-
priauons, reported House bill TO authorize
the sale o. the Pawnec reservation. Passed.
Mr.. sherman called up House bill author
izing the Secretary of The Treasury TO pay
the judgments so far rendered by the Court
of Alabama Claims Commissioners. Passed.
Mr.. Morrill, (Nt.) was, at his own request,
excused from further service on the Com
mittee on Revolutionary Claims.
THE IMPEACHMENT TRIAL.
Al p. 10. Messrs. Edmunds and Thur
man. the committee appointed to wait on
The Chief Justice, appeared with that func-
tlonary and conducted him 10 the Presi-
CENTS chair.
The President pro tem.-The hour of one
having arrived the Senate will, according to
order, proceed with the consideration of the
articles OF impeachment against WV. Belk-
nap, late Secretary OF War. The Chief JUS
tice will take a seat on the right of the Chair.
Senators will now give attention while the
oath is being administered.
The Chief Justice then administered the
oath. as follows, TO the President pro TEN:
. You do solemnly swear that in all things
appe raining to the trial of the impeachment
Of w. W. Belknap, now pending, you will do
impartial Justice, according 10 the constitu-
Mr.. Morton suggested that the Sena tors be
sworn as q body, in then seats.
Mr.. Thurman said In that case there might
lie some difficulty recognizing what Sena-
tors took the oath.
The roll was called. and the Senators al
vsnced in groups OF SIX and took the oath as
above.
The following Senators being absent, were
not sToTn:-Messrs. AIcorn, Allison, Burn
side, CspertOn, Christiancy, Conkling. Con-
over, Dennis, English, Gold thwaite, Howe,
Johnston, Jones OF Nevada, Morrill, of Maine
Patterson, Ransom, Robertson and Wad
leigh.
TIE Chief Justice then retired, escorted by
on motion of Mr. Frelinghuysen, the Sec
rotary was then directed TO inform the House
of Representatives that the Senate is now
organized for the trial OF W. w. Belkuap,
late Secretary of War, and IL is ready TO re
ceive The Impeachment managers on the
part of the House of Representatives.
At 40 p. m. the managers OF impeach-
ment appeared, and were conducted To their
seats within the bar.
The President pro tenn. then announced TO
the mar ayers that the Senate was organized
end ready to proceed with the trial OF the
Impeachment against W. w. Belknsp.
Nj. Lord, speaking for the managers. said:
We ask Tor the issue OF process against the
accused.
Mr.. Edmunds then submitted an order that
summons be issued as required by the rules
and practice of the Senate when sitting ia
trials OF Impeachment, returnable on Mon
day, ]. tn inst, at p. m Agreed to.
Mr.. Lord announced that this was salts
tbereupon retired.
Mr. Edmunds then submitted a motion
that the Senate sitting as court of I'm
parchment adjourn to Monday, 18th inst.
Mr.. Stevenson asked whether there had
been any conference with the counsel of Gen.
Belknap as to the period fixed for bis APP
pearance, apd If the time named was salts
factory TO them.
Mr.. Edmunds said, speaking for himselfas
Senator and judge, ne would say that he
bad no conference with the counsel of Gen.
Belknap on the subject. He had thought that
the day fixed was reasonable time If Gea.
Belknap wanted more time he could ask
for il.
Mr.. Stevenson said he had made the in.
quiry because he egarded 1t as a proper one.
He had thought that IL would perhaps save
time TO have an idea OF the views or counsel
| OF Gen. Belknap.
Mr.. Edmunds then demanded the vote on
his motion that the Senate sitting as court
of Impeachment, adjourn till 1890 D. M. of
Monday, the tn instant.
Mr.. Bogy called attention to the fact that
the rules Of procedure In Impeachment trials
prescribed that the summons should be re-
| turnable at 1890 p. IN. of the day liked,
whereas the order which had been adopted
said p m.
| The Senate sitting in impeachment trials
had The power Internationally to fix its own
time.
Mr.. Whyte suggested that in every case of
| Impeachment IL was proper for the Senate TO
| adopt formally the rules which slOUld gov
| ern Its proceedings.
OF Mr. Edmunds was adopted by IS 10 10, and
the chair declared the Senate sitting in the
| Impeachment trial adjourned 10 1880 p. IN.
OF The 18th of April.
| The legislative business OF the Senate was
then resumed.
Mr.. Hamlin called up the bill TO fix the
postage on third class mail matter.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,
Stevenson I'M, by unanimous consent, in
troduced q resolution directing the Commit
| tee on the District of Columbia, whether the
building laws OF the District of Columbia
have been violated, and whether any OF the
streets and avenues have been occupied by
| private buildings and by whom, &c, with
power to send for persons and papers. and
| employ an expert Referred to COMMITTEES
| on the District. Also, resolution directing
| the Committees on the District of Columbia
4 of the two houses, to inquire what addi-
| Ional jail communications are required IN
| the District OF Columbia, and to make a
| Joint report on the subject. Same refer
er &c.
| Mr.. Randall introduced a resolution call
| ing on the Secretary Of the Treasury for an
| ifemized statement OF the expenditures of
1 the item OF $500 900 in the sundry civil APP
| preparation bill, for fuel and water for pub
| lie buildings. Adopted.
/ Mr.. Cox IN. W In the morning hopr from,