Daily press and Dakotaian. [volume] (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1875-1880, 1876-03-05

and withoIt. disclosing the details
which hgh been given h,m in the
strictest confidence, assured the pres
ident that very grave disclosures were
abou1/ TO be made against the head of
VAR department, and advised that
Bass, republican member of the com
.pittce should be sent for Immediately.
lhe president .rapg for a servant to
take II message to Bass and Secretary
tBlistow at the same time retired.
Bcttrtr--l5sss- arrived the resignation
had been rendered and accepted mn
der the misapprehcnsion above noted.
The ciai,aft!,atsthe resignation itself
bars impeachment proceedings and
that tho acceptance don't change the
legal aspect of the case is question
'hat will be tested before the senate,
and if impeachment fails, there can
be no escape from punishment under
criminal proceedings. The sccretary's
counsel arc Jerry Black, eS senator
Carpenter and Montgomery Blair.
Now that the case has been more
-r:rrrf,,ll.., cons der
able disposition to charge the demo
cratic members Of the investigating
committee with having managed the
ease against Belknap more with re
ference to party than to national
hauarai-p personal ins.iee. 1t is as
serted that the republican members o!
the committee had no information Of
the disclosures or testimony of Marsh
Itill after the meeting Of the committee
at which he4irst appeared. Messrs.
l)apforth and Bass We're kept in the
dark as TO all the Developments till
The EXPLOSION was prepared for Beik
nap. The excuse for this is that the
meeting was on the regular day fixed
for the meeting of the committee, and
it was supposed they would be present
without notice, but the committee had
no regular meetings and no member
knew without notice when there was
to be one. Ii is urged that Mr.. ely
mer should not have allowed the test
imony of Marsh to be taken, since he
knew its character before hand, with.
out having the republican, members
present. There was no cross exanin
alton, and if Belknap had denied that
the story was true, and desired tc
make defense, the testimony would
not have been sufficient for basis o
/ impeachment. Messrs. Bass and
Danforth were only informed Of the
situation after Marsh had testified
The party purpose charged, lis to use
the evidence in time for the New
! Hampshire and Connecticut election
! -!tis asserted that dates are almost Ell
,s,irely wanting in the testimony, ant
nothing whatever is recorded showing
that the secretary knew anything Q
4 tile beginning Of the arrangement be
Il tween Marsh. and Bowers, or tina
| he ever knew the source of-payments
The clue by which the committe
gotsat the testimony Of Marsh is ex
planned in various ways. Probabl
thepfact is the committee had snbpoe
naed the persons named in old put
locations. Most OF the name
called, were not expected to do an
harm till Marsh was reached. Mrs
Belknap as soon as she learned tina
,, he was coming tried to break Ill
force by an Interview with Blackbur
yand this exhibition Of fear was use
Ito her detriment, for it spurred II
committee on to secure the test
! a,ony Of Marsh at all hazards. \
efforts TO defeat the arrangement in
g creased the determination Of the con
u nttee to find out what Marsh real
. lnew but as the whole affair was st
.,retly conducted by the democrat
! members, there may be something
his respect still unknown.
Nothing is yet settled rs TO Belknal
successor, except that the president says
will accept. the recommendation by 7
J .abinet, and that the new secretary must
/, me so high iu public confidence that the
!, hall be no question Of his fitness from u
quarter.
The congressional democratic commit
have formally agreed tn-make the Belkn
! lrsscality an issue in the eastern elcctie
% and force the republicans out. |