Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1876-03-09
The Proceedings in Congress.
THE SENATE NOTIFIED OF TIE LATE sEcRE-
TARY's IMPEACHMENT.

THE SENATE NOTIFIED OF TIE LATE SEcRE-
TARY's IMPEACHMENT.
WAsuING TON, March 3.-lu the Senate
nj one o'clock a committee OF the House,
consisting of Messrs. Clymer. Robbins,
Blackburn. Bass and Daniord, appeared at
the bar of the Senate, and were announced
bv the Sergeant-at Arms. Upon being
recognized bv the President pro tenn OF the
Senate. MIR. Ciymer said
Mr. President In obedience to the or
der OF the House of Representatives We APP
pear before YOU. and in the name -! the
House of REPRESENTATIVES and OF AL the
people of the United States of America.we
do impeach William W. BelkuaP. late Sec
retaiy of War Of the United states. of nigh
crimes and msdemeanorS while IN Office
rnd we further inform the senate that the
House of Representatives will in due time
exhibit articles OF Impeachment agains,
him and make good the same. and IN their
name we demand that the Senate take order
for the appearance Of the said William W
Belknap to answer.
The President pro TEN said:
MIR. Chairman and Gentlemen at the
Committee; We. the Senate.~il taNe order
in the premises"
The committee then retired.
When the committee appeared in the
Senate there was "A great sensation IA the
gallery. which was packed fhe presiding
officer was compelled to demand order in
the chamber before recognizing the con-
mitteeS.
In the House at eleven o'clock the call
of the committees was Interrupted by the
apnearance al the bar of the House of the
committee appointed yesterday to notify
the senate of the action oi the House IN re-
gard to the late secretary BelAnau. hr.
Clymer made the following report:
..Nr. Speaker-lu obedience 10 the or
der of the House. we proceeded 70 the bar
of the senate and in the name OF the House
and of all the people of the United states
of America we impcaChcd. IL We were 81
rected 10 do. William W. Beikua2, late
Secretary OF War orthe United States. "i
/ HIGH crimes and m>lemeanor>. whit" M
/ office and we demanded that the Sruiic
i shall take au order to make him apPoAf h'-
I fore that body to answer tor the same. and
announced that the House would soon pre-
sent articles of impeachment ana make
/ them good
10 which the response was made;
/ order shall be taken
The committee retired and thr regular
business of the House wa> proceeded with.
How BELkNAF WAS INPo>Ep.
George \. Armes. who has fcrrctcd out
the scandal, i, well known here a. Viz
! giniau who WAS loyal. and whose service
in the | uion Army a. = volunteer was re-
warded by 4 commission In the regulars.
He was assigned 10 duty on thc frontier.
and so distinguished himself in >hirmi,h
with the Indians that he was promoted -
a Captaiucy. Having some trouble with
his superior officers. he preferred charges
/ against three of them. when they turned
round and presented charges against him.
and with the aid aS he ailegeS.ef Secretary
Belknap. got him di>nis >cd. He,however,
followed up the charges against the officers
got them convicted, aud two are Now scTy-
ing out sentences in prison ON This account.
and every session of Congress since lie has
been before both Houses for redress. ~
perseverance he has. however, carried all
M points. except being restored "a the
army, and only a few weeks ago Senator
Spencer introduced into the Senate bill
for that purpose. He has had many bitter
personal wOrdy alterations with General
Belknap. has deticd him, and in language
. more forcible than polite has informed him
that he would yet defeat him and get hi
rights. Meanwhile Armes went into bus j.
ness here a a real estate agent and among
those who called upon him TO rent house
placed in his charge last December wa.
Representative Lewis Of Alabama. an eX-
confederate officer. During the ne.otia-
ton for the house, Armes told Lewis that
he was formerly in the army. aud was in
possession of facts against Gen. BelAnap
that would force him to IN his position
a. Secretary. He said that he had been
dismissed from the army on account OF the
personal enmity of Belknap. and il some
member OF Congress would take hold and
help him. he would in sixty days force
Belknap TO leave his position. Lewis ten
dered his services and laid the matter be-
fore Mr.. Randall, who advised that the
matter be laid before Mr.. Ciymer for his
committee 10 unearth. Armes furnished
list OF witnesses but a. they testified 10 Nut
Few facts Mr. Clymer began to suspect that
he was dealing with them in bad faith. e>-
pecially a when Belknap was notified o
the matter; he informed them that Armc>
had offered. if he could be rein>tatcd la the
army, and certain other condition, were
complied wiih,th he would drop the mat
ter. This looked little like blachmAn
but Mr.. Lewis urged that lnasmuch rs
/ lit of witnesses had been furnished BY Ar
mes il would be best TO summon them al,
and see what there was ia il. Among the
witnesses was Mr.. Marsh, and AFTER some
difficulty his attendance WAS secured. with
The result already known io the word.
BELKNAP 10 BIZ PROSECUTED CgIMrNALGv
1 The Cabinet met at noon to-day with all
members present, and remained in session
until after 3 O'Clock. The subjects that re-
received consideration were the institution
OF criminal proceeding against cX->ecreta-
~ Belknap and those associated with h.m
in the practices of bribery aut corruption
lust officially discovered. and the selection
I ,,fa uayy Secondary ~ W. fIn.. Ibr.-r.I.r.
stated to the Cabinet that while he could
take no steps which might look like per.e-
cution Of any one. he had determined To
shrink from no responsibility that rested
upon him. and he therefore asked the At
tOrDey General 10 take immediate steps TO
proceed with criminal charges against Gen
Belknap and Messrs. Marsh and Tomlinson
and Others, shown by any evidence that
that Shall be adduced to have had part in
The fearful transactions that were the SUBJ
jet of attention.
Upon this determination of the President.
there were full and thorough expires >ions
of opinion favOring the action the Presi-
dent had determined upon without delay.
The peculiar character of the case Of
General Belknaps offence differing as Il
does from any ordinary case of bribery.
was subject OF discussion. the result Of
which was the reference of the entire mat
ter TO the Attorney General, who viii take
the necessary Steps to enter criminal pro-
ceedlngs as soon "a the facts can be put in
10 shape to be sworn to. As part Of the
discussion il was mentioned that there
should be no delay in the proceedings BE-
cause Of the progress Of an impeachment
trial. The two trials will be entirely indie
pendent OF each other. Judge Pierrepont
remained at the Executive Mansion short
time after the Cabinet officers had gone to
( their respective DEPARTING Is for the pur-
! pose OF getting what facts the President
might be possessed Of
THE IMPEACHMENT ARTICLES PREPARED.
The Committee on Judiciary have com
pleted the Belknap articles OF impeach-
ment- They are twenty in number. spe-
clhcally stating the various amounts Of
money received by him al different time,
from Marsh. The articles are founded on
testimony of that witness. but as he has
fled the country. the committee will tomor-
row. when they report. move it, reference