The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1876-03-16
The BeIknap Impeachment.

L uC GDulii4JSCC uyOlA Ia l'SiAN'ASNt -
in the War Department has been
created twelve years. and through
all previous sessions of Congress it
never had a meeting. After the
democrats got majority in the
House the first meeting Of this
committee was had, and in five
weeks from its first sitting it had
accumulated evidence showing that
the head of the War Department,
Gen. Belknap, was not only guilty
Of frauds and stealing, but that he
had been guilty five years, and if
this committee had attended to its
duty in the past it would long ago
have discovered his guilt, if they
had so desired. There are two re-
publicans on the committee as now
constituted, and neither of these
republicans ever attended a meeting
Of that committee until after the
evidence was all in that established
Bellnap's guilt and they came then
. only after repeated solicitations OF
/ the Chairman, Mr.. Clymer, and re
| luctantly assented to the report of
the committee VIM. b. Marsh was
the only witness examined by the
committee, and he testified to hay
ing paid Belknap large sums OF
money for the post of suttler at
Fort Sill; he was then turned over
TO Belknap's counsel and cross ex-
amined, the committee closed tho
evidence, Marsh drew his witness
fees, got on the train in an hour OIL
two and was seventy-fve miles OF
his way to Canada before the com
mittee reported. Marsh came volun
tarily before the committee anC
testified; but while he was testify
ing, President Grant called a meet
ing of his Cabinet and it was de
decided there and promulgated
through the press of the counJr,
next morning that the government
would prosecute to the death an
man who testified against govern
ment officials, if his evidence showed
that he was guilty himself. Marsl
was acquainted with this and il
twenty hours he was under tn
aegis of Queen Victoria in the rOya
. dominion of Canada. The Com
mittee by this interpositIon Of tn
Cabinet was deprived of the witnes
Marsh to substantiate the charge
. contained in the resolutions of i'm
: parchment that had passed TIA
House unanimously, and wa
brought incontinently to a stand
still. The committee reported Ties
facts to the House and asked fur
ther time to get other evidence, anC
while the matter was IN Hnline,
subpoena duceS tecNB9 was served upOl
the members of the committee or
dering them to appear before tn,
District Criminal Court, with al
papers, and testify in the Belknal
matter. The committee would no
plead their privilege before tn
Court but came before the HOust
and asked instructions as to wheth
err they should obey the summon!
or not, whereupon a long and acTi
monious debate ensued, the demo
Gratis contending that Congress was
higher tribunal, that the case wa!
now before it, and that to take away
from a committee the only evidence
it had and transmit it to an inferiO
court that had no right to demand
it was not only an infringement
upon the privileges of the House
but was depriving it Of jurisdic
ton that had already attached, ant
was throwing the matter right bacl
into the hands of the very men VIII
had overlooked these frauds for fiv
! years, who had perhaps participate
in them, and who had just take
measures In cabinet council to de
feat the whole prosecution. Tn
republicans claimed that the com
mittee could not resist the sum
mons, that it was their duty to assis
the Court in bringing criminals t
Justice, and that it would not inter
, fere with the House proceeding
A bill was passed protecting wit
nesses who implicate themselves
with a view TO induce Marsh t
come back, the republicans throw
ing every obstacle in the way of it
passage, but dared not vote agains
it upon a call of the previous ques
ton. The House finally instructe
the committee to disregard the sun
mons of the petty court, and ther
the matter stood. One fact now
The evidence in possession of tn
! committee was declared to be insult
ficient by Mr.. Lamar and other EN-
nent lawyers upon which to find n
indictment against Belknap, but
1t was given to:the grand jury the
! could do nothing but indict Marsl
and thus Belknap would escape an
the witness against him would su
FER, and the whole ring of oftici;
stealers would get clear Of the ev
dence against them. In word, til
d. democrats are trying to catch til
big rogues, while the republican
! are trying to catch the little one
drive them from the country or d.
ter them from testiying, and thu
protect themselves.