The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1876-03-16

sence? He did not entertain the slight
est idea that the Chairman of he Com
mittee on Expenditures in the War De-
partment had designed that Marsh should
escape for the purpose of relieving the
late Secretary from impeachment or in
dictment, but the fact was true, never
theless, that the witness had been dis
charged when he should have been held,
and that if he had not been discharged
he would be here to-day to testify ali Ike
before the Grand Jury and before the
High Court Of Impeachment.
Mr.. Knott closed the discussion, and
noticed the fact that, Notwithstanding
the anxiety expressed on the other side
to debate the bill, not a word has been
said about it in the three speeches made
as to the willingness of that side to aid in
exposing and furnishing corruption. lie
reminded them that they had many years
to do so, but had never done so. Ap- |
plause on the Democratic side
The bill was then passed-yeas, 2O6;
nays, 10.
Mr.. Clymer, rising to question of per-
sonal privilege, sent to the Clerks desk
and had read statement in the Wash
ington correspondence Of the New York
Herald to-day relating to a supposed IN
terview between Mrs. Belknap, Mrs.
Marsh and other ladies at the Arlington
Hotel, in which charges against Mrs.
Belknap were discussed and among them
charge that Mr. George II. Pendleton,
of Ohio, had paid to Mrs. Belknap bribe
of seventy thousand dollars in the inter-
est of the Kentucky Central Railroad,
when Mrs. Belknap is represented as
having said that she had only received
half that amount. That the facts had
been brought to his (Clymer's) attention
by Danford, one of the members of the
Committee but that Clymer had paid no
attention to them; and further that Mrs
Belknap, Messrs. PendletoE and Clymer
and Mr. and Mrs. Marsh, had made
tour of Europe together, when Clymer
became gradually acquainted with the
main facts in the case. The paper hav-
ing been read, Clymer rose and said:
In a somewhat prolonged public service
here and elsewhere, this is the first time
that | ever felt myself called upon to
make public statement with reference
to anything which has appeared regard
ing me in a newspaper, for the simple
reason that | believe it is the first time |
have ever seen my personal rectitude or
honor directly impugned. Now, with
reference to this article, | never saw
Marsh, the witness in the case, until last
Monday week, when he appeared in the
. Committee room. | never saw Mrs.
Marsh but once in my life, and that was
last Thursday morning, the day they left
. the city. When taking an early break
! fast at the Arlington Hotel, l saw the
witness with lady whom presumed to
be his wife. They seated themselves
. near me, and out of courtesy to woman
l went and was presented to her. The
interview certainly did not last three
, moments, and the case before the Com
mittee was not alluded to in the remotest
terms. | have never met Geo. H. Pen
dleton save on this side of the water
therefore the charge with reference to
! my having travelled in Europe with any
of those parties at any time is absolutely
and totally false.
Again, it is alleged or seems to be al
legged, that was cognizant of some meet.
ing at the Arlington between Mrs. Marsh,
f Mrs Belknap and others. If there was
such meeting l certainly was not at it.
: If matters were discussed there with
, reference to another crime, could only,
and did only, hear of it by rumor, and
there was no foundation in the world for
me to go upon save that it was said there
was a record in the War Department
2 some one told me so. Fortunately,
have the witness here whom last week
to1l to 30 l.n 81,
search it up for me so as to start that in
vestigation with all my other labOrs. On
, Monday, while in the Capitol, telegram
was received from Mr. Pendleton asking
when he could be heard before our Com
r mittee, and directed friend of his to
=. telegraph him that we would hear him
p tomorrow afternoon.
/ With reference to my being unwilling
to investigate this matter, my friend and
colleague on the Committee, Mr.. Tan
p ford, will bear me witness that on Mon
. day morning, when came into the hal,
. he came and said that he wished Mrs.
q Marsh to be summoned, not telling me
the reason of it. He will further bear
me witness that instantly, at his sug,
gestion, said yes, and the Sergeant-at-
Arms will prove that went to him and
+ took out subpoena and had him send a
special messenger Immediately to New
York for that purpose. Now, | brand
the whole article, so far as it relates to
me, as utterly, entirely and absolutely
. false, and l say that the man or men
; who have concocted it, have done so with
malice aforethought, for some purpose
which / leave the House and people of
o the country to Judge. | wish to say fur
q ther, that | will not be deferred from my
\ duty as imposed upon me by this House
q in investigating frauds from the highest
/ to the lowest, and all through the body
p polite as they come under my supervi-
o sion. Whenever suspect or know that
, fraud or corruption exists, if l should
f strike the dearest friend on earth, will
a have the consolation of knowing that |
n have done my duty to the House and to
4 my country, and they who expect to in
:, timidate me through the press, through
n insinuation or otherwise, or to deter me
# from my duty, have mistaken the man.
= | have as great respect as any man can
have for the third estate, but when it is
o used for base and vile purpose, l will
n defend myself against it, and will appeal
4 to honest men here and everywhere for
e my support and justification. Applause. ]
Mr.. Robbins, another ember Of the
Committee, said that he had never heard
!. of the matter in question until he saw ii
!. in a newspaper this evening. The effort
n to deter investigation by turning the bat.
!. teries of vituperation on committee en-
r gagged in trying to do its duty, would fail
+ in its purpose. So far as he was con.
!. cerned, he proposed TO sail his craft
4 boldly into this fight until it was blown
v out of the water, and that would not be
4 done urtil he had blown off the heads Of
. a few more thieves whom he knew Of
;. TApplause from the Democratic side.
q MIR. Black burn another member of the
i Committee. said that he had never heal