The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1876-03-08
the Aouss would judge of the emotion with

the Aouse would Judge of the emotion with
which
MEMBERS FROM THAT STATE
had listened to the reading of the evidence.
He had never heard anything read with
when, at the close OF tie reading,
he had made an appeal to his
friend from Pennsylvania (Clymer',
not tor himself alone, but for his COL
Leagues, whose pride and honor were so
touched by the character of the report, for
a moments delay that they might find
whether there might not be In
the evidence one extenuating cir
cumstance, he had been met by
the demand for the previous.questions. He
did not desire ID claim any exemption fer
Belknsp from all the penalties to which
his acts entitled him. But be found the
most painful feature disclosed by the evil
dence TO be the fact that not one word of
1t touched the offences in question until
death which broke heart mad occurred.
(Sensation.) Was he TO be blamed that he
and bis Colleagues wal ted night to sscer-
tain the exteI OF that officers guilt by
reading the evidence in point. Was he to
be bIs med that, when he found the most
delicate relations in human life inyolv ed
in this proceeding, rela-
ton so delicate that he
dared not allude TO it in detail, he asked
an opportunity to consider whether there
was anything to be said in extenuation Of
so high and so great misdemeanor. But
it was too late to 60 back to that now. He
and his colleagues had been refused
that opportunity, and now he only asked
the attention OF the House to the quet ton
whether the House did not need more time
to ascertain whether this officer was im-
peschsb'e. After quoting from Judge
Story on this point, he argued that
THE POWERS OF CONGRESS
were limited by the constitution, and that
If Mr.. Belknsp be impssched, the Senate
could not executs the constitutional pro-
vision which declares thst he shall be re-
moved from office. II he were liable
to impeachment, let 1t be under
stood that they were all, with
out exception, for impeachment,
but If the House wes establis hing a prece-
dent which did not rest on the coDstitu
ton and which was dangerous for the fU
ture, he thought 1t right that the House
should pause and consider, by a report
from the judiciary committee, the Ques-
zion of its right to make this impeachment.
II the House could impeach a man not in
Office, it might go back and imp each JET
ferson Davis and John B. Floyd for con-
SplIdCy'
Mr.. Robbins, of N. c., suggested that
t5ers was a great difference between
conviction on an impeachment and con-
yiction on an indictment. In the latter
case, a man might be p3rdoned by the ca
ecutive, but in the former case it
could not be. AS to the
suggestion as to the impeachment OF
Jefferson Davis, he replied that it had
been decided that senator could not be
impeached, not being an officer OF the
United States.
The debate being closed, the House pro-
ceeded to vote on the resolutions, and
they were unanimously adopted. The
speaker appointed q committee 10 notify
the Senate Of the &C ion of the Hous5.
Messrs. Clymer, Robbins, Blackburn, Bass,
and Danforth, these members composing
the com ittee on expenditures In the
war department, making the report. The
House then adjourned when 1t was an
nounced that the democratic caucus,
which had been fixed for tonight, had
been adjourned till Saturday night.