The New Orleans bulletin. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1874-1876, 1876-03-08
Mr.. Clymer Rises to Explain.
Foreign and Domestic Markets.
General News.
ETC., ETC., Etc.
FORTY.FOURTH CONGRESS-.

fORTY.FOURTH CONGRESS-.
The HOUSE.
WASHINGTON, March Lawrence intro
duced bill to regulate the trading stations
military posts.
The Land Committee reported bill sub
jecting lands granted to companies to Stat
taxation. Passed.
Clymer. of Pennsylvania, rising to ques
ton of privilege, stated that subpoena had
bean served on him last evening, issued by thu
Supreme Court OF the District of Columbia, Of
IA criminal court OF the District of Columbia
to appear before that court and bring with
him all the papers, checks, documents, etc.
and to testify in regard to the charges pend
ing In that court against the late Secretary Of
War.
Two of his colleagues. Messrs. Robbins. Of
North Carolina, and Blackburn, OF Kentucky,
had been similarly subpenaed. Olymer had
appeared before that court, and had stated
that in obedience to the law he appeared at its
bar to obey it's order. But that a. . memOeI
of the Committee Of the House ne felt il
would be prejudicial to the highest interests
of the country that his colleagues and him.
self should be compelled to state what had
transpired in their committee room. he
(Clymer) believed that such course would
not only close the mouths of ell witnesses,
but that in many cases it would drive them
from the land. -
He had said, furtnG1more, that while not
pleading their privileges Is members Of Con-
gress, they must. nevertheless, protest against
being examined, and that they would only
consent to be examined after an order being
made especially to that end by the court.
The court had taken time for deliberation
and had determined that if it needed their
attendance thereafter to send for them. He
had felt It to be his duty to bring the matter
to the attention of the House, in order that
the House might take such action in the mat
ter as it might deem right, just and neces-
sary.
Blaine, of Maine, asked Clymer if the court
had asked or desired to ask for any inform y
ton that was not contained in the published
report and was not q matter Of record and
general notoriety. He could very we'll con-
ceive that the gentleman from Pennsylvania
might not wish to be called upon in that
court to testify of what was still committee
secret, but on what the point of delicacy could
arise as to those matters which were as COM
mon as history could make them, he could
not see.
Clymer replied that the court had not pro-
posed to ask them any questions at all. They
were to be examined before the Grapd Jury.
II the questions were to have been asked
by the court in the presence of the public he
might not have had as great an objection,
but his colleagues and he had felt that if they
wero 70 60 before grand jury whose proceed
inRs were necessarily secret, that fact would
strike terror everywhere throughout the land.
and would close all the avenues Of testimony
to the House and its committees.
Blaine reminded Clymer that his own priv
ilege as member protected him, and there
was no power to compel him to testify.
Mr.. Cymer repeated that he had stated to
the Court that he did not intend to plead his
privilege, SO that it might not be said that he
intended to exclude anything which should
be rightfully known.
Mr.. Robbins, Of North Carolina, another
member of the committee, made like state.
ment in reference to his being subpBnaed,
etc.. and declared it as his belief that the
effect il not the design was to intimidate wit
nesses and throttle the investigation.
Mr.. Danford, Of Ohio, another member of
the committee, said that he had had no sub
poena to go before the Court, but he would
like to know from ths chairman whether any
additional testimony had been taken before
the committee.
Mr.. Lamar, of Mississippi. objected to that
question.
Mr.. Blaine-The objection must come from
a most inconceivable motive.
Mr.. Lamar-It may be . motive that you
-misconceive, but nevertheless it 10 motive
which have, and that is the preservation of
parliamentary order. l maintain that no
member has q right to reveal the secrets OF
the committee room.
Mr., Olymer said that there had been no ad-
ditioual testimony taken before the commit.
tee but he repeated that the attempt to drag
forth what occurred in the committee could
result in nothing but detriment to the public
veal
Mr.. Blaine-There should be no division or
seeming division between the two sides of the
House in regard to the vigorous prosecution
OF public criminals. What was the object of
this investigation except to bring offenders to
criminal justice? Committees could not
punish, and everybody knows that. This was
q bYldum fttlmen.
Mr.. Clymer: have stated the facts of the
case to the House, and if necessary imputa-
ton arises that some one in this District
wishes to close the avenues of evidence all
over the country, it is not I who makes the
charge, but the facts of the case.
MI. Blaine-Tae gentleman closes the ave.
nues himself.
Clymer-I will not permit the gentleman
L do not understand. or to put insinuations
in my mouth which have not uttered.
Blackburn, of Kentucky (another member
of the committee). said he was not surprised
at the uneasiness and nervousness manifested
by the gentleman from Maine. He (Black-
burn) did not intend to charge that 1t was the
purpose of the Executive to intimidate wit
nesses, to throttle investigation, or to afford
immunity to criminals; but he did say that,
unless the gag process was stopped, the coun-
try would believe that that was the purpose,
and he would believe it too. Applause on
the Democratic side, and question from
Blaine" gag process2"l
II had gene forth to the country that the
committee had connived at the absconding Of
an important witness against the protest of
the Republican members Of the cormittee.
but it was needless for him to say that that
charge was f.t,y false, and he only wondered
that those Republican members had allowed
80 49, h<Hvrk ken