The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1876-08-09
Our Washington Letter.


Special to the REPUBLICAN,. -,,;f 49,.
retail bWAsHTNGToN, d. g., Aug. 3, '76
No matter Of public concern during
this eventful session of Congress has
perhaps, excited more general interest
here than the investigation of the
whisky prosecutions now in progress
Whether correct or otherwise, there
has existed an undercurrent of feeling
here and elsewhere, to the effect thai
the President has eenplacedin false
position willfully misrepresented, and
the purity and patriotism of his mo
tives impugned by men having more
ambition than gratitude, who sought
his abasement as a means to their own
preferment. The worst that Mr.. Will
son has been able to show, even were
the force of his testimony not modified
by that of later witnesses, was an un.
due confidence in General, Babcock' I
purity on President Grants part, VIII
son testifying that other than his Che
President's) effort to shield 2 -, go.
he always appeara3o.S1J'- A'@oIo'A'
1st-:.-', y 'i.ssSs asdss6 "a Sincerely desirous
s,s,ssssg ttide guilty to punishment. But
the testimony Of other witnesses, who
appear equally as credible as Mr.. Will
son, and with quite as good opportu-
mites for observation, make it appear
as though be (Mr. Wilson, regarded
himself as the head and front of a
movement to make Mr.. Bristow Pres
ident Grants successory and that Var
yam was second in command, and "re-
form" was to be the battle cry by which
they hoped to conquer. Much other
testimony has been taken to show that
the President was quite as earnest in
his efforts to break up the frauds upon
the revenue, as the most Jealous, and
that other parties devoted the credit
due to him into another channel for
the accomplishment Of their one pur-
pose to make Mr.. Bristow our next
President There viii likely be asus-
pension of public opinion until the
testimony is all in, which it is hoped
may result in unmasking every man
and placing every one concerned in
their true character before the public.
General. Plaisted, who gained an aen-
viable record as the Attorney General
of Maine just prior TO his election to
represent the 4th Congressional dis
trict in that State, the Republican
member of the committee making the
investigation, is warmly commended
on all hands by his apparent deter
mination to sift the matter to the bot
tom, without fear or favor to the end,
that impartial justice may be done.
p The result of acquittal in the Bel,
KNAPP case is a termination of the matter
generally anticipated. The vote stood
81 for conviction to % against. Most
of the Senators voting "not guilty."
did not do SO upon the merits of the
cases bat because they were convinced
of the Senate's lack Of jurisdiction,
they holding that private citizen, as
Belknap was, is not ameanable TO such
method of punishment for alleged
crimes and misdemeanors as impeach-
ment.l Quite large number Of SEN
ators were either absent, or abstained
altogether fromvoting. Belknap was,
some months ago, indicted by the
Grand Jury of this district, and shouA
he be convicted under thatindIetment
he viii be disqualified to hold Office as
eAectualIy as though he had been con-
victed by the Senate. Hence it is
held that his impeachment was as
unwise as it has been costly in time
and money. Now that the impeaeh-