The Morning herald., 1876-04-28
THE BELKNAP IMPEACHMENT
The Proeeedings Yesterday.
WASHINGTON !

, X IT "a ~ @WAsHINGToN April 81.
General Belknap and his counsel entered
from one of the side doors at 1880, and
took the seats provided for them at their
table.
The Senate then proceeded to the consid-
Grafton of the articles of impeachment.
The Secretary was directed to inform the
House that the Senate was ready to receive
the Managers of the Impeachment, and
they were announced by the Seareeut-At
Arms, and proceeded to their seats.
The counsel for the respondent asked for
a poetponement of the trial til the first
Monday in December.
Objected to by the Managers.
Mr.. Carpenter asked that the time for
discussing the motion to postpone be fixed
at sixty four hours for each side instead of
as fixed by the Goth rule.
The question being submitted to the Sem
ate, the request was granted, yeas As,
nays 13.
Mr.. Blair said it was impossible for the
counsel to do justice to the subject in the
time which the Senate could bestow this
session. You are met at the threshold by
the great constitutional question whether
the Senate has the power to try private
citizen on articles of impeachment, 1t will
be impossible for the counsel to prepare
themselves at this time Secondly, the
House asks to bring in additional articles,
are we to have impeachment in doses The
counsel want to have all the charges and
meet them at the same time. But the post
ponement is also asked upon stronger
grounds. This question is connected with
the political issues of the day. One party
is anxious to fasten the stigma upon the
other. With all respect, he said it
was almost impossible tie treat this ques-
tion now, divested of partisan considera.
tions. A precedent in this respect had
been set by the Supreme Court,
which had postponed the decision in the
BRED Scott case, so as to remove it IRON the
arena of partisanship. He adyerted to the
haste with which the impeachment pro,
ceedings had been instituted.
Judge Black followed in support of the
motion to postpone.
Judge Black said the House of Represen
tatives were bent on the destruction OF this
gentleman, and have dragged him here be
fore tribunal which is partial. 1t Is thu
duty of the accused to do and to suffer &C
cording to the law, but it is also his rlgh
to have fair trial. He is removed from
all districting influence, At the yer!
threshold of this case, you encounter {
grave question Of Constitutional law. HI
dwelt upon this as q matter of transcenden
importance to the Senate, and the country
If the Senate has not the Jurisdiction, it i
an alarming usurpation of power. He he'll
that General Belknap stood before them al
innocent man, accused OF an OheDse Wnlcl
would load him with disgrace. de mus
be pronounced innocent as yet, for the Sen
ate hae no evidence of his guilt. He di'
not think that strong case woult
perhaps be made against him, for tn
gentlemen on the otherr side had not en-
tered into this rashly. They did not know
what kind of ammunition these guns wer
loaded with, and whether they were manu-
featuring it yet There never had been
time that his unfortunate client would no
have suffered anything sooner than the los
of the reputation Of that good name whicl
he had valued as so much to him. Are yo'
going to try him in the midst of Presi
Dental election which is daily increasing il
excitement and bitterness? What he is en-
titled to is fair, impal tisl trial. He lai'
down the high duty of the Senators at thi
time, and said that every Senator, O
course, believed that he could come up Il
the heroic IN ark.
The Democracy, with its love of purit
and hatred of corruption, went wild owe
this thing as they heard of It, without wait
ing to hear whether it was true or MOI
Judge Black alluded to the act of the A,
torney General in surrounding the house {
General Belknap with armed police an
filling the house with police. He criticise
this as having been done as mere accus'
ton.
Belknap Irrepressfble.
BY American Press Association.
A