The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1876-04-06
in regard to the impeachment Of W. W.
Ralknnn. late SecretnrH Of War.

MED by Senators Edmund and Thurman,
and was escorted to = seat on the right OF
the President pro tenn. The following
oath was administered, fsst to Senator
Ferry, and then to the other Senators, who
were called by the Secretary in alphabet-
cal order in groups Of six:
"You do solemnly swear that in all
things appertaining to the trial OF the i'm
peachment Of W. W. Belkhap, late s GRE
tary Of War, now pending, you will do
impartial Justice, according to the Consti-
tuition aud the law"
After the oath was administered the
Chief Justice retired, and Senator Fre-
linghuysen submitted an order instruct
::ng the Secretary Of the Senate to notify
the House Of Representatives that the
Senate Is now organized for the trial OF the
impeachment OF W. W. Belkuap, late Sec
retary Of War, and ready to receive the
managers Of the impeachment on the part
Of the House Of Representatives. Agreed
TO.
After the first six Senators had been
called Mr.. Morton said il there was no OBJ
lection he would suggest that all the Sem
ators be sworn at one time standing in
their places.
Mr.. Thurman objected. He said there
might be some doubt about verifying Sem
ators who were sworn. He thought the
Senate had better follow the usual GUS
tom.
The Senators who were absent and
therefore not sworn were Messrs. Alcorn,
Allison, Burnside, Caperton, Christiancy,
Conkling, Conoyer, Dennis, English,
Goldthwaite, Howe, johnson, Jones OF
Nevada, Morrill, Of Maine, Patterson,
Ransom, Robertson and Wadleigh.
Mr.. Edmunds submitted the following,
which was agreed TO:
Ordered, That summons be issued as
required by the laws Of procedure and
practice in the Senate, when sitting on
The Impeachment trial, to W. W. Bel.
KNAPP, returnable on Monday, the 18th OF
the present month, at 10 o'clock AN.
Mr.. Lord-That is satisfactory to the
managers.
The managers then retired.
Mr., Stevenson said il there was no
further business he moved that the Sem
ate, sitting as court Of impeachment,
adjourn.
Mr.. 'Edmunds said that was hardly q
proper motion. The Senate, sitting as q
court, should adjourn until the 18th,
when the process was returnable.
Mr.. Stevenson inquired II any confer
ence had been,held with the counsel for
Belknap as to whether the time fixed for
the return Of the process would suit them.
Mr.. Edmunds said he had no such con-
ference, and did not expect to have any
conference with the counsel Of Belknap.
OF course, when the process was returned
on the 18th, il they desired more time
they could apply for it.
Mr.. Stevenson said he saw improperly
in the managers on the part OF the House
having friendly intervies with the coun-
sci Of Belknap to learn when they would
be ready for trial.
Mr.. Edmunds moved that the Senate as
Court Of Impeachment adjourn until
the 18th.
Mr.. Bogy said the twenty.fourth rule OF
the Senate required that in cases Of I'M
parchment the summons should be re-
turnable 1890 r. NJ, and the order just
adopted made the summons returnable at
! o'clock.
After considerable discussion Edmunds
modified his motion SO that the Senate
setting as Court should adjourn until
1890 r. NJ, on the 18th OF April, and in
sisted on Its adoption.
Mr.. BOgy demanded the yeas and nays,
and the motion was agreed to-yeas 80,
nays 10. Messrs, Bayard, Bogy, Cooper,
Davis, Eaton, Norwood, Randolph, Sails.
bury, Whyte and Withers voted in the
negative.
THE POSTAGE BILL.
The Senate then resumed the consider
alton OF legislative business, and took up
the bill fixing the rate Of postage on
third class matter and for other purposes
Mr.. Hamlin submitted an amendment
to insert the words, "before thesame shall
be transmitted by mail" so that it would
read, "If however the postage on third
class matter mailed at an office shall be
less than the full amount above prescribed
in cases where the sender is known, such
sender shall be notified Of the fact and the
amount Of postage due shall be collected
from such sender before the same shall be
transmitted by mail,' &c. Agreed to.
Mr.. Bogy opposed the bill.
Mr.. Hamlin stated briefly the consid-
erations which controlled the committee
and the facts upon which they acted. II
the old law allowing two ounces TO 60
through the mails for one cent should be
restored the deficiency would exceed
nine or ten million dollars annually, and
in a few years the deficiency would aggre-
gate hundreds Of millions.
Mr.. Mitchell inquired il the bill, as
now before the Senate, had the sanction
Of the Postotice Department.
Mr.. Hamlin replied in the affirmative,
Resuming, Mr.. Hamlin said that il Con.
gress would act wisely and make every
article which passed through the mails
pay a fair compensation for transporta.
tion, the rate OF postage on letters could
be put down to two cents tomorrow,
and the Postofice Department be made
self sustaining. When that should be
accomplished the millions would be ben.
Gifted and not the few. The department
he said was self.sustsining from 1889 to
ls41. In 1s4l, S4s2, ,657 were appropri'
ated TO meet the requirements OF the
foreign mail service.
Mr.. Sherman said in former years
there was permanent appropriation sc
carry free mail matter. He quoted the
law Of ls47, showing an appropriation oi
Sl66,000 for the mail service Of the Va.
rious departments Of the government, and
said that amount had been increased
year after year till it had reached $780,
600.
Mr.. Thurman inquired il the Depart
ment should be made self.sustaining
would not this effect be to make letter'
pay more than they should?
Mr.. Hamlin said he was going to dis
cuss that point. The letters now produced
a surplus OF between four to Eve million
dollars per annum. The practice Of the
English government had been TO admit
samples Of merchandise into the mail
not exceeding two ounces in weight
There had been q great deal said about
the presenl law in regard to third clasl
mail matter. Gn the 18th day Of Febru'
ary, 1874, the Postmaster General sent Il
the Senate a letter stating the condition o