The Van Buren press., 1876-03-14
ANIMATED DEBATE.
Refusal Of Messrs. Clymer, blackburn
and Robbins to 60 before the Grand
Jury in the Belknap Case.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,.

Mr. Clymer rose to question OF priv
ilcge, and narrated the fact of himself
and other members Of the committee be-
ina summoned to testify before the grand
| Jury, and said lie laid the mstter before
the house for its consideration, believing
that such a course would practically de-
feat the investigation Of Belknap's case,
A long and hot discussion followed, dn
ring which Mr.. Blackburn said it had
gone forth to the country that the com
mittae had connived at the absconding OF
an important witness, against the protest
of the Republican members of the com
mittee; but it was needless for h IA to
say that that charge was fatty false, and
he only wondered that those republican
members had allowed it to go out on
their authority without contradiction. lie
urged that it would be utterly impossible
ever to convict the late secretary of war
or any other cabnes officer, except by
the testimony of accompliecs, and yet
the house was now to be told that an uc-
complce should not testify before com
mittee, except at his own peril. 1t was
against that that he protested. He inti-
| IlldlGu tlut IhC PlluoS ASo nv 'ANii
escape" would be construed to mean,
"let no man escape who dare tell on
those who are in authority He warned
the house that the voluminous investiga-
tions now progressing, would be stopped
and that it would be utterly impossible to
carry them further. successfully, unless
there was declaration that the testimo-
nv of witnesses should not be used
against them.
| Mr.. Lamar said there should not be
any exhibition of party feeling or excite
ment in the presence of such solemn
events as were throwing their shadows
over tae Eouse. 1t seemed to him that
the voice Of faction should at least be
| hushed. He argued that this mandate.
or summons, or subpoena, issued to mem
hers of a committee by the supreme
court of the District of Columbia, was
an outrage on the privileges of this
house. He did not say the object of the
court was to hush or to suppress invcst-
CATION; the question was one purely of
pa liamentary privilege. He regarded
it as violation Of the privileges of the
house for the court to issue summons
to member, and order him to bring
along with him the records of the house,
and to remain in court and not to depart
until allowed to do so by the court or
district attorney.
Mr.. Blaine" Does not the gentleman
from Mississippi sec does not the
whole country, that having possession
of the evidence upon which an indictment
can he found, and having in its possess
ION every paper in the case. the house
puts itself behind its technical privilege,
and throws itself across the indictment
of Belknap. and that, to day, it stands rs
an obstacle, and the sole obstacle, to
the indictment of the late secretary OF
war? -
Mr.. Lamar" Neither the gentleman
from Mississippi, or the country, nor the
gentleman from Maine, sees any such
thihg"
Mr. Blaine" II is nothing but that"
Mr., Lanar--" 1t is anything but that
The question is whether this house will
permit its records to be at the beck and
call OF the District Court There is nc
doubt but that when the investigation is
complete, it will be within the discretion
of the house to permit tho courts of tic
country to come in and get the evidence
but not pendentc lit-whle the investi
CATION is going on. and while the com
nit &c is taking further testimony. Such
proposition was monstrous and ridic
ulous.'
Mr. Blaine said he agreed with Mr. La
mar that while the affair was in lminc il
would be improper for a court to inter
fere. but that was not the case here. The
question was whether the house would
permit the testimony and papers in the
hands Of its committee to be sent to tht
court; the house could refuse it, Or il
could send it. "And now" said he i'm
petuousiy, " dafe--I dare that side o
the house to refuse it, Applause on
the republican side, and great excite
ment
Mr.. Lamar continued his remarks,
which he closed by offering resolution
reciting the history of the case, declar
ing the mandate of the court to be a
breach of the privileges of the house
and directing the members of the com.
mittee to disregard such mandate
Mr., Kasson invited the house to look
coolly at the situation.
The debate was continued at length
extending over four hours, but it is i'm
possible TO give correct summary of it.
1t was participated in by Messrs. Rob.
bins, Singleton, Danforth, Bcebe, Cox,
of New York, Bright, Hoar, Knott and
Hooker, The republicans intimated tina,
the witness Marsh had been allowed to
escape from the country, through some
motive which the democrats had; and it
was charged on the democratic side that
the president and cabinet were instru-
mental in driving him out of the country
through Intimidation His escape was
characterized by Mr. Beebe as that of an
obscure, petty thief, and he suggested
that the democrats were SO intent on
greater game that they had allowed the
miserable offender to pass through their
hands, through the Vaccinations Of the
executive and cabinet officers. The dem
ocrats, however, he said, proposed to
pursue not Marshes, who were trichina,
but villains in high places, and in that
connection he quoted the doggerel
rhyme
Some bait their hooks with mites ofcheese,
And sit on a kennel to bob for feas.
| Others bait their hooks with tigers tails,
And sit on y rock and bob for whales"