The Portland daily press., 1876-04-28
BELKNAP'S IMPEACHMENT.
Motion to Postpone the Trial to
December Denied.

WASHINGTON, April 27.-After reading the
minutes of the last session of the Senate sitting
as court of impeachment, and the rejoinders
recently filed, Mr.. Lord, on the part of the
, relating to the question of the jurisdiction OF
the Senate sitting as court of impeachment
be given before the arguments relating there to
are heard, and if such plea Is overruled, the
defendant be required to answer the articles oil
impeachment within two days, and the House
to reply, if they deem 1t necessary, within two
days, and that the trial proceed on the next
day after the joining of the issue.
Mr.. Carpenter, of the counsel for the accus-
ed. moved that the trial be postponed until the
first Monday in December next. Mr.. Carpen-
ter asked that the time for discussing the mo-
tion to postpone be fixed at two hours on each
side instead of one.
The question being submitted to the Senate
the request was granted, yeas 48 nays Is.
Mr.. Blair, of the counsel for the accused, ad
dressed the Senate in favor of the motion.
Mr.. Blair argued that it was impossible for
the Senate to do justice to the great and i'm
portant question involved in this case, on ac-
count of the advanced stage of the session.
The counsel had not had time to make suitable
Investigations before presenting themselves to
argue this great question. Again, the House
was even now making investigations with a
view to presenting additional articles of i'm
parchment, and if any additional charges are
to be made the counsel wanted them here. They
invited the closest scrutiny.
He referred to the life of the accused, and
stated that he had won his way into the coun-
ellis of the nation on the field of battle. Anoth-
er reason why the Senate should postpone the
trial was that it connected itself directly with
the political issues of today, and both political
parties were almost committed to his destruc-
ton.
Judge Black followed in support of the mo-
ton to postpone. Judge Black spoke an hour,
and dwelt at some length upon the political ex-
element against the accused, contending that
it was so intense that each party was commit
ted to his ruin. 1t was impossible for him to
have a fair trial, though he might have an hon.
est one. He also intimated that his defence
would be so painful that nothing but the fear
of the absolute loss of his reputation could
move him to it.
He appealed to the Senate to let Belknap be
forgotten for few weeks and then let him be
tried. He did not desire to shun the trial. He
would not run away from the country. He
would not even follow the prosecuting witness
to Canada. He would be here whenever the
court opened for his trial, but he asked that he
asked that he might have this delay until this
was in danger. Nothing would follow if these
managers accomplished every end they had in
view and made good every point he stated, ex-
cept to fix political disability on private citi-
zen.
Senator Edmunds moved that the Senate
Agreed to, yeas IS, nays "a.
Before the Senate retired Mr. Hoar, one of
the managers, called its attention to the rule of
parliamentary law, which restricts the Senate
in discussion of what has taken place in the
House of Representatives. He desired to know
whether that was rule governing the proceed
ings on trial. SO that the managers of the House
might govern themselves accordingly. He was
Jed to allude to the subject from .he fact that
one of the learned counsel had been permitted
to state that scene of disorder took place in
the House on a certain occasion. He did not
make any motion on the subject, but merely
desired to call the attention of the Senate to it
what their rights and duties were in the prem
Uses.
MI. Carpenter said on the part of the defend
ant that the counsel wished to be heard before
that i'm portant question was decided.
The Senate at o'clock retired for consuta-
ton and returned to the Senate chamber at half
past four, when the presiding officer announced
that the motion on the part of the defendant
was denied and that the counsel on the part of
respondent would now be heard on the motion
submitted by the managers, which is that the
evidence on the question pending to the plea of
jurisdiction, be gwen before the arguments re-
lating thereto are heard, and that it such plea
is overruled the defendant should be required to
answer articles of impeachment in two DAYS,
and that the trial shall proceed on the next day
after joining the issue.
Mr. Blair, counsel for Belknap, rose to omen
the argument, but on motion of Senator An
thony the Senate, sitting as court of impeach-
ment, adjourned till tomorrow at half past II
o'clock