The Morristown gazette. [volume] (Morristown, Tenn.) 1867-1920, 1876-03-08
BeII1nap's Impeachment.

BelEnap's Impeachment.
WASHINGTON, March 2, 1876. -Clvmer
of Pa, presented resolutions of impeach
ment against VIM. w Belknap, late Sec
rotary of War, for high crime and mis-
demeanors in office.
In the midst of great excitement anc
with an unusual stiffness in the House
Clymer rose and said: 81 ask permits
sion of the House to make a report from
the Committee on Expenditures in tn,
War Department of so grave Importance
that | am quite certain that when it il
heard, the House will agree that / an
justified in asking that permission al
shis time"
Permission was given, and Clymer
taking his position at the clerk s desk
read the following report:
The Committee found at the very
Threshold of its investigation, such an
unquestioned evidence of the malfeas
ances of Gen. Vim. Belknap, then Sec.
rotary of War. that they found it their
duty to lay the same before the House.
They further report that this day at II
O'Clock, letter of the President Of the
United States was presented to the Com
mittee, accepting the resignation of the
Secretary Of War, together with a copy
of his letter of resignation which, the
President informed the Committee, was
accepted about ten O'Clock this morning.
They therefore unanimously report and
demand that the said VIM. Belknap, late
Secretary of War, be dealt with accord
ing to the law of the land, and to that
enu, submit herewith the testimony in
the case taken together with the several
statements and exhibits thereto attached
and also a rescri pt of the proceedings of
the Committee had during the inveFti-
cation of this subject, and submit the
following resolutions:
Resolved, That VIM. W. Belknap, late
Secretary of War, be impeached Of high
crimes and misdten1eanors in office
Resolved, That the testimony ia the
case of VIM. W. BeIknap, late Secretary
of War, be referred to the Judiciary
Committee, with instructions to prepare
and report without unnecessary delay,
suitable articles Of impeachment of the
said VIM w. Belknap, late Secretary of
War
Resolved, That d committee of five
members Of the House be appointed and
instructed to proceed Immediately to the
bar of the Senate, and there impeach
VIM. w. Belknap, late Secretary of War,
in the name of the people of tie United
States, of high crimes and misdemeanors
when in office, and to inform that body
that formal articles of impeachment will
in due time be presented, and to request
the Senate to take such order in the
premises as they may deem appropriate
Mr.. Clymer then proceeded to read
the testimony of Caleb II. Marsh, taken
yesterday before the Committee showing
that he had paid Secretary Belkuap about
twenty thousand dollars in consideration
of his appointment as post trader at Fort
Sill, Indian Territory. The reading was
listened to with intense interest by the
members of the House, and by a large
audience in the galleries. In the more
pathetic portion of the narrative Mr.
Clymcr was frequently forced by his
feelings TO pause until his voice recover
cd from its tremulOusness, and himself
from his agitation. At the close of the
reading, and after many members who
had taken up positions near the clerks
desk, the better to hear the testimony
and accompanying statements, had re-
turned to their proper seats, Clymer, who
had also gone to his own seat, again
rose and with great emotion, said: Mr..
Speaker: l would not, if I could, and |
could not, in my present condition, if I
would add anything to the reports to
the House; another occasion may be af-
foTded me TO do so. They are so plain
that everywhere throughout this broad
land, and throughout christendOm, wher-
ever the English language is read or
tute record of official corruption and
crimes such as there is no parallel for in
our own history or in that of any other
country that know of. If in this hour
one sentiment of pity, one word of sym
patty could find uttcrance from me, il
would be because feel that the late Sec
rotary of War is but the proper out
growth, the true exponent of the currup-
ton, and the misgovernment that have
cursed this land for years past. That
being my own reflection | will discharge
my duty best to myself and to the House,
by demanding the previous question on
the adoption of the resolution. Robbins
pleaded his mental and physical exhaus-
tiOn from his continuous service on the
Committee as a reason why he should
not address the House at any length. He
spoke OF the report as presenting a case
OF great shame and disgrace to all Amer
lean citizens AS to the question of the
impeachibility of an officer who had re-
signed, he was not prepared to speak ad-
VIsedly except to suggest that it could
not be true that an officer who was be-
ing investigated and who had been found
Ivy evidence TO be criminal could flee
from justice. He alluded to what he
called the unseemly acceptance Of Sec
rotary Belknap's resignation, and refer
red to the English cases of Warren Has
tings and Lord Francis Bacon, both OF
whom had been iupeached after they
had ceased to hold the office in which
they committed crimes and misdemean-
ors
Bass, of New York, another member
of the Committee, questioned the state
ment of the Chairman, Mr.. Clymer, as
10 this case having no parallel and said
that he would not have to leave his own
border IN order to find not only paral-
lei for it, but that he could find cases
with which this case was az
white as the driven snow. He adm limited
that mere statement of this case as pre-
sented by the testimony was sufficient to
justify every member to vote for the
resolution presented.
Lamar, of Mississippi, inquired from
Bass his opinion as Ia the impeaclabil- |
ity of resigned officers. Bass replied |
that the English authorities seem to
maintain the jurisdiction OF impeach- |
ment in such cases, but that in this coun-
try it was an unadjudicated question |
and one that was not free from doubt.
But his own best judgment was in favor |
Of the right to impeach and to let the |
question be adjudicated by the Senate.
Hoar, of Massachusetts,, In reference |
to q casual remark of some member as !
10 this being political question, entire
" disclaimed and repudiated such an |
dca on tlie point OF impeachability of q !
peTson not in Office. He referred TO I