The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1876-05-04

In the senate, on the 18th, there was
unusual activity, preparing for the impeach-
ment trial of w. w. Belknap, late secretary
of war. After the journal of Thursdays pro-
ceedings had been read, various petitions and
memorials were presented, but at half past
twelve o'clock legislative business was sus-
pended, and the senate proceeded to the
consideration of the articles of impeachment
The secretary was ordered to notify the house
that the senate was ready to proceed with
the trial, and that seats had been provided
for the members. At fifteen minutes to one
o'clock ex-Secretary Belknap, with his coun-
sci, entered and proceeded to the table pro-
vided for them. The managers of the inn
peachmeDt and members of the house ap-
peared at one o'clock, when the minutes of
the session of the senate as a CUurt Of inn
peachment, held on the 9th inst, were read.
The return the writ served upon the ex-
secretary having been read, Mr.. Carpenter
read and had filed plea denying the juris-
dictiOn OF the senate to try Belknap on the
articles of impeachment, as he was not an
officer of the United States at the time such
articles were found and presented to the
senate. Mr.. Lord, on the part of the man.
ayers, asked that time be allowed them until
the 10Th instant to consider what replication
shall be made to the plea of Belknap, and it
was so ordered. Mr.. Mitchell, from the COM
mittee on privileges and elections, to which
was referred the question as to the proper
amount of compensation to be paid 2. B. s.
PlnChback, late contestant for a seat from
Louisiana, reported a resolution to pay Pinch
back the sum equal to the compensation and
mileage of a senator from the beginning of
the term for which he was a contestant tn
the termination of the contest by the senate.
Ordered printed and to lie On the table. The
committee on appropriations reported the
house deficiency appropriation bill with
amendments, inCludinE the following: To
pay the expenses of transportation, custody,
exhibition and return of United States prop
erty to be exhibited at the centennial; $751;
600 for the interior department, $1S,500 for
the war department, $4,000 for the treasury
department, $21 900 for the Smithsonian in
stitute, $4,000 for the United States commits
sion of food for fishes, and $25,000 for the
Black Hills commission. The unfinished
business being the bill for the requirement. of
Pennsylvania avenue, it was resumed, and
pending the discussion the senate went into
executive session and soon adjourned.
In the senate, on the 18th, Mr.. Sher-
man reported favorably on the senate bill to
amend the laws relating to legaI-tenders of
silver coin. He gave notice he would call it
up Thursday. The bill reported and recon-
mended for passage by the finance commit
tee, in its full text, is as follows: There shall
be coined at the mints of the United States a
silver coin OF the weight of 412 $40 grains
troy of standard silver, the emblems, devices
and inscriptions of which shall conform to
those prescribed by law for gold and silver
coins of the United States with such mOdif-
cations thereof as may be necessary to render
said dollar distingUishable from the trade
dollar, and in the coinage and delivery there
of the same deviatiOns from standard weight
and fineness shall be allowed as are pre-
sCribed by law for the trade dollar, and said
dollar herein authorized shall be a legal
tender at its nominal value for any amount
not exceeding twenty dollars in any one
payment, except for custom duties and inter
est on the public debt, and the trade dollar
shall not be n legal-tender therefor. The
secretary of the treasury is hereby authorized
to exchange, for an equal amount of United
States notes, which shall be retired and can
celled and not be again replaced by other
notes, and all United States notes redeemed
under this act shall be held to be part of
the sinking fund provided for by.an existing
law, the interest to be computed thereon as
in the case of bonds redeemed under the
acts relating to the sinking fund. ANY owner
of silver bullion may deposit the same at the
mints, to be taken at its market value, to be
asCertained and publicly announced from
time to time by the director of the mint, with
the approval of the secretary of the treasury,
and to be paid for either in silver dollars or
gold coin, or United States notes. The bull
lion for the coinage of said silver dollars may
be procured in the mode provided for as to
other silver coins by section 1876 of the re-
vised statutes of the United States, the gain
and wastage to be accounted for as provided
in said section. Mr.. Morrill, called up house
bill making appropriations to supply def
cIencles in the appropriations for the fiscal
! year ending June 80, 1876, and for prior
! years. Various amendments were agreed to,
among them the following: For the payment
! of mileage 10 the senators who took their
/ seats at the session convened the 9Th of
! March, 1870, by proclamation of the pres-
! dent, who were not members of the previous
| congress, 1886. The amendment of the
| committee on appropriations, $25,0O0 to pay
] compensation and expenses of the Black
| Hills commission, was agreed to ; also the
amendment apprOpriating $73,5OO to defray
! expenses of exhibiting articles belonging to
! the United States at the centennial. Mr.
! Paddock submitted an amendment providing
| that nothing contained in the bill should be
| construed so as to allow compensation TO
/ members of the Black Hills commission who
are prohibited from receiving the same bv
| the revised statutes of the United States.
| Agreed to. After executive session, the SEN
ate adjourned.
In the senate, on the 10Th, Immediately
after the journal of yesterdays proceedings
was read, the chairman laid before that body
| the message from the president vetoing the
act fixing the salary of the president Ex-
Secretary Belknap and counsel entered at
! twenty-five minutes after twelve and leCis-
| lative business was suspended to resume the
| impeachment trial. Mr.. Lord sent to the
| secretary'S desk and had read the answer
adopted by the house of representatives TO
the plea of Belknap, TO the effect that at the
| time of the commission OF the acts charged
| Belknap was an officer of the United States,
and was such officer until after the house, by
| its proper committee, had completed its in
vestigatiOn into the charges against him. and
we're preparing for his impeachment, fact
! known to him when he resigned. Mr.. Car
| penter, for the accused, asked for a copy of
! the replication of the house, and until Mon
/ Gay next to answer. Mr.. Edmunds submit
| ted order that the respondent file his
! answer 20 the replication of the house by the
| oath instant, and the managers file their
! rejoinder by the 25th, and that the trial pro-
/ ceed on The 9th instant. Agreed to. Leg
| islative business was then resumed, and the
/ house bill to define the tax on iermented and
/ malt liquors was passed. Before the passage
! of the above bill, il was amende. so that
| nothing in the act shall have the effect to
| change the rates of the law respecting the
! evidence in any prosecution or suit. Mr..
| Thurman called up the motion entered by
! him several days age to reconsider the vote