The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1885-02-26
THE LAWMAKERS.
A Warm Debate on the Army
Appropriation Bill.
THE RIVER AND HARBUR BILL
What the President-eIecS Thinks of
Silver gc-TeIegrams
In Brief
The Senate.

| The Senate.
WASHINGTON February 25.-In the
Senate. during the discussion OF the
army appropriation bill, Sewell said the
House provision so amended the 9th
article of war as to enable courts
martial to control the hours of their
own session.
In the discussion which fol-
lowed, ingalls, said there were
other matters connected with
trial by ceurt-martial that needed
more serious consideration Than
the hours OF meeting. He referred to
the trial of General Swain. IF the state,
ments published this morning were cor
rect, ingalls, said. the proceedings were
a disgrace to civilization. 1t was a
shame that any tribunal of law should
De subjected to the pressure of the
violent interference that appears TO have
Deen brought to bear, not only in the
interests of justice, but for the purpose
OF compelling verdict more injurious
to the accused. The findings of the
court have been several times returned
TO the court, the. last time with most
offensive epithets on the defendant. Mr..
ingalls, hoped the Senate would by its
rules and not give way on the proposed
amendment.
Sherman thought ingalls, hyper
critical, but there was one great
evil connected with trials by court
martial. The Judge-Advocate was
practically nothing but prosecuting
officer and in the Swain case he had
proved most aggressive one ''If that
IS the law of the United States,'' said
MT: sherman, God help me from ever
falling into the power of a court
martial"
Dawes thought it trifing to talk of
the hours of the session of a court
martial while the press was reporting as
1t this morning reported, things that
would be a disgrace to American
Justice for all time. Better had it been
if the Swain court martial had never
been convened than to have afforded to
the people of the United States the
spectacle presented this morning,
shocking every mans sense of justice.
Harrison was not willing to give a
court-martial the unlimited right to fix
its own hours. If any desire existed tc
wreak vengeance on the person accused
such right would facilitate that pur
pose.
Hale defended the members Of
the Swain court.
ingalls, said he had not meant the
slightest imputation on them.
Hale was not prepared to believe thai
any superior military authority had in
truded on the functions of the court
There was nothing in the record, as t.
the personal character of the Secretary
; OF War, that gave color to such imputa
ton. He had in his term of public
; service gained the universal respect o.
the people.
Sherman remarked that no Senator
or other persons has asSailed the Secre
tary of War
Hale said We were told this decision
! in the Swain court was the sum of hu
: man outrage and that it had been in
= f1uenced by superior authority. That
: must mean somebody.
Sherman had not heard q single per
son refer to the Secretary of War.
, Hoar inquired what would be though
if in the case of the poorest man o
woman in the land charged with petty
larceny, the Attorney General of tn
! commonwealth should, after the tria
+ and conviction of the accused, return
: the verdict OF The jury with his opinion
e-AN SSAtOAAWO " 40 liOL SCfcIt
Mr.. Hoar was not criticising the Presj
dent or Attorney General, but saw M
reason for the existence in time of peac,
2 of court-martial regulations permittin,
such a course.
Hale said the course of the Secretar,
OF War and Acknowledgement was il
b accordance with the practice, custom
4 and law.
: ingalls, believed the court martial hat
done justice. He had no reflections t,
make on the trial, of course Presidenf
Arthur had no personalconnection will
n the transaction. He was merely tn,
executive officer through whom tn
finding was promulgated Ingall
). exonerated the President from al
personal connection with the transac
e ton criticised.
!, Cockrell asked ingalls, to name tn
e officer that had acted Improperly in tn
matter.
ingalls, replied, az do not know any
e thing about it." He recited the circum
stances attending the submission an
i PRONUNCIATION of the successive finding
&c OF the court and inquired whether it ha
ever before been known in any civ
lied country upon the face of til
- earth that an appellate Judge had eve
~ been permitted to say to the appealin
tribunal that the sentence of an accuse
person was not severe enough.
st ingalls, said no man could read til
history of the. proceedings withou
coming to Attled conviction ths
there was a deliberate purpose, som,
where. not to do justice, but to a,
50 compllsh vengeance against the accuse
t. officer That officer had not had th
= honor OF having the oil of the coron.
ton poured on him at West Poin
Ig Since his appointment to his preser
rs office he had been pursued with
IS studied and revengeful malignity tn.
had not parallel in the annals of r.
venge.; If more specific informatio
as to ingalls, belief we're needed of I'll
- source OF the spirit referred to, he coul
y give it.
q Conger agreed with ingalls, in a
:. crlbing the spirit complaine
q of to jealousy entertained b
~ West Point graduates again.
the volunteer officers of the arm,
He had cautioned his friend, sGeneri