The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1905-03-08
JUDGE swAYNE Is ACQUITTED.

According to dispatches from
Washington, the impeachment pro-
ceedings against Judge Swayne, OF
the northern district of Florida, re.
suited in the acquittal of the accused.
1t requires a two.thirds vote for the
senate to convict in impeachment pro-
ceedings, aud the prosecution in the
Swayne case failed to secure even a
majority vote upon any n of the
charges made.
A review of impeachment cases
prior to the proceedings against Judge
Swayne, says only seven trials have
been had in the senate since the
foundation of the government. The
first man impeached vas Senator
Blount, of Tennessee. He had been a
member OF the legislature of North
Carolina, a member of the Continental
congress-, and a member of the cOnsti-
tituonal convention. Washington APP
pointed him governor of the "United
States south of the Ohio" in 1896,
when he was serving as senator from
Tennessee. While holding the posi-
ton to which he had been appointed
by Washington he was charged with
aiding Great Britain in her attempt
to wrest Florida and New Orleans
from Spain. The senate %thereupon
expelled him. In 1899, he was i'm
peached, but the proceeding vas dis
missed on some technicality. Senator
BlOunt did o lose caste ia Tennes-
see by reason of his impeachment and
expulsion from the federal senate
His state continued to honor him in
many ways.
In 1903. Judge John Pickering. of
theU United States district court, was
%impeached for drunkenness, profanity
and other misconduct. He was con-
vic,ed and removed from the bench.
Pickering was Il distinguished man in
his day. He served as chief jndge of
the supreme court of New Hampshire
and a elected delegate TO the federal
constitutional convention. The mis-
conduct Of which he was convicted
vas due to his failing mental powers.
In 1904, Samuel Chase was i'm.
peached for an otfense committed five
years before while serving as an as
sOciate justice of the United States
supreme court. Chase was one Of the
siguers Of the Declaration of Indie.
pendence aud was distinguished for
many civic services to his state and
nation. The senate cleared him and
he remained on the bench until his
death in 1911.
Judge James II. Peck, Of the United
States district court of Missouri, was
impeached on December Ii, 1880, for
arbitrary conduct m the bench in his
treatment Of lawyers and litigants.
The senate acquitted him. Thirty-two
years later, after the outbreak of the
civil war, Judge West ii. Humphreys,
Of the district court of Tennessee, was
i%mpeached on the charge Of rebellion.
He was convicted and removed from
office. The impeachment of President
Andrew johnson followed. He was &C.
cused of violating the tenure Of office
act and was tried in 1867, but escaped
conviction by one vote.
In 1856, William w. Belknap, of
Iowa, who since 1869 had been Grants
secretary Of war, was %impeached on
the charge of corruption for receiving
money from the Indian post traders.
Belknap resigned from the cabinet,
aud was acquitted, on the ground that
after he quit Office the senate had no
jurisdiction.
SO the history of impeachments up
to date is that one defendant was con-
victed of personal misconduct, and
one Of treason. Three defend ants were
acquitted on the merits of their cases,
and the other two escaped conviction
on the ground that the senate had no
jurisdiction.