The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-01-26
IMPEAoHMENTS.
Tho seven Previous Cases In Which TN
Senate Acted aS a Court.

Senate Acted as a Court.
Since the organization OF the United state,
OF America the Senate has been called upon
only eight times to st as q court OF Justice
for the trial OF impeachment cases The
frst oase TO be brought before IL vss that Of
William Blount. q Senator from Tennessee
Ths el ghth Is that OF Charles Swsyne, Judge
Of the United States District Court for North
ern Florida During the ii6 years OF ne
legislative history OF tho nation. these sEb,
are tho only impeachment trials recorded 10
the books Of the Library OF Congres
Senator Blount, who had boen member
OF the North Carolina LEGISLATURE, or the Con.
tinental Congress. OF the Constitutional Con.
venton. and, by appointment OF PresId"a,
Washington. Governor Of tho United States
South OF tho Ohio. was elected TO the Senate
when Tennessee was admitted 70 the Union.
in 1900 In the following year he wac de-
tected in the effort 10 wrest the Florida ana
New Orleans from Spain on behalf OF Gresf
Britain. Tho Senate expelled him from
membership summarlly on the charge Of
mi h mlsdemeAnor entirely inconsistent with
his public trust and duty" He was I'm
peaohed and the trial vas postponed uni,
1893. After long debate the Senate de
cided in l7aa to dismiss the Impeachment,
on the ground OF no Jurisdiction. MT: bloun'
being then not an o1loer OF the United States
Mr. Blount did not suffer In popularity or
reputation In his home State becauee OF ths
acts charged against him and for several
years after his expulsion from the Federal
Senate no was presiding oilleer OF the len
nessee State Senate
Judge John Pickering OF the United State,
District Court Of New Hampshire was I'M
peached in 1908 for drunkenness. profanty.
and other misconduct. lie was convicted
on March IL. 1909. and was removed from the
bench. Judge Pickering had been member
OF the New Hampshire Constitutional Con
vention and Chief Judge OF the state Supreme
Court He was elected delegate 10 the
Federal Constitutional Convention. but 90.
clined to serve. Ills misconduct IN his later
life was charged to falling mental powers
Samuel chase Of Maryland. one Of the a sners
OF the Declaration OF Independence. mar
who had served his state and country notbo III,
While seryinS as an Associate Justice Of tie
United States supreme Court. Tho case
against hun was based upon i his deto ~ IN at
ton, John Randolph led In the attack upon
Judge Chase: The case was sntiSsiy 20,
on March S. 1906 lie sat in. the supreme
Court thereafter until his death in 1871. By
some II is held that the prosecution OF Judge
oyerbearing conduct OF the bench AZ tina,
time. but 'the purity OF his motives seems
beyond question"
District Court OF Missouri was imipea ohed On
Dec 10. 1880 for arbitrary conduct on me
bench IN his q iawSsrs aTf nv
two years later. after the. outbreak OF the
civil war. Judge West II Humphreys OF the
District Court OF Tennessee was iinpeached
on the charge OF rebellion. He was con
Wet ed and removed from once.
The next impeachment Was the nrw sra
only one ever brought against President
Of the United States. Andrew johnson.
ACCUSED OF violating the Tenure OF once act.
was arraignod before the Senate. ana sscspt1
con vi elton nv only one vote.
In 1879 William W. BelknAp or lows, VINO
since 1890 had been Grants Secretary OF war
WAS impeacned on the charge Of corruption
for receiving money from the Indian post
traders Belkn1p resigned from the CANNES.
and wna acquitted, on the ground that AFTER
he quit ONCE the Senate had no jurisdiction,
IN theae seven instances only two or the
defendants were convicted by the Sen
Three OF the accused were ACQUITTED m tn"
merits ~ the caFe. md the other two were
ACQUITTED on the ground Tint they we're rot
within tho Jurisdiction OF the Senate sitt'nt
as n court.
No conviction can be Ind in an inpeseh'
ment case vi bout tho concurrence Of two-
thirds Of the Senators present Jud rment
In case Of conviction cannot extend furihe
than removal from once. and disounlirca-
ton to hold and enjov any. ONCE OF honor.
trust or profit under the United States, nv
the offender IL liable, notwithstanding fis
conviction in impeachment proceedings. n
prosecution in the ordinary courts and pun
ishuent according 10 law.