Arizona republican., 1914-04-29
IMPEACHMENT OF WILLIAM BLOUNT

The first trial and impeachment in the United States after the formation of our government was that of William during the presidency of John Adams. On July 3, 1797 President Adams sent to congress a number of papers on the relations of the United States and Spain. Among them was letter from United States Senator ElOunt, of Tennessee, to an Indian agent among the CherOkees, from which it appeared that Blount was en- gagged in a conspiracy to transfer New Orleans and the neighboring territory from Spain to Great Britain, by means of a British fleet and land force to be furnished by Blount.
 On receipt of this information the house gave Blount notice of it's inten- tiOn to impeach him. The senate at first put him under $50,000 bonds to appear for trial, but afterwards ex- pelled him on July 9. His sureties then surrendered the senator to the senate, but he was again released on decreas- ed bail. The whole of the next session from November 13, 1797, to July 16, 179S, hardly sufficed for the prepara- tion of the five articles of i'm peachment which were prepared to Ering him to trial on December 24, 179S.
 Blount. who in the meantime had been elected to the senate of his state, did not appear but his counsel plead ed: First, that as senator he was not a civil officer liable to impeachment, and, second, that since his expulsion he was no longer a senator. The senate sustained the first plea, and Blount was acquitted for want of jurisdiction.
 The ground for the impeachment of Senator Blount was based on the fol- lowing clauses from the constitution: "The president, vice. president and all civil officers of the United States shall be removed from office. on impeach- ment for and. conviction of treason. bribery, or other high crimes and mis- demeanors.
 Judgment in cases of impeachment shall not extend further than to a re- moval from office, and disqualification to hold and enjoy any office of honor, trust or profit under the United States. But the party convicted shall. never theless be liable and subject to in dlctment, trial, judgment and punish- ment according to law"
 Upon this constitution clause if was tn
 but as it was midsummer, the ses- sions of the first session of the Fifth congress adjourned on July 10. but the committee that had been ap- pointed to prepare and report the case for trial against the senator were authorized to sit during the recess of congress.
 The second session of the Fifth congress was begun in Philadelphia
 which was begun at the time. on No
 vember 13, and among the first
 things that was done was to take UT
 ment. The house considered the
 question until the following February
 7. when the findings were carried tc
 the senate by Representatives Sit
 greaves, Bayard, Harper, Gordon
 Pinckney, Dana, Sewall, Hosmer
 Dennis, Evans and ImIey, who .wert
 appointed to conduct the said i'm
 peachment
 The purport of the five articles was as follows: l. That Senator Bloun had contrived to set on foot a mill tary hostile expedition in the Florida: and Louisiana against Spain, in ordel to wrest this land from that country 2 That he in disregard of thu treaty between this country anC Spain conspired to excite the Greet and Cherokee Indians living within the territory to commence hostilitie. against Spain.
 3. That Blount had tried to alien ate these tribes of Indians from thei l friendliness to Benjamin Hawkins
 who had been appointed by the pre- sident as temporary agent 4. Tha | he had contrived to seduce Jame | Carey, the governments Indian in | terpreter in Tennessee, to assist il 1 the promotion and execution of hi | criminal conspiracies 5. That he i'm paired the influence of the United | States by exciting the Indians agains
 the governments representatives Wh'
 had been sent to mark the boundar. 1 lines between the United States ant the Cherokee nation.
 When Blount was expelled iron | the United States senate the Vot stood twenty-five to one, TaZeWell O Virginia voting no On January l4
 1799, the court then in session Il
 Philadelphia decided by vote O fourteen to eleven that as he wa
 no longer a senator they had n jurisdiction. He was never spokel
 of as a traitor by the people Of Ten
 nassee and was held in high homo