Year: 1876




WASHINGTON, d. c., April 10, 1876.


EDS. HERALD. - The impeachment
business is at last assumingide shape
and the country has reason to rejoice that
this important case will. soon be taken
from the jurisdiction of irresponsible news
paper correspondents. and be tried by a
court that will deal with the facts of the
matter as nearly as they can be ascertain
ed and render just decision according
to the law and evidence. On Wednesday
last, on, motion of Senator Edmonds of
Vermont, the Senate resolved itself into a
court of impeachment and each Senator
was sworn by the Chief Justice of the
United States to do impartial justice in
all matters pertaining to the impeachment
The usual summons to the accused was
issued and made returnable on Monday
the 18th inst, when the trial will begin
unless Gen. Belknap's counsel should then
ask and be granted further time in which
to prepare their defence 1t is stated
that they will ask an ,extention of two
weeks, and if the request be granted
which is probable, the trial will not COM
mence until Monday, May lst. Messrs.
Black, Carpenter and Blair have been re-
tained as counsel for the ex-Secretary.
These able and adroit lawyers as their
first move will. plead a want of jurisdic-
ton on the part of the Senate, sitting as
a court Of impeachment, on the ground
that the accused is not an officer Of the
government. What line Of defence they
will pursue if this point is decided against
them is known only to themselves. No
doubt it will be very ingenious and full of
legal technicalitics and all the keen dcvic-
es for which the aforementioned orna-
ments of the bar are famous.


An examination of the status Of the
various appropriation. bills shows that the
work Of Congress is in very backward
condition, considering the length of time
it has been in session The appropria-
ton bills are the main work OF Congress
and must all be passed before the ad-
iournment or the wheels Of the Govern
ment must stop for want of legal tenders
to keep the machinery in working order.
But one or two Of the regular appropria-
ton bills have passed and the majority of
them have not yet been reported from
the sub committees which have them in
charge 1t is the opinion of many of the
best informed members of the largest ex
perience that the house will not be able
to adjourn until the middle of July or
still later. Fears are entertained that the
appropriations will not be passed in sea-
son to become available at the opening of
the next fiscal year.


A great deal of interest is manifested
in the bill to substitute silver csin for
fractional currency. The bill as it passed
the House makes silver coin of the denom-
ination of one dollar, legal tender to the
amount of fifty dollars. This provision
has been stricken out by the Senate
finance committee, and the bill reported
to the Senate with an amendment making
silver coin legal tender in one payment
to the amount of five dollars. 1t will
probably pass the Senate as amended. In
anticipation of the early issue of silver
coin large shipments of half dollars, quar-
ters and dimes are received almost daily
at the Treasury Department and the en-
ployees are kept busy weighing them out
by the shovel full, and packing them
away in bags.


The associated press dispatches have
doubtless kept you informed of the tcs-
timony of G. s. Bell, the ex-detective, be,
fore the Clymer investigating committee.
The gist Of the long and rambling story