Year: 1876

WASHINGTON, March TO- 1875
THE MIsMANAGBMENr OF THE BELKNAP M


PARCHMENT BY THE DEMOCRATIC LEADERS


THE POSITION IN WHICH THEIR JEALOUSY


AND INCAPAcIrY HAVE PLACED THEM-PossI-


BIL1TY OF THE Ex-sEcRErARYs ESCAPE.


The impeachment Of Mr.. Beknap has caused a most
singular and prolonged squabble in the House. which
personal explanations alternate with discussions about
irrelevant questions The main matter hand makes
neadway and eight days after the committee brought
in their report the articles of impeachment not yet
before tho House The committee is investigating
ITSELF and it Is not at this very certain that
shrewd lawyer could restore Mr.. Belknap to lib
erty a writ OF habeas corpus


The fact is that the democrats the committee set
to work in wrong way, and they reaping
some uncomfortable fruits OF laundering course.
They apparently thought 1t wise TO suffer the re-
publican members OF the committee TO remain ignorant
OF the discoveries which they had made in regard to
Mr.. Belknap and the FIRST result OF that that they
lost the benent OF the advice OF the republicans
which might have saved them from some grave blum
ders, especially rs Mr. Bass, of the republican
members, has had much experience in investigating
committees. The personal explanations which have
followed for week were begun in the very report
of the committee, where Mr.. Blackburn found it



sert letter OF explanations, but added a GER
ti1cate from his two democratic associates. The
democrats appear to have looked at their discovery
mainly tremendous party victory which they
feared the republicans would snatch from them and
they have treated II from this standpoint in the House
for tho whole week. They made entirely unjusthablo
attack on tho Cabinet, asserting that it had ordered
the prosecution OF Marsh and thus caused his flight;
but they might had they tried have ascertanod what
is to-day stated by authority that the Cabinet made
such order, and they ought to have known what
Mr. Blaine pointed out to them that Marsh left Wash
ington before the committee reported his testimony
to the House. and than twenty -four hours before
the Cabinet met Mr. Bass showed to-day that Marsh's
going expedited by the chairman of tho committee
in way that aughabe, and his recital OF it made
the House laugh


Again, the sudden panic with which tho democratic
committeeman screamed for protection against the
summons Of tine civil only made them absurd for
IL shown them that they not only needed no pro-
lection but that they would require the permission of
the House before they could appear, even II they
wanted to so; and, after all the fuss they made the
question is still asked, Why should they gone
They attempted also get up discussion the ques-
ton whether the House had the power to mpeach Mr.
Belknap after his resignation; but here they were
stopped by the clear and timely assertion of right
by tho republican side. They forced the House
an acrimonious discussion about a bill ndemnifyng
witnesses, with the apparent design to put the other
side in tho wrong. But this was useless. Tho rcpub
licans not fools. They do not to hinder in
any way the impeachment and punishment of Bel
knap. They to help It all they They voted
for the bill ndemnifyinR witnesses, having first given
notice that they would like to offer amendments to
mako IL more effective which offer contemptu-
ousy rejected by the democrats. But 1t turns out
that bill fails OF its intended purpose and not
as It ought 10 and was Intended to, protect Marsh.


All these blunders, which mortify the sensible
OF ;he democratic sde of two things-utter lack
of discipline that side and desire to run the
machine entirely alone, and without suffering the
republicans take any share the discoveries the
prosecutions. This Jealousy has led them into
Of ridiculous protests and indefensbc POSITIONS and
anded them in embarrassments which they hardly
know how to get out Of The main result, SO far. has
been to show very glaring Incapacy thor side but
there night signs that If they do either
quickly manage their affair better turn over to
the republicans to manage for them, they
may utterly break down. Mr.. and Mrs. Belknap
have retained able counsel and these may presently
ask the committee and the House some questions


The Investigations foot too important for the
country to be baked by mismanagement. II is pity
that the democratic majority in the House has
leader whom It would obey aud who should SUM-
authority to put down the noisy and scnscless
takers and it that conducted with
system and method The democrats have a great op-
portunty do a very important service the coun-
ry for which II would be grateful but they mis-
using their opportunity so far very badly.


FROM OUR REGULAR CORRESPONDENT.