SULZER ON TRIAL.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1860, 20 September 1913, Page 7

SULZER ON TRIAL.

HIGH CRIMES AND MISDEMEANOURS,

THE IMPEACHMENT.

CHALLENGED BY COUNSEL.

By Telegraph—Press AEGodation— Copyright

New York, September 18. Tho State Senate and tho Appeal Court Judges of New York State sat in open trial of tho charges against Mr. Sulzor, Governor of New York, who is charged with high crimes and misdemeanours. Mr. Sulzer's counsel attacked tho validity of tho impoachment at tho outset, and the Court decided to take timo to consider tho objections. Mr. Sulzer did not appear. WHAT LED TO THE TRIAL. The conclusions of what was known as the Erawley Committee, set up to. inquire, into -the allegations preferred against Sulzer by Tammany Hall—from which ho broke and bo made an enemy of—are that Governor Sulzer falsified under oath his campaign contribution, account, diverted some of these contributions to the purchase of stock, speculated in stock at tho time that, as Governor, he was earnestly pressing legislation against the New York Stock Exchange, punished legislators who opposed him by vetoing their Bills, traded executive approval of Bills for support of his direct primary measure, ana did everything in his power to conceal proof and obstruct the IVawley Committee's efforts to bring it to light. "Wo submit to the Senato and Assembly," the report rccited, "that tho facts stated aro sufficiently serious in character and aro so violative- of the laws of tho State, and_ tho rules of fitness for and conduct in high office, and\that tho'public interests demand somo action in reference thereto, whether through tho exerciso of powers of tho_ Legislature or by referring facta and evidence to' other duly constituted officers charged with duties in rcspect thereof." "During the time of these hearings and investigations." tho report (proceeds. "William Sulzer, as Governor, has dona everything in his power to withhold tho truth and obstruct tho produa. tion of evidence and tho courso_ of justice. At his irstanco and direction both Sarccky. his secretary; Colwell, his dummy; and Harris and Fuller, his brokers,'have refused to testify boforo tho committee. His influenco in the promotion of Sarccky to nn important and lucrative position in the_ Stato Hospital Commission las deportation igent—(substituting an inexperienced younpr stenographer for an experienced physician in that position—could only b» a Teward for Sarccky's silence fn protecting tlio Governor from damaging disclosures. "Wo submit to the Legislature that It was false when William Sulzer swore that lie had received only 54G0 dollars of campaign contributions, and that ho did so with full knowledge that 118 had reqeived an amount ntlany times that sum, and had converted the 6ame to his private uses; that he used contributions given to aid in his election for the purchase of stocks in Wall Street, which" ho, or his a.gents, still hold; that he has been engaged in stock market specnlation at the time when he, as Governor, was earnestly pressing legislation against tho New York Stock Exchange, which would affect the business and prices of tho Exchange; and that there was evidence boforo this committoo to sustain a finding that as Governor he has punished legislators who opposed him by vetoing legislation enactcd for the publio welfare, and has traded exeoutivo _ approval of BUls for support of his direct primary and other measures." Under the United States Constitution a Stato Assembly has the power of impeachment, by a vote of a majority of all the members elected. Tho Court for the trial of impeachments is composed of the President of the Senate, tjie Senators, or tho major imrt of them, and the Judges of the Court of Appeals, or the major part of them. Judgment In oases of impeachment does not extend further than to removal from office or removal from office and disqualification to hold and enjoy any office of honour, trust, or profit under tliis Stuto;_ but tho party impeached is,liable to indictment and punishment according to law." Pcvlinps tho most famous impeachment trial of all history was that of Warren Hastings, tho English statesman, who was charged with" "high crimes and misdemeanours" in connection with his conduct in reference to the Begum of Oudh and Chair Singh in India. His trial before the Houso of Lords lasted from 1788 to 1705.- Ho was acquitted. The most notable impeachment trial In tho history of the United States-was that of President Andrew Johnson., He, too, was accused of "high crimes' and misdemeanours" after a bitter fight with Congress, and ho was acquitted in May, 18G8, on a vote of S5 to 19, which' was very' little short of tho two-thirds vote necessary for' a verdict against him.

"Should Snlzer be haled before « Court of impeachment in tho Senate Chamber in Albany," said tho New York "Evening Post." "there will undoubtedly ensue the most impressive and dramatio trial tho canifal ever smui. There have been trials of Supreme Court Justices and Senators on charges of briberv, but never anything so portentous as the ment of n Governor accused of violation of his oath" of office for failure to eomplv witli tho Corrupt Practices Act." William Sulzer is the first Governor to bo impeached in the State of New York. Eight States have impeached their chief executives, and of this number three were removed from office, ono resigned, one was acquitted, and tho charges against th'reo wore dropped.