The Express.
London, England, 1868-04-11 00:00:00

AMERICA.

Tbe Royal Mail steamship Java, from New
York on the Ist inst., arrived at Queenstown at
9.20 a.m. yesterday, with 52 cabin and
1,396 dole. in specie. She landed 121 sacks of
mails and four passengers, and proceeded for Liver-
pool at 9.30 a.m. All well.
NEW YORK, Iltscu 31.
re impeachment trial commenced yesterday.
Mr. °tier opened the prosecution in a long speech
itulating and reaffirming the impeachment
charges. He cited the speeches of President John-
son denouncing the Congress, and declared that
Mr. Johnson was bound to enforce, and had no
authority to question the constitutionality of, the
acts of Congress. The Senate during the trial was
governed by parliamentary rules only, not by the
statute or common laws governing the ordinary
course. The Chief Justice during the trial acted
merely as presiding officer, but without judicial
powers. Mr. Wade was entitled to participate in
the trial in order to represent his constituency.
President Lincoln's appointment of Mr. Stanton
was binding upon Mr. Johnson under the Tenure
of Office Act, as he was only serving out Mr. Lill.
coin's term of unexpired office.
The House of Representatives has passed a bill
declaring the new constitution of Alabama to be
the fundamental law for the provisional govern-
ment, and that State officers chosen in the recent
elections are to enter upon their duties on the Ist
of May. The legislature is authorised to revise
the constitution, and to submit it to the people
for ratification by a majority of votes mat.
General Grant, by the direction of Mr. Johnson,
has issued an order assigning General Hancock to
the command of the new military division of the
Atlantic, with head-quarters at Washington.
A resolution has been introduced into the Senate
to inquire into the President's authority to create
a ow division.
'The House of Representatives has refused to
receive a resolution of the New Jersey legislature
rescinding the ratification of the constitutional
suffrage amendment, on the grounds that the
wording of the resolution was scandalous, and dis-
respectful to Congress.
The Richmond grand jury are framing a new
1 indictment against Mr. Davis.
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Accounts received from Hayti state that Salnave
had been badly defeated by the Caeca rebels.
NEW YORK, Aram 1, MOILIITNG.
The managers of the impeachment in the House
of Representatives submitted evidence yesterday
to prove that Mr. Johnson had signed commissions
in oonformity with the Tenure of Office Act, thereby
recognising its validity. Evidence was also sub-
mitted to prove that General Thomas had formally
demanded the office of Secretary of War. Chief
Justice Chase gave a decision relative to the admis-
sibility of evidence by the impeachment managers
in the House of Representatives. Several senators
appealed from the decision, and denied that Mr.
Chase could claim judicial powers during the trial.
The Senate, by 31 to 19 votes, sustained the Chief
Justice, and adopted a rule giving him power to
direct all the forms and procedure of the trial, to
rule on questions of evidence, and at his option to
submit such questions to the vote of the Senate.
General Hancock has assumed the command of
the military districts of the Atlantic, the East, and
Washington.
The M'Ardle test case has been postponed until
December.